The Institute is located in Rawson Street Auburn, just a few minutes’ walk from public transport – bus and train – and from the city centre. This also means that the Institute is a short train journey from central Sydney.

Auburn is a thriving, bustling city. However, it is not as rushed or crowded as Sydney. The Institute is a few minutes’ walk from a large local park and from a major shopping centre which offers everything learners may need including supermarkets, a food court and speciality stores. Within a short distance are cinemas, coffee shops, small restaurants and other facilities.

As noted earlier, the Institute has access to excellent, low cost public transport – bus and train – within a very short walk, and for learners who wish to use their own transport, there are nearby car parks.

The Institute can readily accommodate 150 learners at its Auburn site.

Typical Institute classes are small, with a maximum of 18 learners in any one class.

The Institute focuses on adult learners, and accepts people of all ages into its programmes. It is likely that learners will find themselves in classes with people of varying ages, who are undertaking intensive English to help further their studies, enter the work-force or for other reasons.

In general English, the Institute offers six levels from beginners to advanced. It also offers foundation and advanced IELTS preparation, English for academic purposes and preparation for the Pearson Test of English.

All academic staff and teachers at the Institute are English language specialists, with the experience to offer a range of approaches based on learners developing increasing communicative competence matched to their aims and aspirations.

Learners can expect a diverse range of learning and teaching including video and audio tapes, traditional classes, the Internet and computers, group and project learning, on-line learning, as well as educational excursions to places of interest.

The Institute’s general English programmes focus on the Cutting Edge series. This is because Cutting Edge is widely regarded as an excellent resource for learners from beginners to advanced levels.

For foundation IELTS the standard texts are Complete IELTS 5.0 - 6.5 (and accompanying workbook), and for advanced Complete IELTS 6.5 - 7.5 (and accompanying workbook)

For the Pearson English Test, the text, PTE Academic Expert B2 Course Book with MyEnglishLab is used.

For English for Academic Purposes, the Institute uses EAP Now, second edition

Institute classes vary between 60 and 90 minutes, generally with a short break between classes, as well as a longer midday break. Depending on the material involved, classes may be led by different members of the Institute’s academic and teaching staff.

For all learners, the Institute’s Orientation Programme starts at 0830 on the first day when classes are scheduled.

Institute classes comprise five (5) hours per day, four (4) days per week, and all learners will be assigned self-study, group and additional tasks on a regular basis, generally amounting to an additional five (5) hours per week. If they wish, learners can use the Institute’s common room and library/resource centre for their self-study.

Institute courses are organised on the basis of 10 week terms, with learners either assigned to a class level depending on its suitability to their current English proficiency, or selecting the appropriate IELTS level or other, more specialised courses. Some learners may require a longer period of study to master the levels to which they aspire, but regular formative assessment will provide them and the Institute’s academic and teaching staff with regular feedback on their progress.

The Institute is an English-medium institution, meaning that English is the basis for all class, social and other activities such as excursions. While there may be groups of learners from the same country, it is advantageous if everyone uses English as this helps learners integrate more readily, and it provides valuable oral and aural practice. Using English outside the Institute is also encouraged.

The Institute regularly arranges extra-curricular activities including regular local excursions. It also organises trips to places outside Sydney. Regular sports competitions, national day celebrations and other social functions are also organised. Learners are free, and are encouraged and helped, to arrange other activities which meet their needs and wishes.

Unsurprisingly, as Australia is located quite near the Asia Pacific region and the sub-continent, the Institute attracts learners from Korea, Viet Nam and China and other Asian countries, as well as those from India, Pakistan and Nepal. There is also a growing interest from learners in South America as well as from Europe.

It is very likely that learners will find themselves amid a number of quite different nationalities in any one class, where learning and using English is a common factor that enables communication and participation by everyone.