Hong Kong-based online language educator Clarity Language Consultants Ltd has used the SAR as a platform for global expansion, tapping a growing market as more people worldwide turn to computers to improve their English language skills.

The company produces teaching tools in the form of CD-ROMS designed to teach English-language from elementary to advanced level.

From a small business that was launched in 1992, the company has grown to be a leading publisher of software for teaching English with more than 30 titles on its list. Tense
Buster, Clarity's most successful title, has been adopted by Ministries of Education across the world, and is now running on more than 500,000 computers in over 90 countries.

Clients and partners include the United Nations, World Health Organisation, the Hong Kong Education Department and schools, universities and self-access centres around the globe.

Last year the company recorded a 35 per cent growth with about 70 per cent of revenue coming from exports.

Co-founder and director Andrew Stokes says being based in Hong Kong gives credibility and strong market recognition to the company’s products. Hong Kong’s location is ideally suited to reach the regional, European and Australasian markets.

“If you operate from Hong Kong clients, and business partners take you seriously. After we identified a demand for English-language software teaching materials, Hong Kong stood out as the obvious place to establish the business for a number of reasons,” Mr Stokes said.

These include advanced and reliable communications systems, a friendly, non-intrusive environment for operating a small business, and a pool of well-educated and experienced computer-programming experts.

“At university level Hong Kong’s English-language teaching is well developed and graduates are familiar with IT and the use of computers,” added Mr Stokes.

Mr Stokes and Clarity co-founder, Dr Adrian Raper, both education professionals, set up the company after several years of teaching at various education institutions around Asia.

“Clarity is extremely selective about the publishers it works with, and is rigorous about measuring technical and pedagogical quality. This is underscored by the company’s development team which includes computer programming and content development experts recruited both locally and from overseas,” Mr Stokes said.

Hong Kong’s straightforward immigration polices and streamlined processing make it simple to employ overseas professionals who possess specialised skills or expertise.