Connect with us

Technology

Pearson launches Beyond PTE at Southeast Asia Partner Summit

Published

on

New insights reveal more than half of test takers in Southeast Asia, Japan, and Korea pursue Pearson Test of English for work and migration opportunities.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Pearson (PSON), the world’s leading learning company, today released insights from Pearson Test of English (PTE) candidates across Southeast Asia for 2024. The data reveals a younger demographic with ambitions to work and study around the globe.

This announcement comes on the heels of the successful 2024 Asia PTE Partner Summit, a gathering of more than 400 international education professionals simultaneously hosted in Changsa, China, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Manila, Philippines, Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam and virtually across other Southeast Asia countries, South Korea and Japan.

At the summit Pearson launched a new test taker service, Beyond PTE, and gathered education officials from embassies and consulates and institutions as well as training providers to discuss the latest trends in international education and presented the annual report card for PTE.

Guests and speakers at the Summit included the Hon Phil Honeywood, CEO, International Education Association of Australia, Guy Perring, Regional Director, Etio (formerly Tribal i-graduate), Danielle Zhou, Business Development Manager, Austrade, Wu Xinping, Education Market Manager, British Council, and Felix Ye, Senior Market Development Manager, Education New Zealand.

Beyond PTE Launch

The Beyond PTE program launched in collaboration with Trip.com, Malaysia Airlines and Casita.com. This new service is designed to provide a barrier-free, one-stop solution for PTE candidates, through integration with the right financial, legal and travel service providers, each one of them offering additional benefits for PTE test takers.

Beyond PTE offers include:

Trip.com – Flight discount up to MYR40 or SGD15, 20% UK railcard off, up to GBP7, 5 % OFF UK & EU train and bus ticketMalaysia Airlines – Join MH Explorer program to access up to 30% flight discount and free baggage up to 45kgCasita.com – Student accommodation cashback up to GBP150/AUD250/USD200 for PTE test takers

PTE Director Asia, Matthew Lampkin said: “By launching the Beyond PTE cooperation program, we aim to provide multi-dimensional services and all-round support for candidates studying abroad. Pearson is committed to meeting growing demand, with new centres opened this year in key locations, such as Hanoi, Vietnam, Jakarta, Indonesia and Vientiane, Laos providing greater access and convenience for our test takers.”

New Insights from 2024 Testing

The lates insights from the millions of PTE tests taken around the world in 20204 were also released at the Summit including:

Demographics Comparison:Gender Distribution: Southeast Asia, Japan, and Korea: Female (59.6%), Male (40.4%); Global: Female (50.1%), Male (49.9%)Higher female participation in Southeast Asia, Japan, and Korea is encouraging in the region, compared to the near-equal global gender split.Average Age: Both regions show a broad age involvement from 16 to 73 years, demonstrating comprehensive demographic coverage for English proficiency.Nationalities: Southeast Asia, Japan, and Korea: 89 nationalities (leading nationality: Filipino); Global: 180 nationalities (leading nationality: Indian)This reflects the regional diversity while highlighting different leading nationalities.First Languages: Southeast Asia, Japan, and Korea: PTE test takers spoke 90 different first languages, with the most common being Tagalog; Global: Most common first language is Mandarin.Testing Locations Comparison The top five testing locations in Southeast Asia, Japan, and Korea include key cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Makati City, Seoul, and Singapore underscoring PTE’s broad geographical reach.Purpose and DestinationsPurpose for Taking PTE: Southeast Asia, Japan, and Korea: Work/Migration (52.5%), Study (31.4%); Global: Similar distribution, focusing on work, migration, and study applications.Top Destinations: Both regions show a high preference for Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom, reflecting consistent global aspirations.Levels and Programs of StudyLevels of Study:The top two levels of study in the region are: Undergraduate degree (32.8%), and Postgraduate/Master’s degree (24.8%)Programs of Study:The top three study areas for the region are: Business and Management (18.2%), Health (17.6%), Tourism and Hospitality Management (11.6%)Occupational InterestsTop Occupations: Health and Social Services (29.8%), Technical and Scientific (7.7%), and globally the top occupations are: construction, education, banking, and finance globally.Information ChannelsPrimary Sources of Information: Friend or family (29.4%), Internet search (19.7%) and Australian Department of Home Affairs (13.6%), Friend or Family being top primary source of information underlying the strong word of mouth and willingness to recommend among PTE test takers.

