Our four values were created in collaboration with our membership.  In August 2020 we surveyed the membership on the values that should underpin the work of BALEAP in order to understand how to best support our members, make decisions on allocating resources, and take a principled stance and contribute to public debate around issues in the broader context of our work.  We are proud to say our work is built on four core values:

Our Vision and Values in Practice

Building on our Values (established in 2020), BALEAP is currently engaged in a project to develop a Vision for the organisation as well as a statement of our Values in Practice in order to articulate our commitment to ethical practice and conduct in relation to all aspects of EAP teaching, learning and research.   

The project is overseen by a Working Party convened by Hannah Jones, Chair of BALEAP, with representation from the Executive Committee and wider membership. The objectives are to: 

  1. Develop a Vision statement and a statement of our Values in Practice, determining the extent to which these should be combined or articulated separately. 
  2. Ensure that the Vision statement and Values in Practice articulate BALEAP’s commitment to ethical practice in a way that supports the sustainability of the TEAP and BAS accreditation schemes.
  3.  Engage the BALEAP membership to consult on the Vision and Values in Practice, while cognisant of data from previous similar activity, including surveys of the membership.
  4. Ensure that the Vision statement and Values in Practice cohere with the current Mission and Values. 
  5. Develop a communications plan to ensure that the Vision and Values in Practice are understood by all stakeholders including the current and potential future membership. 
  6. Develop an engagement plan to bring the Vision and Values in Practice to life, e.g. through events, publication in a handbook or similar, and scholarly enquiry, such as  into the alignment of the Vision and Values in Practice with BAS and TEAP. 

The Working Group intends to launch the Vision and Values in Practice at the AGM in 2026. 

Summer 2025 Update

BALEAP Chair, Hannah Jones, together with Executive Committee Members, Laura Connelly and Natasha, as well as volunteers Iain Newman and Usha Mani, have been working hard on the Vision and Values in Practice Project. As a reminder, this project aims to develop a Vision for BALEAP and a statement of our Values in Practice. Through these two interrelated pieces of work, we hope to articulate BALEAP’s commitment to ethical practice in all aspects of EAP teaching, learning and research.   

Over the summer, we have been focused on the consultation stages of our project plan, in order to capture as many voices as possible to shape the final Vision and Values in Practice statements. Building on our survey in June in which we asked for ideas on what should feature in our Vision, we have now moved on to explore what the membership wants to see in our Values in Practice framework. We designed a set of workshop materials for institutional reps to gather views within local contexts, and we’re delighted to report that six institutions have already sent data back to us. Although the summer is such a busy time for many, it was particularly important to us to try and capture the voices of teachers working on summer pre-sessionals in the UK, who may not always have opportunities to share their perspectives with BALEAP. To gather as many ideas as possible from our community, we have also shared a second survey focused on the Values in Practice and we look forward to reading the responses to that when they come in mid September. Our next steps involve drafting the Vision and Values and Practice based on the data we gather. We then hope to refine drafts with feedback from member focus groups before sharing them with the BALEAP Executive for comment in November.

Our EDI Statement:


BALEAP is a community of members coming not just from across the United Kingdom but also across the world. Therefore, as a community we are committed to supporting  all of our members and the various identities they hold. This includes fostering a spirit which enables everyone to make their voice heard. We take a view that this both represents key elements of individual and community rights but also strengthens and enriches all through an enhanced diversity of views.

The purpose of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement is to set out clearly and fully the values that underpin any actions we can take to combat direct and indirect discrimination in the organisation, in the services it provides and in its relationships with other organisations. We also recognise that some of these actions and practices may be subtle and/or systemic, and are willing to both advocate for and support our members (both individual and institutional) who are seeking positive change. 

We are profoundly opposed to both individuals and institutions who persist in oppressive actions and practices and are dedicated in continuing to make BALEAP a community where all members – both current and prospective – feel welcome, safe, and able to contribute (see articles of association, 2.1.4 and 3.1 and our own BALEAP Values). 

In adopting this Equality and Diversity and Inclusion Statement, BALEAP is also making an unequivocal commitment to turning this values statement into action in collaboration with our members, so as to ensure that equal opportunity becomes a reality and with the associated benefits and strengths to all of diversity.

(written March 2022)