SEATTLE, May 8, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Homestay Network™ (AHN-USA) and the Australian Homestay Network (AHN-AU) today announced they have partnered to form the world's largest education homestay organization to provide students, hosts, agents, and education providers around the globe with the highest standards and best experience in the industry. As leaders in the homestay industry on their respective continents, the two organizations place more than 10,000 international students in host family homes each year. Through the partnership, AHN-USA and AHN-AU will share best practices and innovate around key industry issues including technology, student and host training, background checks, insurance, and 24/7 support.
The new alliance also provides both organizations an exclusive global license to the proprietary homestay matching and management technology upon which their programs are built.
"As we see more and more international students seeking homestay accommodations in Australia and America, this partnership will increase our ability to provide a safe, streamlined experience for all homestay stakeholders," said David Bycroft, Executive Chairman of the Australian Homestay Network. "Both groups know we can take best practices from each other to keep our standards as high as possible and begin to look into other parts of the globe for more opportunities."
AHN-USA and AHN-AU will continue to grow operations across Australia and America through 2014 before beginning expansion of their homestay programs to other countries around the world.
"Uniting with our friends in Australia has enabled us to establish the first national-scale, standards-based homestay organization in America," said Ron Davis, CEO of the American Homestay Network. "By partnering with the largest provider of international student homestay placements in Australia, we can now take best practices from their experiences, while sharing what works in America. Additionally this partnership enables us to implement several new technology innovations and better prepare to address bigger opportunities around the world."
Launched in 2012, AHN-USA has already managed hundreds of student applications in response to the growing demand for homestay accommodations by international students visiting the U.S. and to bring a new level of industry best practices in service offerings, operations and technology. To help scale their program, AHN-USA recently launched its Regional Agency Program designed to provide regional homestay organizations across the U.S. with the technology and administrative resources needed to develop and grow local programs.
AHN-AU was the first homestay manager in Australia to introduce compulsory guaranteed insurance for both students and hosts and has been a strong contributor to a number of Local, State and Federal Government reviews, taskforces and inquiries to bring awareness and significantly increase the standards of Homestay across Australia. The company also runs the Community Placement Network and Homestay Helping Hand - related programs in Australia to help asylum seekers and Australians in need find accommodation and support.
More information on the American Homestay Network can be found at www.homestaynetwork.com, and on the Australian Homestay Network at: www.homestaynetwork.org.
About The American Homestay Network
The American Homestay Network (AHN) was created to bring a new level of best practices in service offerings, operations and technology to hosted homestay programs for visiting international students. AHN is committed to setting a new global standard for student homestay in America. Through its business relationships with the Australian Homestay Network, global insurers, banks and national emergency response partners the company offers an unprecedented collection of comprehensive services. The company is a member of NAFSA: Association of International Educators and AWISA: Association of Washington International Student Affairs. For more information, visit www.homestaynetwork.com.
About The Australian Homestay Network
The Australian Homestay Network (AHN) is the industry leader for homestay in Australia providing professionally managed, technology-driven operations for international students, asylum seekers, Australians in need, and their homestay hosts. Building national compliance standards in homestay, AHN utilizes online training, professional development, insurance, and emergency 24/7 support to ensure all stakeholders in homestay have a unique, safe and enjoyable cultural experience. For more information on AHN, visit www.homestaynetwork.org.