About PTE

PTE is committed to providing fast, reliable, and accurate English language testing. With over 500 test centers in 118 countries, PTE supports educational, migration, and professional ambitions worldwide. By combining human expertise with advanced AI, PTE offers a fair and highly accurate English language test, recognized by governments, organizations, and universities globally. The test is available for all visa types in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, and is recognized by over 3,500 universities worldwide. In 2024, PTE achieved significant global success, including launching PTE Core for Canadian visa applications and gaining recognition in the Netherlands and the US. Over 2,000 US universities now recognize PTE, including Princeton University and MIT.

About Pearson

At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to add life to a lifetime of learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. That is why our over 20,000 Pearson employees are committed to creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. We are the world’s leading learning company, serving customers in nearly 200 countries with digital content, assessments, qualifications, and data. For us, learning is not just what we do. It’s who we are. Visit us at pearsonplc.com. 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/pearson-launches-beyond-pte-at-southeast-asia-partner-summit-302333184.html

SOURCE Pearson

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Technology

Caladium Systems Launches Happiffie, India’s First AI-powered Celebration Platform

Published

on

By

CHENNAI, India, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Caladium Systems today announced the launch of Happiffie, India’s first AI-powered Celebration Growth Platform, introducing a smarter way for customers to discover, compare, book, and manage celebrations while helping businesses connect with high-intent customers through intelligent technology.

Designed for weddings, birthdays, corporate events, social celebrations, parties, festivals, and more, Happiffie brings together over 400 celebration occasions and 1,000+ celebration experiences on a single AI-powered platform.

India’s celebrations industry continues to rely heavily on referrals, manual coordination, inconsistent pricing, and fragmented vendor discovery. Happiffie addresses these challenges by combining AI-powered recommendations, transparent price discovery, secure bookings, payments, and event management into one seamless platform.

A key innovation is Happiffie’s Reverse Auction, where customers simply submit their celebration requirements and verified vendors compete by offering customised proposals. Instead of spending hours searching and negotiating, customers can compare multiple qualified offers and choose the vendor that best matches their preferences and budget.

“Customers can now book the experience of their choice with the vendor of their choice, in the budget of their choice. At the same time, vendors receive qualified business opportunities matched to their category, location and capabilities, creating value for both sides of the marketplace,” said Pradhyumna T Venkat, Founder & CEO, Happiffie.

“Every major industry eventually reaches a point where technology fundamentally changes how it operates. Travel did. Hospitality did. Mobility did. We believe celebrations are next,” added Pradhyumna.

The platform is powered by Experience Intelligence™, a proprietary framework that combines over 15 years of celebration industry expertise with Artificial Intelligence to deliver smarter recommendations based on customer intent, preferences, and celebration needs.

Whether planning a wedding, birthday, corporate event, baby shower, anniversary, or festival celebration, customers can manage the entire journey—from vendor discovery and quotations to payments and execution—through a single platform.

Alongside its launch, Happiffie has opened registrations for vendor partners across Chennai and Tamil Nadu, with a phased expansion planned across India. The platform aims to build one of the country’s largest AI-powered celebration ecosystems, helping businesses generate qualified leads and grow more efficiently.

“Our vision is not simply to build another marketplace but to create the technology infrastructure that powers celebrations. Reverse Auction is the first step towards building a smarter, more transparent, and AI-driven celebration economy that benefits both customers and businesses alike,” added Pradhyumna.

Built on the experience of planning and executing over 5,000 weddings and celebrations, Happiffie combines deep industry expertise with AI to simplify celebration planning and transform how India celebrates.

For more information, visit www.happiffie.com. Vendor registrations are now open at www.happiffie.com/vendor-registration.

About Happiffie

Happiffie is India’s first AI-powered Celebration Platform, connecting customers, venues, event professionals, and celebration businesses through one intelligent ecosystem. Built on over 15 years of industry expertise, the platform combines Artificial Intelligence with Experience Intelligence™ to deliver smarter celebration planning across more than 1,000 celebration experiences spanning weddings, corporate events, birthdays, social celebrations, parties, and festivals.

