This paper explains how the British Council’s work in testing and assessment supports its wider goal of building international connections and understanding. It uses real-world examples from past projects to show how this work has played a role in cultural relations.

To build a stronger case, we suggest a clearer and more structured way to measure impact. This includes three key steps: monitoring, independent evaluations, and research and analysis. While the examples in this paper fit the first step, the fact that they weren’t identified in advance makes it harder to prove a strong impact on cultural relations. Therefore, while the framework in the case study tables may be a good approach, they can’t be used to create a convincing argument unless it’s applied from the very start of a project.

We believe that cultural relations shouldn't be judged by short-term results. Instead, organisations like the British Council need to think carefully about what kind of evidence they collect and its impact if they want to show the true value of their work.

Citation:

O'Sullivan, B., Patel, M., & Munday, G. (2021). Language testing as cultural relations. British Council. https://doi.org/10.57884/J5PJ-5139