NEW YORK – Anna Papageorgiou, Director of Studies at EDU Standards, spoke with The National Herald about the award-winning Athens-based learning center and its achievements in the field of adult education.

TNH: Tell us about yourself, where were you born and raised?

Anna Papageorgiou: I live in Athens, Greece, which is where EDU Standards is also based and operates. However, I was born in Thessaloniki, where I spent the early years of my life, but my memories from my childhood belong to Veria, the place where I was raised. It is a town near Thessaloniki with great history, monuments and natural beauty that taught me how the old and the new, traditional, and contemporary elements can co-exist harmonically in one place giving it a whole new identity.

Having American citizenship though, as my mother was raised in New York, had a great impact on us. The American culture was the most dominant element in our upbringing in all its forms. And these are the factors that inspired our vision regarding the educational services that we offer through our business. The connection of these two worlds that are both part of who we are as people and citizens of and in this world.

TNH: Did you always want to go into the field of education?

AP: Having my mother as a role model, I must admit that I got inspired by her career choices and wanted to follow in her footsteps. Thus, working together and building an awarded Lifelong Learning Center was my ambition and I am grateful it was fulfilled.

Education is the basis for any civilization, its development, advancement, and progress, and that can only be achieved through correct guidance. The qualities of the teacher are primarily based on equality, non-discrimination, patience, and willingness. The tutor is responsible for the transmission of the information while promoting the four c’s in education – that also apply in business – meaning co-operation, communication, critical thinking, and creativity.

Through my experience in working with both children and adults I have observed that for the actual sense of education to be achieved, we educators, trainers, teachers, need to give the chance to individuals to realize their strengths, capabilities and most importantly to understand their qualities as students, people, and citizens of the globalized modern world.

TNH: How did EDU Standards come about and when did it start?

AP: We have been operating as a Foreign Language and Lifelong Learning Center providing educational services in numerous forms for more than 40 years, always evolving, developing, and growing in many directions. I am therefore very happy that with our innovative action, and through EDU Standards we are charting the new path in education with development prospects for everyone: professional, academic, personal!

TNH: What advantages are there for students in EDU Standards?

AP: Our educational philosophy is highly human centered with respect to the needs, skills and abilities of our students and partners. We help people by offering excellent results, success, and progress quickly, easily, economically.

We have created specialized programs that give our students all the necessary skills to make English their second language in all fields, having specially designed each program to achieve this goal in collaboration with centers in England and the United States.

What we do with great success and what distinguishes us in the adult education industry, is the fast-paced but effective training of our students both to improve their level of English and to certify this progress. Fast preparation means 2 to 3 months of lessons, while effective means that they communicate orally or in writing at the level they aim at in a real context, not only in exams but at work, conferences, studies or on vacation.

Teaching English in adult classroom settings becomes a fun and meaningful process with real use of language in the lives of our adult students, in their work, in their academic course and overall progress and all this through ultra-fast education that results in a formal graded certification knowledge and level of English, with excellent results which reinforce and support our award, methodology and educational philosophy.

TNH: What should students know about EDU Standards and how can they apply?

AP: EDU Standards is an educational organization that operates as the exclusive representative in Greece promoting and organizing the examinations for the NYLC Certificate of all levels from B1 to C2 which is on the list of ASEP proving the level of language proficiency.

Moreover, through our most recent excellent collaboration with the American school Flex Major for which we act as exclusive partners and representatives for Greece, EDU Standards offers students the opportunity to obtain a High School Diploma.

Flex Major is an Online American School approved by the U.S. Department of Education. Being a leader in U.S. teaching solutions, it has been awarded for excellence in implementing virtual and blended teaching and learning. Through our partnership we offer international non-U.S. students the opportunity to succeed in obtaining a United States of America High School Diploma.

Understanding our students’ need for development, training and, of course, certification, at EDU Standards, we offer fast-paced courses, enjoyable study programs and of course official certification recognized by ASEP, the Supreme Council for Civil Personnel Selection, language certification for English, Certification of knowledge and use of computers, Business English, and Certification in over 130 Professional fields for professionals with high goals and vision.

We have been awarded by the Education Leaders Awards, an institution that has been established as the most important in education to upgrade the educational experience of both students and teachers. The awards involve and present educational activities and initiatives, which are evaluated and rewarded by the Jury, which is composed of teachers, experts, academics, and representatives of educational institutions. Our award is in the category ‘Innovation in Teaching’ as we have created and follow an innovative teaching method for learning English as a foreign language.

TNH: Are there any deadlines students should know about?

AP: As educational service providers, we organize exams throughout the year, enabling both partner training centers and our candidates to officially certify their knowledge of English every week with results in 15 days. Candidates are expected to fill out the participation form, send through the required documents, and proceed to all necessary actions to ensure a place, at least 20 days prior to the exam date. New teaching classes and groups are formed and launched every 10 days while exams are held once a week from September until July, offering candidates numerous opportunities to attend courses and certify their knowledge, progress, and qualifications.

More information is available online: https://www.edustandards.eu/en/home-english/.