一年举办230万场考试，雅思主办方为何还要“破产”？

Core Viewpoint - The global study abroad market is facing fluctuations due to tightening immigration and visa policies in traditional study destinations like the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK, alongside budget cuts impacting organizations like the British Council [1][9] Group 1: Financial Challenges of the British Council - The British Council, a key player in the IELTS examination, is experiencing a financial crisis despite its long-standing presence and revenue from English language teaching and testing [4][5] - In the fiscal year 2018/2019, the British Council reported revenue of £727 million (approximately 7.1 billion RMB) from its English teaching and testing business, which constituted 58% of its total revenue [5] - The organization faced a net loss of £9.1 million in the 2020/2021 fiscal year, with available reserves dwindling to just £4 million [5][6] Group 2: Government Support and Budget Cuts - The UK government has requested the British Council to prepare two spending plans, one maintaining current cash levels and another requiring a 2% annual budget cut, potentially leading to the closure of offices in numerous countries [3][6] - The British Council has received a government loan of £197 million, with annual interest payments of £14 million, and the repayment period has been extended by 18 months [5][6] Group 3: Market Dynamics and Competition - The IELTS examination saw a record participation of over 4 million candidates globally in 2023, but the organization is still in a net loss position despite a revenue increase of over £110 million to £989 million in the latest fiscal year [6][7] - New competitors in the English language testing market, such as Duolingo English Test and Pearson's PTE Academic, are emerging, posing challenges to the traditional dominance of IELTS and TOEFL [8][9] - The tightening of visa policies and slow economic recovery post-pandemic have led to a decrease in demand for language exams, with fewer candidates needing to rush for test slots [9]