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WSET starts search for educator of the year

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) has announced its call for nominations for the WSET Educator of the Year 2008.

Now in its second year, the award is open to individuals and companies who have made a "significant contribution" to WSET courses and qualifications in the previous year. Last year's winner was the International Wine Center in New York.

Entrants should state in no more than 750 words why they should win and post or email their entries to WSET chief executive, Ian Harris no later than October 31. Nominees can propose themselves, their organisation, or be nominated by a third party.

Seperately, WSET has announced a price hold on courses, exams and materials for the 2008/9 academic year and the launch of two new programmes; one aimed at targeting the education of consumers and the other an improved Educator Training programme.

"With the increase in candidate numbers year-on-year at all levels of qualification, and a lower cost base due to economies of scale, we are very pleased that we don't have to implement any price increases for the coming year.

"I am sure that this will be welcomed by the trade as a positive decision in the current economic climate, and we will be working with the key figures in the industry to ensure that training and qualifications are kept high on the priority list, rather than being the first victim of budget cuts," said Harris.

WSET has also announced it will be increasing its marketing budget to heighten the awareness of the brand globally. WSET will be represented for the first time at the Hong Kong International Wine Fair later this month, and the India International Wine Fair in Mumbai in December.

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