MTS celebrates success at the Learning Technologies Awards 2026

Last night, members of the MTS team swapped the exam room for the ballroom as we attended the Learning Technologies Awards 2026 gala dinner in London; and what an evening it was.

I was delighted to be representing MTS and our award-winning IELTS Practice Hub, alongside colleagues Ivo Vicente, Emilia Jagnieza and Korina Freese, all dressed to impress for the glitzy ceremony.

Celebrating the best in learning

The Learning Technologies Awards are among the most respected in the learning and development calendar. This year’s finalists were chosen by an independent panel of judges, organised by The Learning Network, from more than 300 entries spanning 22 countries globally. To be recognised as a Finalist at these awards has given us further confidence in the quality and impact of our work.

It was inspiring to see so many organisations doing creative and genuinely useful work to help people learn; and it was a real privilege to be counted among them.

The IELTS Practice Hub on the shortlist

The reason for our invitation? MTS's very own IELTS Practice Hub achieved ‘Finalist’ status in the Best learning technologies project – commercial sector (UK) category.

Built by MTS (the UK's largest network of IELTS test centres), the Hub answers the question our IELTS candidates ask us most often: “Am I ready for my IELTS test?” The Hub launched in October 2024 as an AI-powered mock test platform and, in June 2025, grew into a complete learning platform combining mock tests with live taught classes, self-access courses and 1-2-1 tuition from our own IELTS expert teachers. Being shortlisted from more than 300 entries is fantastic recognition of the expertise and care that has gone into it, and a testament to everyone at MTS who helped bring it to life.

You can watch our 1-minute video that summarises, in a nutshell, what’s on the platform.

What makes the IELTS Practice Hub special

A Speaking test with a (virtual) human touch

The Hub is the only IELTS practice product on the market where candidates sit their Speaking mock test face to face with a human-like, on-screen avatar Examiner. Our cast of Examiners spans a range of English accents, ages and backgrounds, mirroring the variety of Examiners that IELTS candidates may meet on test day. Their expressions, gestures and pauses were refined through user testing until our focus groups confirmed the experience felt natural, so that when the real test comes, it feels familiar, and therefore reduces the dreaded ‘exam anxiety’.

Feedback in minutes, not days

Real IELTS results can take days to arrive, and they give a score rather than advice on how to improve. On MTS’s IELTS Practice Hub, candidates receive indicative band scores across all four skills within minutes, together with detailed, actionable feedback.

Our AI-powered assessments evaluate Writing and Speaking against the published IELTS band descriptors (task response, coherence, vocabulary range and grammatical accuracy). A specialised speech-analysis layer goes right down to the phoneme level, measuring pronunciation, speech rate, rhythm, stress and intonation, and transcribing every “um” and “er” so candidates can reflect honestly on their Speaking test delivery. Writers even receive an improved version of their own essay to learn from, and progress is tracked across repeat attempts. Listening and Reading Mock Test modules can also be accessed with instant indicative results and the platform tells you where you may have gone wrong.

AI, checked by experts

We don't believe technology alone is enough. MTS's IELTS experts continuously validate the AI's scoring against their own marking, and the algorithms are fine-tuned as a result, keeping feedback accurate and trustworthy. As one user, Jhan, told us:

“The AI feedback was incredibly detailed and personalised. It pinpointed my weaknesses and even suggested phrases I could use to improve my fluency.”

Learning, your way

The Hub's approach is simple: diagnose, give feedback, then teach. And the learner chooses their learning route. Full mock tests replicate the real IELTS on Computer experience, helping candidates get used to the format and reducing exam-day nerves. From there, learners can close the gap through self-access courses, live classes with MTS's IELTS experts, or 1-2-1 tuition by videoconference, depending on their budget, timetable and learning style. One of our customers, Ayomide, said:

“I have taken IELTS in three countries with different providers, but MTS was the only IELTS test centre that had the perfect tailored IELTS preparation support… Thanks to MTS, I was motivated to not give up.”

The results speak for themselves

Between its launch in October 2024 and July 2026, the IELTS Practice Hub has achieved a 4.95 out of 5 rating, and has facilitated real savings for candidates: a full mock test with MTS costs a fraction of the retail price of a real IELTS test, and every avoided retake saves money and helps customers to prepare well and achieve those all-important visa and admissions timelines.

What's next for the Hub

We're not standing still. We're converting more of our live IELTS classes into self-access courses, giving every learner the choice between live teaching and lower-cost self-study. We're also bringing the Hub to schools, colleges and universities through new partnerships, with tools that let teachers review their students' work within the platform, and thereby helping us reach IELTS candidates wherever they are in the world.

A great night to celebrate our success

From the first glass of champagne to the final announcements and the fantastic live dance band, it was a wonderful evening spent in excellent company. A huge thank you to The Learning Network and the Learning Technologies team for hosting such a memorable event, and congratulations to all of this year’s winners.

Most of all, a big thank you to the MTS team of experts who have built the IELTS Practice Hub. Being named a Finalist is something we're immensely proud of, and it has only made us more determined to keep raising the bar and improving our Hub to meet the needs of our customers.

Curious to see what the judges saw? Explore the platform for yourself at ieltspracticehub.ai.