2. 1
The Wine & Spirit Education Trust
The Wine & Spirit Education Trust was established in 1969
to promote, provide and develop high quality education and
training in wines and spirits for those in the UK wine & spirit
trade or intending to join it.
In 1990 non-industry students started to attend courses and
complete WSET qualifications. The 1990s was also when
overseas markets started to embrace WSET qualifications.
International students now make up three-quarters of total
WSET candidates.
We design courses, produce teaching and learning materials and
set examinations, working through a network of registered
centres (Approved Programme Providers) around the world.
WSET is an educational charity, run on a self-financing basis.
There is a Board of Trustees – appointed to oversee the Trust.
We work closely with the drinks industry, with educational
partners and with the relevant regulatory authorities.
3. 2
Current facts & figures about WSET®
17 Languages in which WSET courses are available:
English, Chinese (Mandarin & Putonghua),
Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek,
Hungarian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese,
Russian, Slovenian, Spanish, Thai and Turkish.
62 Countries where WSET programmes are available.
540 Centres currently approved by WSET to run its
programmes.
48,434 Candidates who will have sat for a WSET
qualification in academic year 2012/13.
This represents a four-fold increase in the past
decade.
WSET is an Awarding body accredited by Ofqual.
5. 4
2001/2 2002/3 2003/4 2004/5 2005/6 2006/7 2007/8 2008/9 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12
2012/13
LE
2013/14
budget
Income 1,748 2,261 2,807 2,916 3,369 4,220 4,500 4,438 4,802 5,559 6,345 7,291 8,029
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
£000s
WSET income 2001/2 to 2012/13 L.E and 2013/14 budget
Income
WSET income has grown four-fold in ten years
6. 5
Candidate numbers to 2012/13
2001/2 2002/3 2003/4 2004/5 2005/6 2006/7 2007/8 2008/9 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13
Level 5 (Honours) Diploma 70 70 11 2 6 8 10 10 7
Level 4 Diploma 916 1,000 900 917 923 984 1,122 1,276 1,349 1,237 1,312 1,450
International Higher 181 365 463 467 524 514 586 487
Level 3 Award in Wines & Spirits 3,266 3,393 3,727 3,357 3,614 4,199 4,726 5,183 5,328 5,453 6,699 7,341
Level 2 Award in Spirits 142 250 346 592 639 551 497 654 831 815
Level 2 Award in Wines & Spirits 6,492 6,447 7,420 8,054 9,335 9,992 11,106 11,273 11,653 14,039 16,226 19,064
Level 1 Award in Wine Service 10 89 242 500
Level 1 Award in Spirits 39 202 1,516 3,471 3,453
Level 1 Award in Wine 15 1,293 2,594 3,326 4,991 6,200 6,838 7,996 12,228 13,841 15,336
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
Number of candidates taking WSET qualifications 2001/2 to 2012/13
Level 5 (Honours) Diploma
Level 4 Diploma
International Higher
Level 3 Award in Wines & Spirits
Level 2 Award in Spirits
Level 2 Award in Wines & Spirits
Level 1 Award in Wine Service
Level 1 Award in Spirits
Level 1 Award in Wine
7. 6
Split of UK v international candidates
UK candidate numbers growing (plus 65% in 10 years),
but international numbers showing ten-fold growth
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,0002001/2
2002/3
2003/4
2004/5
2005/6
2006/7
2007/8
2008/9
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
UK
International
35% 39% 37% 42% 44% 51% 55% 59% 65%
74%
70%
74%
8. 0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
16000
18000
UK Americas Europe/Africa Asia-Pacific
2008/9 2009/10 2010/11
2011/12 2012/13
7
Regional split of WSET business (weighted)
• UK candidates growing consistently since recession
• Good growth in Americas (USA & Brazil) - Canada slowing
• Europe/Africa growing in most countries
• Asia-Pacific quadrupled in 4 years - now biggest region
9. 0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
2012-2013full year
8
UK No.1 but may be overtaken by China in 2013/14
WSET’s top 10 markets – academic year 2012/13
NB: un-weighted candidate numbers
Greater China
comprises the
following four
WSET markets:
+12%
+19%
+18%
-5%
+31%
+1% +23% +52%+34% +14%
11. 10
WSET – growing in the future
The Institute of Wines & Spirits
Continuing Professional Development:-
WSET Honours Diploma
Work in progress:
Regional Business Development initiatives – incl. events in all regions
