PIER - Professional International Education Resources - offers:

• Access to formal qualifications through a suite of competency-based courses at Diploma and Certificate IV levels.
• A growing database of information
• Access to professional networks worldwide
• News of professional development opportunities and conferences.

PIER is evolving every day.  Keep checking our website to keep informed about new developments.  

PIER is a web-based portal providing information and training to individuals involved in international education. It consists of a substantial database of resources, a news service, and the PIER training courses. PIER links to relevant websites across the field of international education globally.

PIER also assists in connecting people across organisations and professional networks. The EATC is contained within the wider group of PIER courses for international education professionals.

International Education Services Ltd (IES) is a not-for-profit RTO and the registered provider and owner of the PIER courses.

As the registered training organisation that provides The University of Queensland Foundation Year, IES has significant experience in the field of international education.

In the development of PIER, IES acknowledges support and advice from:

• The Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR, formerly DEST)
• The Commonwealth Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC)
• ISANA: International Education Association

and representatives from all educational sectors who specialise in international education.

The EATC is specifically aimed at Education Agents who counsel and refer students to study in Australia. Whether you work for an education recruitment agency, have your own company, or would like to work as an Education Agent, the EATC will allow you to gain a nationally accredited qualification in International Education in Australia.

Those individuals working within the international education environment, who are not education agents (such as admissions officers or marketing staff) and wish to see the course material, may register as "Other member" or "Institution" when filling out the online registration form.

 Alternatively, they may consider undertaking the Diploma of International Education Services.

To become a Qualified Education Agent Counsellor you will need to undertake the EATC Formal Assessment. The Certificate is awarded once an individual has completed the 80 minute test, comprising of 50 multiple choice questions. The Formal Assessment is an online test taken at various testing centres globally.

While registration and access to the online learning materials within the EATC are free, individuals pay an AUD$400 fee to take the formal assessment. This fee can be paid once a booking has been made for the formal assessment. Please be aware that cancellation fees will apply if you book a formal assessment test and do not attend, subject to the discretion of the EATC Manager.

Registration into the EATC is free; to register go to www.pieronline.org/eatc and fill in the online registration form.

When you register for the EATC, you will also be given a subscription to PIER, which will include access to the PIER resources and our fortnightly updates. You cannot access the EATC learning materials without completing this online form.

To access the information and materials of the EATC, there is no cost; interested participants simply need to fill in an online registration form at www.pieronline.org/eatc. The cost of the EATC formal assessment is AUD$400.

That is, participants pay not when registering for the EATC but at the time that they take the formal assessment; this may be 1 week or 2 months after registering for the EATC.

XE.com Universal Currency Converter

The EATC is delivered online via this website containing readings, a web-portal with links to related resources, self-assessment tasks (often in the form of case studies), and self-paced tutorial exercises including self-monitoring multiple-choice questions.

This will depend on the users’ experience. The nominal duration is intended to require around 50 hours of reading and study material for an individual with basic functional competency in the English language (approximately IELTS 5.5), who has no knowledge of the international education environment prior to commencing the course. 

For individuals who have been working in the industry for some time, the time taken to digest the readings, website materials and tutorials may be much less.

The Qualified Education Agent Counsellor Certificate cannot be gained until individuals take and pass the Formal Assessment, in the form of 50 multiple-choice questions. The test is open book, so participants are able to access any information they would like when taking the assessment. In addition to the Certificate, if the individual requires a Statement of Attainment, they also need to provide a signed declaration form from their employer or work collegue that states that they have the required personal skills to be an education agent.

The test is undertaken online at centres listed on the EATC website. The Certificate and the Statement of Attainment are awarded to the individual who undertakes the test, and not to a company or organisation.

The Formal Assessment of the EATC is offered at different places around the world. Check the EATC Formal Assessment site for further information.

At the end of the 80 minute formal assessment test, you will be given your result on the screen. This will inform you whether you are competent or not yet competent.

On completion of the test, you will also receive an email stating if you are competent/not yet competent.

If you are competent, you will be able to download and save a copy of your Certificate within seven days of the test. At that time, you will also be listed as a Qualified Education Agent Counsellor(QEAC) on the QEAC website. The QEAC database is used as a tool by students, parents, education providers and government staff to confirm if an agent has succesfully completed the EATC formal assessment test.

The email also provides you with a link to a "Declaration Form" which you should complete and have signed by your employer or work colleague and send to us. We will then issue the formal Statement of Attainment if all parts are satisfactory.

Those individuals who complete the formal assessment and are assessed as not yet competent will be able to take the test again.

It is important to note that the person setting up the test for you - the invigilator - does not have any more information than the person sitting the test regarding the questions, answers and assessment of the formal assessment. If you have any questions, please contact our team at eatc@pieronline.org.

It is highly recommended for every participant to refresh their knowledge by reading through the online material and submit all self-assessments on an annual basis. 

If you have specific questions about your qualification, please contact the EATC Manager via email.

Aside from the skills learnt in undertaking the course, the accredited Statement of Attainment is evidence to your students that you are professional in your role. An agency that encourages staff to participate in the training will lift their overall skills-set and profile. This may provide a competitive advantage and could lead to increased demand for their expertise.

Formal recognition under the AQF ensures continuing quality and integrity of the course, with it providing a clear pathway for agents to move beyond this “base-level” qualification. A list of qualified individuals and the agencies they work for is the Qualified Education Agent Counsellor site; this can be a very useful marketing tool in establishing your bone fides to both students and institutions.

