I’m excited about 2010 a complete number, an even number year. This year is exciting on so many fronts personally and professionally.

Last month I celebrated with my wife the birth of our fourth son, Nathanael James Presley, pictured here with his family.

President's Family 2010

Each of our sons are gifts to us from the Father. When we look into our little son’s face we see our other boys as well. It’s amazing how we all resemble each other physically. At the same time as our boys grow and mature they take on their own personality, talents and character. “Nate” will follow like us to grow into a wonderful young boy and then a man one day. These days he’s completely dependent on us and has a fresh start in life. The future is bright, clear and full of opportunities.

China Office

This month we have a new member of our team operating out of Shanghai, China. Mr. Bowen Shen joins ELI 360 as the China Market Manager replacing Ms. Qing Gao who has moved into her new role in China as the Operations Manager. Bowen was a student at one of our partner universities and since finishing his masters he has been helping young Chinese students gain admission into U.S. universities. During the last four years he has been instrumental in helping specific programs become the success they are today.

His addition to the team marks a greater commitment by ELI 360 to meet the needs of the market in China and to ELI 360’s partner universities . I believe this year we will have a much stronger sales network in the number two (2) country of origin for exchange students. His responsibilities will focus on market and brand development. As with Nate, ELI 360 has great opportunities ahead in China. Welcome to the Team Bowen!

ELI 360 Launches an ESL Program

In cooperation with a local university partner, Hardin-Simmons (HSU),

HSU Students

ELI 360 will be able to offer an intensive English program to increase the number of exchange students who need a semester or year of English before matriculating into the university’s programs. With our company increasing our presence in markets like China and India it is becoming more essential to have an ESL program that can offer students F1 visas. Through our partnership HSU will now be able to serve a much larger market with university placement desires.

Both HSU and ELI 360 are very excited to be offering this program starting August of this year. Again, there are great opportunities for the company but even more importantly to the international student market that needs increased English proficiency before entering regular university classes.

New Markets

ELI 360 is also moving into additional markets this year with a growth in our network. Recently completed was a discovery trip to Dubai where we will certainly work to develop a strong presence for our university partners. After several months of research I personally went to meet with high schools, administration and local families. The opportunities are so great that I will be returning to launch an intentional effort on behalf of our Global Advance partners. This will include setting up a local representative office.

Burj Dubai

Over the last year we have been developing a solid partnership with Emerging Young Leaders and through this organization we are now able to connect with more families around the world. Sam Balachander, from Bangalore, is the director and has made it possible to go on this trip to Dubai.  I am looking forward to visiting with families and high schools to introduce our Alliance of Universities. In the last few years they have continued to gain recognition in the United States for their superior academic programs. What makes them so appealing is their environment and cost.

ELI 360 universities listed here are in the top 100 of their respective regions. That’s a great accomplishment! Yet, even I who studied at one of the universities find that its the environment that is so great. While I studied at one of our partner universities I found that my professors were often willing to mentor me as I went through each year. Additionally, I was able to participate in many student functions which boosted my resume before entering the working world.

All the universities that work with ELI 360 are in safe residential environments and have a welcoming community. Most often we hear students and visitors say how surprised they were to find the university’s campus  so friendly and esthetically inviting. While I’m in Dubai I will share this message about our partners. Not only do they offer the best in academic programs but they do it in a safe and friendly environment.

Here in the U.S. once a year most Americans especially males sit around a television to watch the national championship football game. During this sports event companies of all sizes broadcast their own advertisements to convince viewers to purchase their products or services.

In this video watch how Google a major Internet company known worldwide chose study abroad as it’s example for what it is capable of in helping customers find what they want. The student exchange industry is a major economic player. For a company like Google to use study abroad as its example should make young people seriously consider completing some or all of their studies in an overseas experience. In this advertisement it changed the young person’s life. A little humorous indeed but a good ad.

Enjoy. . .

Tianamen Square

Tianamen Square and the Forbidden City, where the recent 60th anniversary festivities took place in Beijing, was packed with people and offered any tourist an enjoyable time. Yet, for me what was most exciting were the new friends and partnerships that were developed during my trip.

In Beijing we were able to work with our local representative and ELI 360’s China office to develop new opportunities with great individuals like Ms. Gao who has been helping families go to Canada for years. Now together we will be able to give families opportunities to go to the U.S. for their higher education pursuits. We found that together there is great synergy and a cooperative spirit. I know that developments like this will lend well to our efforts in China specifically because so much of the success is dependent on relationships. Ms. Gao and her office are not only professional but take their clients’ interests “to heart”.

Ms. Gao and Strong Union

During our visit I was impressed with the sense that this new partner looks out for the best interest in those she serves. For us at ELI 360 this is a key value because we work with people not numbers. I believe we will see many new students on the campuses of our partner universities because of the collaborative efforts between our China office and Ms. Gao. To our team in China with my tea cup in hand raised I say “to much success.”

