About us
Meet the FELCA.
The Federation of Education and Language Consulting Associations
FELCA’s members are National Associations of Education and Language Consultant. Members of the National Associations are professional accredited agencies around the world whose role is to provide advice and guidance to students wishing to go abroad to study a language, or attend a high school or a university.
FELCA is a forum for discussion to promote international student education and cultural exchange and collaborates with GAELA, the Global Alliance of Education and Language Association, which represent accredited schools in over 40 countries, to offer a high-quality service and the best study abroad experience.
Objectives & Philosophy
Seven commitments the federation works by.
These elements constitute the minimum standard for FELCA agencies. However, each National Association of agents should also publish on its website the additional quality assurances it offers.
01
To strengthen and make permanent the links between existing national language and education consultant associations by providing a forum for discussion.
02
To encourage and assist in the establishment of new national language and education consultant associations.
03
To promote the image and credibility of language and education consultants with government departments and education bodies worldwide via lobbying, meetings and correspondence.
04
To enhance cross-cultural understanding by promoting the importance of international travel for language and educational study.
05
To discourage unfair and illegal cross-border practices in the language and education travel industry.
06
To create an Accreditation Code to establish guidelines for language and education consultants and school associations worldwide and hence facilitate harmonious and successful business relations.
07
To assist the language and education consultant associations in ensuring that the interests of their student consumers are protected.
Objectives & Philosophy
A single code, every member.
FELCA’s member National Associations ensure that this Accreditation Code of Practice requires member agencies to:
01
Comply with all applicable national laws and regulations.
02
Comply with all applicable national laws and regulations.
03
Comply with all applicable national laws and regulations.
04
Comply with all applicable national laws and regulations.
05
Comply with all applicable national laws and regulations.
06
Comply with all applicable national laws and regulations.
The Board of FELCA
Elected by the member associations.
President
Paolo Barilari
IALCA, Italy
Vice-President, Latam
Maura de Araújo Leão
BELTA, Brazil
Vice-President, Asia
Tatsu Hoshino
JAOS, Japan
Vice-President, Europe
Pascal Carré
ABELIO, Belgium
Treasurer
Juan Manuel Elizalde
ASEPROCE, Spain
Board Member
Gabriela Ardito
ARSAA, Argentina
Board Member
Julia Richter
FDSV, Germany
Board Member
Oscar Porras
ASEPROCE, Spain
Board Member
Annop Kaithatham
TIECA, Thailand
Advisory Committee
Nozaru Yamada
JAOS, Japan
Advisory Committee
Eren Goker
UED, Turkey
Coordinator
Scott Wade
Our History
Built by associations, one meeting at a time.
FELCA was established in 2000, growing out of discussions held in the mid-1990s among national associations from Brazil, France, Germany, Spain and Japan. By the late 1990s its member associations spanned Asia Pacific, Europe and Latin America, with founding members in Brazil, France, Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain, Taiwan and Thailand.
Since then the Federation has grown internationally, welcoming associations from countries such as Russia and continuing to bring national language and education consultant associations together as a forum for discussion, shared quality standards and cooperation across the study-abroad sector.
FELCA Past Presidents
Twenty-seven years of leadership.
1999–2002 | 2003–2007 | 2008–2011
Nozaru Yamada
JAOS, Japan
2012–2015
Juan Manuel Elizalde
ASEPROCE, Spain
2016–2019
Maura de Araújo Leão
BELTA, Brazil
In charge
2020–2023 | 2024–2027
Paolo Barilari
IALCA, Italy