If at the end of the test you were assessed as "Not Yet Competent", you need to undertake the Formal Assessment again by booking another test session, and after confirmation by the invigilation centre, paying the AUD$400.00 test fee.

In 2003 AEI commenced work to completely rebuild their previous training course called  the ‘Aussie Education Specialist’ with the objective of updating and professionalising the training of their education agents. An Agents Training Steering Committee was set up with members from the Australian international education industry. Members were asked to assist AEI by providing directions in relation to content and development of the course.

With the new objectives in mind AEI has sought to support a training course that sits within the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).

Since 2004 IES has been developing competencies in international education services under the AQF in consultation with AEI. IES have used these competencies to construct and accredit courses in International Education Services. 

IES have agreed to tailor two units, which sit within its Certificate III in International Education Services, to have content based on the subjects agreed to by the Agents Training Steering Committee. 

Supporting agents by providing training and professional development has been a high priority for AEI, as this is an important component of the quality assurance of Australia’s international education industry. AEI, part of the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), has been working on this support for many years across many different avenues, and continues to provide expertise and support to develop the EATC with IES.

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC, formerly DIMA) also consults on this project with AEI, as representatives of the Australian Government. 

As of 1 July 2010, Austrade took over several roles of AEI, including:

• Provide information and tailored research about Education Agents to Australian education providers.
• Advise education agents seeking to represent Australian education providers, including referral advice to education agent training programs.

In 2003 AEI commenced work to totally rebuild the Australian specialist training course with the objective of updating and professionalising the training. An Agents Training Consultative Committee was formed with membership from Industry, including:

• English Australia
• TAFE Directors Australia
• Universities Australia (formerly known as AVCC)
• ACPET
• ACIVC
• The Independent Schools Council.

Members were asked to assist AEI by providing directions in relation to content and development of the course.

IES conducted pilots in November 2005 in Sydney and Melbourne with a total of 43 participants, representing education agents and Industry peak bodies. The participants contributed to lively discussions about the nature of an agent’s work and provided a wealth of feedback to assist the curriculum developers in the fine-tuning of the course. Similar pilots have been held at offshore locations from March 2006, beginning in Beijing, China, and in New Delhi, India, in May 2006.

A suite of programs in International Education Services was formally accredited under the Australian Qualifications Framework in early 2005. These qualifications provide for employees entering the industry in a range of work roles, and create learning and career pathways for individuals already working in the field.

From July 2006 onwards, the Diploma of International Education Services has been offered on-line including elective specialisations relevant to marketing, client service, transnational delivery and financial management in international education. This program is relevant to all individuals working within international education. Further information is available at www.pieronline.org

An internet enabled and connected computer with an up-to-date web browser, Adobe Reader and a Flash Player program installed (PIER recommends using Adobe Flash Player).

Minimum system requirements:

Windows®	Macintosh	Linux®
Intel® Pentium® II 450MHz or faster processor (or equivalent)	PowerPC® G3 500MHz or faster processor Intel Core™ Duo 1.33GHz or faster processor	800MHz or faster processor
128MB of RAM	128MB of RAM	512MB of RAM, 128MB of graphics memory

Click here for free Adobe Reader download.

Click here  for free Adobe Flash Player download.

To change your work details or upload your photo/logo before becoming a QEAC:

1. Log onto the EATC using your email address/password.
2. Click on the "Your account" link located on the top, right-hand corner of your homepage.
3. On this webpage, you need to click on the "> Click here to update your profile" link underneath your details currently found in our database.
4. You will be able to amend your work details and upload your photo/logo through this webpage.

To change your password:

1. Log onto the EATC using your email address and current password.
2. Click on the "Your account" link located on the top, right-hand corner of your homepage.
3. Click on the "> Click here to update your profile" link underneath your details currently found in our database.
4. Scroll down to the bottom of the webpage, where you will see the "Change your password:" section.
5. Enter your new password, then enter it again to confirm.
6. Enter your current password before clicking on the "Update" button.

To change your name or date of birth:  you need to send us a written request along with a copy of your ID (e.g. passport or drivers licence) that shows the above details in English. These details can only be amended by PIER.

If you have succesfully taken the Formal Assessment of the Education Agent Training Course and your details are listed on the QEAC website at www.pieronline.org/qeac, then you will need to log onto the Counsellor Dashboard at http://counsellordashboard.com/ using your EATC registered email address and password to manage your QEAC profile.

There are two fundamental documents everyone who works in international education must be aware of, and act according to. These are:

• ESOS Act  (Education Services for Overseas Students Act), and
• National Code of Practice 2007 

In addition to the above, migration and education agents are provided further information on

• Student visa related matters, and
• visa applications, legislation, registration. (The registration requirements for education agents in and outside Australia can be found here. For further enquiries, individuals need to contact DIAC directly.)

on DIAC's website.

To download your Certificate of Completion, your QEAC widget or QEAC logo after completing the EATC Formal Assessment:

1. Log onto the EATC using your email address/password.
2. Click on the "Your account" link located on the top, right-hand corner of your homepage.
3. Click on the relevant link or button on your account page:
   



4. To generate the QEAC badge (with or without news feed), click on the “> Click here to manage your referral widgets” link. In the next page, the HTML code for the badge will be generated, ready for inclusion on the agent's website.
5. To download/print the QEAC Certificate, click on the "Print your QEAC Certificate" button. The pdf file can be "Save as..." and/or "Print..." from the next page.
6. To download the QEAC logo, click on the “Load your QEAC logo” button. The QEAC logo then can be saved as a high quality image by right clicking on it on the webpage.