I too was in Dalian, a coastal city, investigating opportunities to  develop new partnerships. As ELI 360 considers the environment of higher education many institutions are increasingly seeking out partnerships with counterparts in other countries like China to enhance academic collaboration, expand curricular offerings, participate in joint research and offer students international experiences and cross-cultural training. However, many institutions face significant challenges in understanding education systems in other countries, identifying appropriate partners and developing effective institutional partnership strategies. Yet for our partners’ ambitious initiative like those listed above they will be navigated with much ease.

From this particular trip ELI 360 has been able to find the right partnership in China, specifically in Dalian where there is a major technology industry, to begin assessing and developing projects that will benefit institutions on both sides of the ocean. Our team which will soon be made up of individuals in both nations who will interpret and convey to all engaged parties the material at hand in a way that is clear.  For our partners they will have a reduced level of effort, culture confusion and will gain reduced risk of failure.

Site survey of a university in Dalian

A rich history in China.

60th Anniversary Celebration

This trip will be an important step in developing China – U.S. relations for ELI 360 and its university and high school partners. For our partner universities I’m very optimistic regarding Chinese students and their desire to be in the U.S. for their undergraduate study. The meetings that are lined up will take place in Shanghai, Beijing and Dalian.

Part of the effort will include meeting with parents who are ready to send their child to the U.S. while other meetings will engage institutions in further dialogue regarding 1+3 and 2+2 programs which is a strategic need for all ELI 360 partners. I’m most encouraged over these opportunities as they benefit both nations in developing a real cooperative effort between organizations and continue to move both sides of the world toward the idea we call PeopleFuzion.

PeopleFuzion is the idea of bringing people of different ethnicities together in an appropriate environment, and when together, the sum of these ethnicities multiplies exponentially so that any idea, work effort, discovery or combined viewpoint is more complete and more adequate to the task. It is the practice of bringing cultures from across the world together. It is the exchange of people and ideas.

Our overseas team informs us of trends and developments locally. Furthermore, they offer families direct contact with ELI 360. Yet they too are only parts of something much larger. What ELI 360 has to offer the education world is the bridge and partnership between nations. It is developed from a network of relationships that collectively have an interest to see the improved wellbeing of all young students and their families. This network to function well is required to have a great amount of trust and belief in the other parts.

ELI 360’s partner universities, overseas associates, business partners and friends together offer international families something very unique. That uniqueness is driven by a set of values for excellence, stewardship, care and service. In no other part of the education world do we know of a TEAM that can give families this uniqueness. This TEAM believes further in being part of a service in the education world that is unmatched at public/state universities and most private ones as well.

Our company with great diligence researches, studies, develops, trains and informs the education world of the latest issues and needs. This reality in our service provides families a wealth of expertise which they can trust during their efforts to find the best institution and it comes with something of great value.

Peace of mind and an assurance of the best value when the education purchase is made. A uniqueness that gives parents an assurance their child will have the opportunity to develop in strong character, leadership that endures the tests of time and intellect.

ELI 360 university partners are some of the very best institutions that provide a real community of people. International students who come to our campuses find that not only students are friendly but faculty and staff take an interest in becoming friends with each student. We have heard over and over from the students we’ve helped that their professors know them by name.

Recently some students had this to share with us regarding their experience at an ELI 360 university:

Thanks for the care of me, I made tons of friends and i can’t wait to meet u, I do really enjoy it now, I love UMHB.

Best Wish
Andrew

As I meet parents around the world it has always been a pleasure to tell them that once their child has gained  admission through our company to one of our great universities they will quickly hear from their child they have found a new home away from home at their university. Many parents hear that not only is their child saying they feel safe they feel welcomed and have made new friends that include their professors. At first thought this may not seem significant but when you realize that these professors are the experts in the field of study it says something about the caring environment our universities provide and the opportunities to be mentored by the experts.

Granted students can simply avoid building relationship but the opportunity is there, further, gaining mentors is also available. I tell students all the time “take a chance,” “ask your professors if they would mentor you.” ELI 360 universities are the best at providing resources and time to develop leadership skills and character that will help young people grow into mature professionals who have the character to move up the career ladder where they will be those who influence the communities around them.

Some North American students in the last decade have elected to go to medical school outside the U.S., many going to the Caribbean. While there are excellent options in the Caribbean some that do not require the MCAT for admission there are better opportunities in China. Not only is the standard of academics high with high-tech labs the tuition is half or one-third the cost of medical school in the U.S.

Over the last decade China has approved a short list of medical schools to offer an English based matriculation program for the MBBS degree. These schools are the top national medical schools that are approved by the AMA and many are listed with WHO. Nanjing Medical University in particular is number 19 in the 180+ medical schools in China.

China’s Ministry of Education over the next few dacades will invest a considerable amount of cash to showcase these schools in order to become a world seat for medical education. For any student considering becoming an MD China medical schools should seriously be considered as they themselves will be heavily invested in so they as future MDs can be showcased around the world much like the olympics was this past year.