<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><ns2:project xmlns:ns1="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api" xmlns:ns2="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/project" xmlns:ns3="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/fund" xmlns:ns4="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/person" xmlns:ns5="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/project/outcome" xmlns:ns6="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/organisation" ns1:created="2026-06-03T15:52:43Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/projects/F809367D-4FA1-475F-8761-0A1BCDB8428C" ns1:id="F809367D-4FA1-475F-8761-0A1BCDB8428C"><ns1:links><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/persons/C21A7CBA-20F7-4FA8-8553-BE18EA1FBE4F" ns1:rel="PM_PER"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/EA6308AD-AE9D-4FED-8894-FC7BD7C7A36E" ns1:rel="LEAD_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/EA6308AD-AE9D-4FED-8894-FC7BD7C7A36E" ns1:rel="PARTICIPANT_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:end="2022-03-30T23:00:00Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/funds/80B7B958-389B-47EA-88CB-945B7330BB37" ns1:rel="FUND" ns1:start="2022-01-01T00:00:00Z"/></ns1:links><ns2:identifiers><ns2:identifier ns2:type="RCUK">10020454</ns2:identifier></ns2:identifiers><ns2:title>Market expansion for Adaptive English Language Assessment Tool (AELAT) in the Visegrad Four countries</ns2:title><ns2:status>Closed</ns2:status><ns2:grantCategory>Collaborative R&amp;D</ns2:grantCategory><ns2:leadFunder>Innovate UK</ns2:leadFunder><ns2:abstractText>Our solution demonstrates a **clear motivation to disrupt the language assessment market** and methodology with an **adaptive, motivational, data-driven, evidence-based idea** based on interdisciplinary science. 
 
Most traditional English language tests **assess** strictly **academic capabilities**, the actual level of the participant's command of English is hard to establish. Our AELAT (Adaptive English Language Assessment Tool) offers **a solution for UK institutions, businesses and even individuals** for a more specific assessment of their English language skills. In the case of our AELAT, participants are solving problems in English with an increasing difficulty - similarly to Raven's Progressive Matrices - to demonstrate a good command of the language. As of currently, **no other adaptive language assessment tool exists for individual, academic or professional purposes**. 
 
The aim of this feasibility study is to help us as an innovative UK-based SME to increase our international **engagement in our respective target region**, the Visegrad Four (Czechia, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia). It will support us in looking to **establish or strengthen international research and innovation partnerships** or networks, and aid us to grow and scale up. 
 
For our foreign market entry, after careful consideration and analysis, we **selected the Visegrad Four** region as our first port of entry onto the EU market. The four countries make up a market of 80 million, but due to geographic distance from the UK, there are fewer business ties, while the appeal of **British soft power is strong**. More importantly, **English is less spoken** and the level is below the EU average, therefore the Visegrad Four offer a great **potential for internationalisation**. 
 
The feasibility study will allow us to **gather market intelligence** and **align evidence-based market entry** and sales strategies, while accumulating valuable insight for UK SMEs for a potential EU/Visegrad Four market entry, which **findings and lessons learned we intend to publicise in a dissemination event**. 
 
As a long-term impact, if our we can successfully enter new markets, we can play a role in **offering a gentle motivational factor** for foreign language study for professional purposes, particularly that of English, where traditional language exams failed due to the high stress factor involved.</ns2:abstractText></ns2:project>