Independent business journalist, Al Gibson. sat down with the company’s leader Helen Lami who is on a mission to deliver the best of British education to students from across the world.  Last year 59 countries were represented in five Academic Camps in the UK and Canada, including students from across the British Isles. This is likely to increase in 2024!

Helen was the first to introduce multiple subjects in UK summer schools and under her guidance, Academic Summer Ltd embraces Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). The company is on a steady growth path underlined by its BAC Accreditation and recognition by Quality Education. Helen has Level 3 Safeguarding status and is committed to creating “a place where education and adventure meet and each student feels valued, safe and inspired.”

She is well known in her field and often travels overseas to attend education-related events. Her role as CEO includes the management of an international team of 10 permanent employees and over 100 part time employees during the Summer. However, like many young people Helen had no idea what she wanted to do at 16, which is why she is passionate about providing young people with career pathway options they can try out. 

A mission to Albania gave her a wider perspective on the world and now she is championing the cause of global education! This is where she met her husband Turi Lami and learnt to speak fluent Albanian. They live in Devon with their two cockapoos, Teddy and Kimble. In the interview below you will find out how Helen became a highly skilled and respected leader or Queen of her field.
 

AG: What you’ve built up over the past 16 years is extraordinary, moving beyond the UK. Did you ever think Academic Summer would stretch so far across the globe?

Helen Lami: I don’t think I would have started Academic Summer, if I didn’t think it would make a huge difference in the lives in young people. Fortunately, before I started the business I had the solid foundation of working for a leading boarding school for 10 years handling their international marketing. I was also the director of their summer school.

Then, while working for a college in London, I became increasingly aware of the growing demand for school holiday camps and summer school programmes. The college didn’t have a summer school and were pleased to support me in starting my first one. This built up my confidence to step out on my own.

Looking back, it’s remarkable to think we have students from so many nations. Also, that our team is spread across different countries including Greece, Latvia, Lithuania and Hungary. Here in the UK we have people working in Exeter, Litchfield, Oxford, Scotland etc. So, we are all over the place and only get together physically in the Summer when we're running the programmes. However, I do try and get everyone together each year for a Christmas meal at our home near Tiverton where my husband, Turi loves to cook delicious and creative food for us.
 

AG: Tell us about your connection with Albania and how you met Turi?

Helen Lami: So, I went to Albania as a missionary in my early 20s with Operation Mobilisation. The country was just coming out of Communism, and I was part of a church planting team serving a local community in Polican, a town in the South. This is where I met Turi in 1995!

I started to learn Albanian relatively easily, which surprised me as I struggled with French at school. However, the mission was cut short when anarchy hit the region in 1997 and foreigners had to be evacuated. It was a very scary time. The airport was closed, and I remember being trapped in the ferry terminal for 24 hours waiting to go home.  However, my faith is important to me and has always kept me grounded no matter the challenge.

Back home in England I decided to do Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL) as a qualification and returned to Albania later that year. I ended up living in Tirana because it wasn’t safe to return to the south. This meant I ended up teaching the President’s daughter. More importantly, Turi I got engaged! And, funnily enough, we had two weddings, one in Albania and the other in the UK. We have now been married for 25 years! We made Somerset our home in 1998 when I started working at Taunton School.
 

AG: This is where you were involved in international marketing for a decade. What is it that makes British education so attractive?

Helen Lami: British education is still considered to be the number one choice for students worldwide. Those who strive to get into the top universities like Oxford or Cambridge often want to come to the UK earlier to facilitate this process. Some come to board at prep schools at a young age while others come for high school or college. People see studying in the UK as a chance to become fluent in English as well as embrace the rich heritage of English Literature or British innovation in Science and Technology.

AG: So, does attending a British summer school help one on ‘the route to Oxbridge’?

Helen Lami: it’s often the first step in the process. Our international agencies send students, to see if they like the idea of studying abroad in a boarding school and to improve their English. We achieve this through Content and Language Integrated Learning. This means they have the option to study something they’re interested in and the byproduct of that is improved language skills. So they’re not just doing traditional language programmes. Whether clients are looking for a boarding school or university, Summer School can help them make up their minds. They can discover what suits them best, whether it is a traditional ‘Harry Potter type’ boarding school in the country or a more modern setting in the centre of London.

 

AG: It’s impressive that you run different courses in June, July and August at different locations, with some of the dates overlapping. How do you manage this?