Contact

Pradhyumna T Venkat
Founder & CEO
pradhyumna@happiffie.com
+91-7299002990

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/3007635/Happiffie_Logo.jpg

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/caladium-systems-launches-happiffie-indias-first-ai-powered-celebration-platform-302834017.html

Continue Reading

Technology

Beko Publishes 2025 Integrated Report, Charting Years of Progress Toward Net Zero

Published

on

By

As Beko releases its 2025 Integrated Report, the company’s third consecutive inclusion on TIME’s global sustainability ranking — retaining the #1 position in its industry — underscores the progress documented within it.

ISTANBUL, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Beko published its 2025 Integrated Report, offering a comprehensive account of the company’s financial, environmental and social performance over the past year. In parallel, Beko has been named one of TIME Magazine’s World’s Most Sustainable Companies for the third year running, retaining the #1 position in its industry. The recognition, awarded in partnership with Statista, independently corroborates years of deliberate, measurable progress.

The report documents concrete results across Beko’s global manufacturing footprint. In 2025:

Energy efficiency projects across production sites saved 69,562 GJ of energy, avoiding 5,297 tonnes of CO₂e emissions.Waste recycling across all manufacturing facilities reached 98.6%, against a target of 99%.Renewable energy installed capacity reached 96 MWp, up from 90.2 MWp the prior year. Beko also reached 63.5% green electricity on the path to 100% across all manufacturing by 2030.Water efficiency and rainwater harvesting projects across locations delivered total water savings of 219,114 m3.

Behind these figures is a broader manufacturing transformation. Three of Beko’s manufacturing facilities have been recognised within the World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse Network, with the Ulmi plant earning the additional, and rarer, designation of Sustainability Lighthouse. The principles behind Ulmi’s approach are being extended across Beko’s broader manufacturing ecosystem, as the company scales low-impact production. Beko currently operates 13 smart factories globally — equipped with artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotics capabilities — with a target of 17 by the end of 2026.

On the circular economy side, Beko’s refurbishment centres across multiple locations reintroduced more than 148,000 appliances into the market in 2025 alone. The company recycled 1.98 million WEEE units through its own recycling facilities since 2014, and used 31,665 tonnes of recycled plastics in its products in 2025.

Across its product portfolio, 72.6% of Beko’s turnover in 2025 came from low-carbon products — a figure that reflects both the scale of the company’s energy-efficient product range and growing consumer demand for appliances that address environmental concerns.

“Being recognised by TIME three years in a row matters because it reflects that sustainability is a foundational part of Beko’s business,” said Can Dinçer, CEO of Beko. “Our factories undergo a twin transformation where we encounter both decarbonization and digitalization. That progress is deliberate and measurable, and our Integrated Report sets out exactly how. As the world prepares for COP31, the most credible thing a company can do is demonstrate its work rather than declare it. That is what we are doing.”

TIME’s annual list evaluates more than 5,000 companies worldwide across environmental and social performance, transparency and ESG reporting. Beko’s continued inclusion under increasingly rigorous standards points to a business model where sustainability is structurally embedded across operations, supply chains and product portfolios.

In addition to its Integrated Report, the Company has also published its second TSRS-compliant sustainability report, prepared in accordance with the Türkiye Sustainability Reporting Standards (TSRS), Türkiye’s adoption of the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards issued by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). The report is publicly available and provides detailed disclosures on the company’s climate-related risks, opportunities, governance, strategy and performance.

