Press Release: Strategic Partnership Between Arkansas State University and Clever Academy

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Hanoi, March 25, 2016

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT BETWEEN ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY AND CLEVER ACADEMY

HANOI – With the aim of improving the quality of students enrolled in programs at Arkansas State University and increasing the number of Vietnamese students in particular, as well as providing high-quality English language training programs that are accredited and recognized among the best in the United States and worldwide, Arkansas State University (A-State) and Clever Academy (Smart Academic Joint Stock Company) have officially signed a cooperation agreement to establish the university's English Language Academy (ELA) directly at Clever Academy's training facilities in Vietnam.

Under this cooperation agreement, Clever Academy is the exclusive provider of A-State's ELA English language programs in Vietnam. Students applying to A-State programs that require English language certification will no longer need to take standardized tests (IELTS, TOEFL, iTEP) or travel to A-State to study the English as a Second Language (ESL) program at ELA; instead, they can complete the ELA program directly at Clever Academy in Vietnam. Students enrolled in the ELA program at Clever Academy will have access to the same curriculum, lesson plans, textbooks, and support resources—such as a library with thousands of titles imported from the United States, access to A-State's digital library, and many other benefits—just as they would studying ELA at A-State. The ELA program at Clever Academy in Vietnam also offers a cost advantage, allowing students to save hundreds of millions of VND compared to spending additional time preparing for standardized tests or studying ELA directly on campus. Students who complete this program at Clever Academy may also have a higher chance of being approved for a US visa than students who study ELA at A-State.

The ELA program at Clever Academy is expected to be delivered by A-State's top faculty and staff, who will train Clever Academy's senior staff and instructors to implement the program within the next 3 to 6 months of 2016 in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Admission procedures for the program will be similar to those for the ESL program at A-State's ELA. Detailed information about the program will be published as soon as possible.

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Annie Truong

Partnership Relations Manager, A-State Vietnam

Email: study@astate.edu.vn

ABOUT A-STATE

Arkansas State University (A-State) is a public university established in 1909 in the state of Arkansas, USA, spanning 1,376 acres — one of the two largest university campuses in the state. The university has a total undergraduate enrollment of 10,098 students, along with many more students enrolled in English language programs as well as graduate programs (master's, doctoral, and research studies). With a long history of preparing students with both academic knowledge and practical experience across 250 different programs, awarding degrees that meet international quality standards and are recognized worldwide, A-State has been attracting increasing numbers of international students year after year. The university ranks among the Top 20 Public Universities in the United States and Top 53 Universities in the South according to U.S. News rankings. A-State holds regional accreditation, the gold standard of quality for higher education in the United States. The university's English Language Academy (ELA) is a member of the American Association of Intensive English Programs (AAIEP) — a prestigious US association whose members are committed to delivering the highest standards of English language education. Visit the university website, the ELA website, and the Vietnamese-language website for more information.

ABOUT CLEVER ACADEMY

Clever Academy is the high-quality English language training brand of Smart Academic Joint Stock Company. Established in 2015, Clever Academy is the exclusive provider of all international standardized test preparation certifications (SAT, ACT, SSAT, GMAT, GRE, IELTS, TOEFL, etc.) from Kaplan Test Prep — a leading global education group. Clever Academy is committed to delivering the highest quality English language training to its students. Clever Academy is licensed to operate by the Hanoi Department of Education and Training under license number 10423/CN-SGD&ĐT. Visit our website for more information.