More focused/dedicated account management for multinational accounts
Development of Sommelier Awards & other specialist subject options
e-learning programs available
at all levels in WSET on-line
classroom – not only in London
Educator Programs
in all key markets
Cascading
the core
WSET
programs
‘Parachute’ Diploma
programs in WSET
growth markets
BUSINESS
AND
COMMERCIAL
KNOWLEDGE
course
UK course
now in its
6th year
Classroom-based courses
New ‘intensive’ format courses
Custom courses – “WSET comes to you”
12. 11
Qualifications 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16
Level 1 Award in Wine
Level 1 Award in Spirits
Level 1 Award in Wine Service
Level 2 Award in Wines and Spirits
Level 2 Awards in Spirits Implemented 1.8.13
Level 3 Award in Wines and Spirits
Level 4 Diploma
Specification
Unit 1 **
Unit 2 ***
Unit 3 ****
Unit 4
Unit 5
Unit 6
Candidate Assessment Guide (CAG) *
Updates to WSET Qualifications
NotesConcerning the Diploma
It is not currently feasible to undertake a full review ofall Diploma materials in one go. Therefore a rolling 3 year cycle is to be used instead and a full
Specification update is proposed for 2016 once a full set ofupdated materials are available to support any changes.
* Arevised CAG was released in 2012 and this revision is necessary to include a section on tasting spirits and to correct minor errors.
**Adetailed UK focused SG and a generic global SG is produced every year by Sally Easton MW. Detaile information on other local markets is currently the
reposibility ofAPPs and coverage is very uneven. The hope is that a new format SG will be ready for 2014 along with other local market SGs. Afull feasability test
needs to be undertaken and ifwe feel that multiple local marke SGs are necessry they may not all be available in 2014. The scale ofthis will mean that full
annual updates may not be pracitical or affordable.
***This will be a fully produced book written by Sally Easton MW.
****Asignificant review will need to happen in August 2013 to determine what format and level ofcontent the Unit 3 SG should take. This will need to include a
decision over whether to continue to use ofthe OCW
Note Concerning Lower Level Qualifications
For the lower level qualications an update includes all ofthe materials that define and support the qualificaiton: Specification, Textbook, Study Guide, PP,
Session Plans as well as other educational and exam support materials on the APP Global Campus. Any amends needed between updates to be covered with
errata
WSET – keeping our programmes current
13. 12
Investment in translations
Updated August 2013
Level 1
Wines
Level 1 Wine
Service
Level 1
Spirits
Level 2
Wines &
Spirits
Level 2
Spirits
International
Higher
Certificate
Level 3
Wines &
Spirits
Level 4
Diploma
English
German done done done done done done
Spanish done done done done
Greek done done done done done done done
Korean done done done done done
Dutch done done done
Japanese done done done done
Finnish done
Russian done done done
Simplified Chinese done done done done Nov 2013
Traditional Chinese done done done
Hungarian done
French done done done done
Portuguese done done done done
Slovene done
Thai done
Turkish done done done done
14. wset-china.com
Simplified Chinese homepage:
• Link to Weibo only
(note: Twitter and Facebook
banned in mainland China)
• Can search on string of text
• Search for APPs (where to
study) on homepage
• Links to pages for:
• Institute of Wines &
Spirits
• WSET Global website
• 3 Minute Wine School
on Youku and
• iPhone APP
• Section on ‘Latest News’
- with regular updates
• Scrolling banner with
Corporate Patrons’ logos
15. Social Media in China
WSET now has a full-time Chinese speaker in
London office managing the Chinese language
website and social media campaign
• 885 fans on Weibo in 1st week of setting up WSET account -
growing by >100 new fans daily
• WSET’s 3 Minute Wine School videos have an average of 2,400
views each on Youku
Note: Twitter and Facebook are banned in mainland China
16. 15
WSET in the Chinese Press
News about WSET’s developments abroad have been widely
circulated by prominent Chinese wine journals
New Chinese website WSET International
Growth (esp. China)
Feedback :
• Website helped answer questions
about which levels are in Chinese and
course locations
• Many students are now asking for
Level 3 and 4 in Chinese
• “WSET is quite a force in China!
