ACT Creates New Company to Provide Educational Services Worldwide

January 10, 2005

IOWA CITY, Iowa—ACT, Inc., the Iowa-based company known worldwide for its educational and workforce development programs, including the highly-respected and widely-used college admissions testing program, has announced the creation of a new for-profit subsidiary, ACT Education Solutions, Limited. The new company, which is incorporated in Hong Kong, is wholly owned by the non-profit ACT, Inc.

The new company will focus initially on helping international students for whom English is not a first language to prepare for study at English-speaking universities around the world. "Our mission has always been to help individuals achieve their education and career goals," said ACT's Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, Richard Ferguson. "The creation of ACT Education Solutions, Limited will enable us to extend our services to individuals and organizations around the globe."

ACT Education Solutions has acquired the assets of Sydney, Australia-based Campus Group International Education Services, Inc. (CGIES), a company that has conducted business throughout Asia for many years. That company's premier program is a nine-month university preparation program, taught and evaluated in English, that leads to the award of the Global Assessment Certificate (GAC). The GAC program provides international students with the skills that they need to enroll in and succeed at English-speaking colleges and universities. Currently, the GAC, which is growing rapidly, is offered in conjunction with local partners in 11 countries, at more than 70 locations, including more than 30 in China.

More than 110 postsecondary institutions participate in the GAC program, including universities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. As part of the program, all students take the ACT Assessment, which is given in English and measures their readiness for college-level coursework. Participating institutions have access to a website that permits direct communication with students who have completed the intensive GAC program and have demonstrated their language and academic proficiencies and readiness for university-level study. Students enrolled in the GAC program, in turn, have the opportunity to communicate directly with participating universities about study opportunities.

ACT Education Solutions will also offer the Global English Certificate, an English language preparation program designed to equip non-English speakers with the language skills required to enter the Global Assessment Certificate program, and the Global Graduate Preparation Program, which is designed for students wishing to prepare for MBA studies in the United States.

CGIES staff currently based in Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Korea and Malaysia, have joined the new company, and will work closely with staff at ACT's national headquarters in Iowa City as the new company evolves in its mission and work. "I'm pleased to announce that Joff Allen, who has held the key leadership position in CGIES, will serve as the General Manager of the new company reporting directly to me in Iowa City," observed Ferguson. Allen will work out of the new company's Sydney office, which is also host to staff responsible for program development and support, including training and monitoring for quality control. Along with other key staff, Allen will be joined by Andrew Todd, a veteran of CGIES based in Hong Kong, who will serve as head of the company's Asia sales and marketing operations.

CGIES was founded by Mark Skinner, an Australian businessman whose interest in international education prompted him to develop a means of helping large numbers of students from non-English speaking countries prepare for, and successfully navigate the processes for enrolling in universities in English-speaking countries. "We greatly admire what Mark has accomplished through his creation of and commitment to CGIES over the years, and are delighted that he has agreed to remain as a senior consultant to the new company and serve on its Board of Directors," said Ferguson.

ACT's first program was the ACT Assessment, first administered in 1959 and now used by virtually all U.S. colleges and universities for admissions and course placement. In the years since, ACT's programs have expanded to provide college and career-planning information for younger students, services for secondary and postsecondary institutions, and workforce development programs for adult workers and employers.

The organization also provides test development and administration services for dozens of professional organizations that sponsor licensure and certification tests. ACT's popular WorkKeys program is used by thousands of companies committed to helping their employees develop the skills needed to become successful and productive employees. Other workforce development programs include the company's nationwide network of ACT Centers, located primarily at two-year colleges, and providing state-of-the-art testing and training programs for businesses and adult learners.