About Beko

Beko is an international home appliance company with a strong global presence, operating through subsidiaries in more than 55 countries with a workforce of around 45,000 employees and production facilities spanning multiple regions—including Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Beko has 22 brands owned or used with a limited license (Arçelik, Beko, Whirlpool*, Grundig, Hotpoint, Arctic, Ariston*, Leisure, Indesit, Blomberg, Defy, Dawlance, Hitachi*, Voltas Beko, Singer*, ElektraBregenz, Flavel, Bauknecht, Privileg, Altus, Ignis, Polar). Beko is the largest white goods company in Europe with its market share (based on volumes) and reached a consolidated turnover of 10.7 billion Euros in 2025. Beko’s 28 R&D and Design Centers & Offices across the globe are home to over 2,000 R&D employees and hold more than 4,500 international registered patent applications to date. The company has achieved the highest score in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) in the DHP Household Durables industry for the seventh consecutive year (based on the results dated 16 October 2025).** The company has been recognized as the 89th most sustainable company on TIME Magazine and Statista’s 2026 list of the World’s Most Sustainable Companies and has been the sector leader for three consecutive years. Beko’s vision is ‘Respecting the World, Respected Worldwide.’ 

www.bekocorporate.com

*Licensee limited to certain jurisdictions.
**The data presented belongs to Arçelik A.Ş., a parent company of Beko.

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/beko-publishes-2025-integrated-report-charting-years-of-progress-toward-net-zero-302833974.html

SOURCE Beko

Continue Reading

Technology

JustMarkets Releases Market Analysis on How Foreign Exchange Markets React to CPI Surprises

Published

on

By

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — JustMarkets today released a new market analysis examining how foreign exchange markets react to Consumer Price Index (CPI) surprises and outlining key considerations for traders preparing for inflation data releases. The analysis explains why the gap between actual CPI data and market expectations, rather than the headline inflation figure itself, is often the primary driver of currency market movements.

What people often miss on CPI day is that the number itself isn’t what moves the market. The common reaction is to check whether the headline number is high or low, but it’s all priced in advance. According to JustMarkets, the real driver of EUR/USD is the gap between the actual number and what the market was positioned for.

Even an unchanged reading can cause dollar weakness if traders expect higher inflation, while weaker numbers that beat consensus expectations may drive dollar strength. Citing Federal Reserve research, the price driver is a surprise component rather than the headline.

Why the Expectation Gap Is More Important Than the Level

Forex is driven by expectations for interest rate decisions, with inflation impacting central bank policy. Key factors influencing this reaction include:

Main factors:

Monthly CPI and core CPICore services inflationRevisions to the previous period dataCentral banks policy pricing

Year-over-year data is less important in terms of price impact than monthly and core data.

How to Calculate Surprise

Start with the simplest metric: Surprise = Actual CPI − Consensus CPI. 

Consensus comes from the economic calendar’s forecast and reflects the market positioning. And then you need to check the market reaction through rates. The sequence typically runs: CPI surprise → change in front-end yields → USD movement → the sentiment adjustment.

Traders frequently employ this methodology in combination with the JustMarkets Economic Calendar to track high-impact releases in real time.

What the Intraday Move Actually Looks Like

CPI reactions usually happen in three stages. The first one is a headline shock with the potential algorithm’s reaction within a few seconds. Then comes the interpretation stage, with a time frame of 15-60 minutes and analysis of core numbers and yield confirmation. And then either continuation or reversal happens.

Approaches to Trading CPI Day

There are two common approaches to CPI.

The momentum approach requires the consistency of headlines and core surprises with yields’ confirmation. Most traders wait until the first minute’s candle is closed to avoid false signals.The fade approach requires dislocations like the absence of yield confirmation to FX movement or dislocations between headlines and core numbers. In this case, traders wait 10−20 minutes for exhaustion of the initial move and reversal setup search.

Risk management is crucial. Most traders limit their position size to 0.25%-0.50% of their equity because of widening spreads and slippage. Sometimes the decision to trade off is more optimal during extreme volatility than forced entry.

One Way to Prepare for the Next CPI Day Release

A simple way to get ready is to monitor EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY pairs and an economic calendar with events’ importance. The workflow is simple: Economic calendar → release → Trading platform.

The final step brings traders to the execution platform. Many turn to JustMarkets, which offers CFDs on these currency pairs, with execution stability and fast market access that make it well suited for high-volatility macro events.

Disclaimer: For informational purposes only. Trading financial instruments involves significant risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Ensure you understand the risks involved and trade responsibly.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/justmarkets-releases-market-analysis-on-how-foreign-exchange-markets-react-to-cpi-surprises-302834023.html

SOURCE Just Global Markets Ltd

Continue Reading

Trending