Missing out on China means missing
out on large opportunities”
• “Localising the WSET to China is
important for those wishing to learn
more about wine”
17. 16
Expanding WSET reach to UK consumers
2013 and beyond
Following pitch process by PR agencies,
StoryPR appointed to run campaign to
raise profile of WSET to UK consumers
– contract renewed for 2013/14
19. Gin Ramble (Feb’13) reach to
consumers 2m+ inc TimeOut.online,
Telegraph online & Event Magazine
English Wine tasting (July
2012) reach to consumers
3m+ inc Mail on Sunday
mag, All in London &
HotDinners.com
Daily Mail Weekend-240313
Both events sold out
within 2 weeks of media
campaign going live
Rebecca Seal, wine expert on C4
Sunday Brunch, sat L2W in
School & will feature WSET in
future programme (1m viewers)
20. Brighton: 4-6 May
Hampton Court: 25-27 May
Clapham Common: 7-9 June
Edinburgh Inverleith Park: 9-11 August
Oxford: 24-26 August
Manchester: 8-9 June
Edinburgh: 29-30 June
London: 6-7 July
Harrogate: 28-29 September
Cardiff: 5-6 October
Manchester: 23-24 November
London: 7-8 December
Expanding WSET reach to UK consumers
2013 and beyond
Manchester: 7-8 September
Birmingham: 21-22 September
London: 5-6 October
Bristol: 12-13 October
Edinburgh: 26-27 October
22. 13,311 ‘Likes’
+26%*
5,088‘Group Members’ +26%*
3,410‘Followers’ +44%*
67,765‘Views’ +46%*
* % difference since Trustees’ Meeting, December 2012
WSET App
Downloads:
14,777+26%*
Social Media
and iApp numbers
23. 22
On-line programmes:
All levels of qualification now available
on-line at WSET School
On-line distance learning options available
through WSET School at all levels, plus a
‘non-qualification’ course
All courses include tutor support and
practice tests, and are available to external
WSET centres in all countries
25. 24
Developments in WSET School
2013 and beyond
Saturday School
• Opening of the Saturday School in September
following successful trial in 2012/13
• All level of courses will run (Level 1 to 4) with shorter
days (later start, earlier finish) to appeal to a new
client base and allow for travel in the UK to the
courses.
• Saturday is the only viable option for many students.
• Incremental students expected:
• 100 Level 1 students
• 72 Level 2 students
• 72 Level 3 students
• 24 Level 4 students
26. 25
Online Development
• The WSET Online Classroom will be developed to allow
compatibility with mobile devices (i-pads and androids).
• Major project to involve move to new programmes as older
formats are phased out.
• Great Grapes & Level 2 will be redesigned to be standalone
packages that may be hosted on intranets for in-house
training. (Work outsourced to specialist designers).
• Introduction of short video-casts of key points of sessions.
These will be of no more than 15 minutes and will be
accessed through the on-line classroom after students have
attended lectures to help review/revise in preparation for
examinations. Pilot will start with Diploma.
Developments in WSET School
2013 and beyond
28. 27
The Tasting Room
Business Workshops run in 2012/13:
• Branding (Jeremy Rockett)
• Packaging (Neil Tully)
• Social Media (Belinda Stone)
• PR (Sue Harris)
• Blogging (Helen McGinn)
………. plus full programme of ‘consumer’ events
29. 28
Successful course –
2013 was fifth year
Teaching faculty
made up of senior
industry figures
2014 course dates:
• 31st March to 2nd April
Maximum of 30
students
Business & Commercial Knowledge course
31st March to 2nd April 2014
30.
