Malta’s High Commissioner visits EC London as school marks 20 years.
EC English Language Centres welcomed His Excellency Prof. Stephen Montefort, Malta’s new High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, for an official visit to EC London on 22 April 2025.
The visit was personally hosted by Andrew Mangion, executive chair and CEO of EC English. Guests were also in attendance.
Appointed in January of this year, Prof. Montefort brings a distinguished academic background to his diplomatic post, having served as Deputy Dean and Head of the Department of Medicine at the University of Malta for the past 12 years. His visit underscores the strong cultural and educational ties between Malta and the UK.
EC English celebrates 20 years in the UK
The event coincided with EC’s 20th year of successful operations in the UK capital, since EC London opened its doors in 2005. It was the third international school opened by the group, following EC’s first expansion beyond Malta in 2002 with EC Brighton.
An added school exclusively for adults and professionals aged over 30, EC London 30+, was launched in 2013. Since then, the school has taught a total of 75,000 students of over 150 nationalities in London.
“EC London is a proud milestone in EC English’s journey of international growth,” said Mangion, who spearheaded the expansion of EC English into a global brand.
During the visit, Prof. Montefort met with key members of EC’s London team, including Isabel Ribeiro, Head of EC Operations in UK & Ireland, and Centre Director Thomas Weedon. The High Commissioner was given a tour of EC London’s newest location at Angel Corner House, 1 Islington High Street, a historic Grade II-listed building with deep roots in the capital’s history.
The event commemorated the school’s journey through the years, from its original premises in Covent Garden in 2005, to Euston in 2015, and now to its current location as of October 2022. Widely known as ‘The Angel’, the building dates back to the 17th century, once serving as a coaching inn and later as a famous Lyons’ Café. Immortalised on the pages of Oliver Twist and the British Monopoly board as ‘The Angel Islington’, it is still a prominent London landmark.
“We are proud to call such a most historic and beloved buildings our home,” said Isabel Ribeiro, head of EC operations in the UK & Ireland. “The Angel continues its legacy as a place of connection, learning, and inspiration for our students.”
EC English has over three decades of experience in the EFL sector since 1991. “It’s exciting to see how far we’ve come over the past couple of decades,” said Mangion. “We look forward to growing our global community and will continue putting innovation at the forefront as industry leaders.”
About EC English Language Centres
Established in 1991 with its first school in Malta, EC English Language Centres is one of the largest international language schools in the world, with 25 schools located in major English-speaking destinations in the US, UK, Ireland, Canada, Malta, South Africa and most recently the UAE.
The Maltese-owned language school chain specialises in English language teaching, with eight schools exclusively for adults aged over 30, and a full immersion French programme available exclusively at EC Montreal. Together with its sister brands, Global Achievers Academy and Embassy Summer, EC English Language Centres has welcomed more than 1 million students in its schools around the world.