Helen Lami: Each Summer School has a Course Director and a Director of Studies. We also have team of qualified teachers who provide the lessons and young people who act as camp counsellors or mentors. We also invite Captains of Industry to give talks on leadership. Plus, there are specialist career path options like Medicine, Law, Engineering and Business available in our London City location. 

This year we are running Summer Schools in:

London Westminster at DLD College;
London City at David Game College; 
Bristol at Sidcot Independent Boarding School; and 
Taunton at Queen’s College.

Each one is housed in majestic buildings in impressive settings and includes a variety of exciting sight-seeing opportunities and recreational activities. Most students board with us however we also cater for day students.

AG: And you have one in Canada?

Helen Lami: Yes at Rothesay Netherwood School in New Brunswick. I just love Canada, so I normally go each year to New Brunswick and drive the minibus around. It’s an ideal opportunity for students to discover some of North America’s outstanding natural beauty, have the cross-cultural opportunity to study with Canadians and enjoy an educational adventure.
 

AG: How do you maintain an environment where each student feels ‘valued, safe and inspired’ as you have described your camps.

Helen Lami: Our camps promise a robust blend of experienced staff, safeguarding measures, enriching academic content, and heart-warming adventures. Health and Safety is a major consideration at each of our Summer Schools. All staff are DBS checked and trained in Safeguarding according to our Child Protection Policy. We also carry out the appropriate risk assessments. From breath-taking locations and scrumptious meals to a whirlwind of activities and excursions, we’ve got it all covered.

AG: What does a successful summer camp look like for a young person who has come for two weeks? How will it impact their life?

Helen Lami: We aim to shape young minds. This is best done by showing them that learning is fun. So, we ensure there are plenty of educational experiences outside of the classroom. However, we are also focused on ensuring participants get the best academic experience. After all that is enshrined in our name! So every participant receives first rate tuition, which culminates in a detailed report from their teachers, a leadership qualification, an aptitude and careers test report, and certificates.

It's also about having fun making friends from all over the world. I met a girl in Kazakhstan recently, who is now in a marketing role at a university. She came on one of our summer schools in 2012 and still keeps in touch with her friends from that group. “One of my friends works in Forbes in London and another is already married,” she told me. It’s great to see young people making lifelong connections at an early age, and especially nowadays, it's easy to keep in touch with each other.

Our all-inclusive fees ensure transparency, providing the best value, inclusive of airport transfers and student insurance. And yes, we’re very pleased about our BAC Accreditation, UK, and the fact that our most recent inspection came back spotless! I invite students from all over the world to join us for an adventure, knowing that together we will craft memories, skills and friendships that last a lifetime.

AG: You mentioned you are a Christian. How does that impact the way you work?

Helen Lami: Being international we cater for people from all faiths and our syllabus doesn’t include religious education. Having said that, for me believing in God is all about being authentic. At Academic Summer we are not here just to make money. We care about the development of each student and genuinely want to give each one the best possible experience.

We aim to demonstrate humility in leadership while demonstrating our belief in people and removing any barriers to what they think they can accomplish. As CEO, my goal is to inspire not only my team but also the countless students who come to Academic Camp. I am deeply committed to nurturing bright futures and empowering the next generation.

At Academic Summer we take Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) seriously. Giving generously is something the Bible teaches us, however it something people of all faiths and of none are encouraged to champion, especially if you run a business. Our chosen charity is Theirworld which is directly related to education. They believe everyone has the right to education and our team is pleased to be supporting them in some really exciting fundraising projects this year. This includes 1 Million Steps where every £200 raised provides a laptop for a child studying at home in Ukraine.
 

AG: Working internationally, you must have to deal with the sensitivities of foreign politics?

Helen Lami:Yes obviously, the situation in Russia and Ukraine is an example of that. I've taken the view that we’re dealing with young people in education, and education is the only way the world can be made better. As Nelson Mandela famously said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

AG: And Academic Summer is helping to make those positive changes. Finally, tell us about your trade-mark handbag…

Helen Lami: It’s a Mulberry! From the iconic British brand not far from where I live. Of course, we try to support local business in and around our Summer School locations. Mulberry started in Somerset, in 1971 around a kitchen table with leather offcuts and a £500 investment. Today, they are truly global.

People often remember me by my bag, for me it’s a constant reminder to keep reaching further, like Mulberry, to fulfill my commitment to deliver top-notch educational programmes that ensure each student’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary.

2024/03/11