31. • 2013 event attended by audience of
450 people
• 2014 likely to be higher with 329
graduates invited
• New scholarships to be announced
• Jancis Robinson MW to hand over
as WSET’s Honorary President to
Gerard Basset MW
• Highlights to be posted on youtub
and
30
WSET Graduation Ceremony – Guildhall
Monday 20th January 2014
WSET
Diploma
Graduates
1970-2013
34. 33
Wine & Spirit Education Trust
International Wine & Spirit Centre
39-45 Bermondsey St
London SE1 3XF
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7089 3800
Website: www.wsetglobal.com
The Wine & Spirit Education Trust is a member of:
Federation of Small
Businesses
The Wine & Spirit Education Trust is
accredited by:
The Wine & Spirit Education Trust is proud to support:
38. 37
The WSET®
Level 1 Award in Wines
WSET®
core qualifications
• Introductory “done in a
day” course
• Accredited in UK National
Qualifications & Credits
Framework
• Course can be tailored to
needs of individual
companies, on-trade outlets
& groups
• Research demonstrates
financial benefit of training
at this level
39. 2002/3 2003/4 2004/5 2005/6 2006/7 2007/8 2008/9 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13
UK candidates 15 1,174 1,837 2,289 3,014 3,524 3,277 3,022 3,358 3,896 4,739
International 0 119 757 1,037 1,977 2,676 3,561 4,974 8,870 9,945 10,597
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18,000
UK candidates
International
38
The WSET®
Level 1 Award in Wines
WSET®
core qualifications
40.
41. 40
The WSET®
Level 1 Award in Spirits
• Launched at Distil Fair - May 2009
• Introductory, “done in a day” course
• Covers main product sectors of spirits market
• Presented to multinational companies in
international markets – success in Diageo
• Translated into Chinese, Korean, Spanish,
Thai & Turkish. Russian & Portuguese in 2012/13
WSET®
core qualifications
2008/9 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13
UK candidates 38 202 592 294 456
International 1 924 3,177 2,997
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000
UK candidates
International
42.
43. 42
The WSET®
Awards in Wine Service
• Fully developed and being
rolled out globally
• Teaches the fundamentals
of serving wine in any type
of on-premise outlet
• Normally studied in
conjunction with the WSET
Level 1 Award in Wine
WSET®
core qualifications
44.
45. 44
WSET®
core qualifications
• Accredited in UK National
Qualifications & Credits
Framework
• Syllabus revised to increase
focus on New World countries –
with emphasis on grape varieties
& key regions
• Materials & examinations now
available in 14 languages
• Research shows positive effect
on buying habits of consumers
taking course
WSET®
Level 2 Award in Wines & Spirits
47. 46
• Launched in November 2003 -
supported by the four major
multinational spirits
companies
• Over 4,000 successful
students & 150+ educators
trained to deliver course
• On-line distance learning
course now available
WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits
WSET®
core qualifications
48.
49. 2003/4 2004/5 2005/6 2006/7 2007/8 2008/9 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13
UK candidates 139 230 298 417 382 315 197 288 289 208
International 3 20 48 175 257 236 300 366 542 607
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
UK candidates
International
48
WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits
WSET®
core qualifications
50.
51. 50
• Accredited at Level 3 in UK
National Qualifications &
Credits Framework
• New examination format
introduced in 2005:
• Combination of multiple choice and
short written answer theory papers
• introduction of practical tasting
question
• Revised syllabus increases
focus on practical application
of knowledge suitable for all
international markets
WSET®
Level 3 Award in Wines & Spirits
WSET®
core qualifications
52. 51
WSET®
International Higher Certificate
• Version of Level 3 Award in
Wines & Spirits designed for
use with languages other than
English and German
• Progression step for candidates
who have completed Level 2
Award in other languages
• Same international syllabus as
Level 3 Award in Wines & Spirits
- exam in multiple-choice format
• Progression onwards to
Diploma by taking the additional
‘Diploma Examination Entry’
qualification
WSET®
core qualifications
55. 54
WSET®
Diploma
• Revised syllabus / assessment strategy
implemented in 2003 - modified in 2005
• More emphasis on course-work and assignment
based projects rather than ‘closed book’ exams;
more tasting assessments
• More flexible learning options, using on-line tutors
• Increased focus on Business & Commercial
aspects
• More feedback to students, with full induction
programme now included in all courses
• Individual dissertation now leads to higher level
(Level 5) Honours Diploma
• WSET Diploma is pre-requisite for entry onto
Master of Wine study program (where available)
WSET®
core qualifications
