WELO Governing Committee Meeting

The WELO Governing Committee meeting took place on Wednesday, 3 June 2026. The meeting focused on the next stage of WELO’s international development, including school onboarding, academic quality assurance, teaching coordination, regional expansion in Asia, and the proposed WELO Open Tournament for Summer 2027.

The meeting was chaired by Juan M. Elizande Sanchez, WELO Chair, with coordination and updates provided by Slavas Palkevicius, WELO Secretary-General.

During the opening part of the meeting, Slavas Palkevicius, WELO Secretary-General, presented the key developments since the previous Governing Committee meeting. His update covered progress on WELO’s operational structure, confirmed and ongoing international discussions, and the current priorities for the 2026–2027 cycle.

A presentation on the WELO TOEFL School Onboarding Process was delivered by Berenice Oliva, WELO Head of Business Development. She presented the proposed structure for onboarding schools into the WELO TOEFL ecosystem, including the registration and approval process for participating schools, the communication flow between WELO, National Representatives, National Committees, and schools, and the responsibilities expected from participating schools.

A key part of the meeting was the presentation by Bastian Baumann, Director of the European Quality Assurance Agency and newly appointed Head of LearnRight. Bastian introduced LearnRight as a quality assurance and academic integrity structure within the WELO TOEFL ecosystem. His presentation explained how LearnRight will support standards, consistency, and credibility across participating schools, while strengthening the relationship between LearnRight, WELO TOEFL, and the wider international school network.

Another major focus of the meeting was the presentation by Cristina Majocchi, newly appointed Head of the WELO Teaching and Coordination Centre. Cristina introduced the role of the WELO Teaching and Coordination Centrewithin the wider WELO structure. Her presentation outlined how the TCC will support coordination between WELO HQ, National Representatives, National Committees, and schools. She also presented the development of the WELO Mini Stays structure and the WELO Teaching Centres structure, explaining how these elements will support future teaching delivery, school engagement, and international coordination.

The development of the WELO Asia Office in Chengdu, China was presented by Simen Fan, Head of the WELO China National Committee. Simen provided an update on the establishment of the Asia Office and its strategic purpose as a regional coordination hub. His presentation highlighted the role of the China National Committee in supporting regional development, school networks, partnerships, and opportunities for expansion across Asia.

The meeting also included a presentation by Slavas Palkevicius, WELO Secretary-General, on the proposed WELO Open Tournament – Summer 2027 at Royal Hospital School. This presentation introduced the planned open tournament structure for schools, its position alongside national qualification routes, participation eligibility, and the possible use of Wild Cards for entry to the WELO Finals.

This meeting continued the work of the WELO Governing Committee following earlier developments, including the confirmation of governance roles, the review of WELO’s Charter, public tender planning for National Representatives, and the development of the national competition and school participation structure.

Date: Wednesday, 3 June 2026
Time: 13:30–15:15 UK Time
Location: Virtual
Chair: Juan M. Elizande Sanchez, WELO Chair
Secretary-General: Slavas Palkevicius, WELO Secretary-General