A new English exam could help companies better assess their employees' ability to communicate in both Chinese and English.

The Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority introduced a new examination focused on bilingual communication. The International Diploma in Bilingual Communication, developed by the United Kingdom-based Chartered Institute of Linguists Education Trust, allows people to prove their linguistic ability is up to degree level.

The exam includes five modules. Four modules ask candidates to write a Chinese text based on English material and vice versa and orally translate materials in both languages. An optional fifth module includes a presentation or written project of about 3,000 words.

Although many university graduates have already taken the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), the new exam could prove popular among employees and employers, said Hilary Maxwell-Hyslop director of examination at the Education Trust.

"IELTS mainly tests the proficiency in English, but not the ability to communicate in both English and Chinese," she said. "IELTS is useful for preparing for our test. If you are good at IELTS, then it is a good preparation for the exam."

The first session in Hong Kong will be launched next November. A group of 14 candidates will be taking the exam, which costs HK$11,640 for the first four modules.

The institute's regional coordinator Florence Lam said the design of exam paper is based on work-related themes, asking candidates to write business reports and memos.

Lam said she has approached the human resources representatives of six companies - including two multinational groups - that employ between 500 and 600 staff each to promote the exam.

"They expressed an interest. Most of the companies have designed their own test on language skills but some staff still performs unsatisfactorily at work. They want a better test," she said.

The Chinese University School of Continuing and Professional Studies has organized a training course to prepare for the exam. The course costs HK$39,000 and lasts 330 hours. Twenty students have already been admitted to the course, of which 80 percent are university graduates and working in management positions.

"These students work in education, social work and business," Lam said.

Her institute is already talking to universities for them to grant exemptions for students that successfully take the exam.

(HK Edition 12/09/2008 page1)