We are a modern Wine School, which has its roots in the wine, oenological and viticultural traditions and wine culture of Europe, but which has now developed into an International Wine School, drawing its students from the whole globe and offering wine courses for amateurs and professionals alike in courses (click on the link "Courses" to the left) such as Essentials of Wine, Wine Tasting, Wine Regions, Spirits, Sommelliership & Restaurant Management, Wine Tourism, Wine Marketing & Business, Viticulture, Oenology and Wine Production - and all at different academic levels: with the shorter (20-lecture long ) Essentials courses, followed by the 40-lecture long Certificate courses, and then topped by the Associate Degree courses, which can have from 72 to 120 lectures.

So, even though we retain, and are proud of, our name as the European Wine Academy, we have now evolved into an international wine school (even though our sister wine school, the International Wine College, which was set up originally to offer our courses to non-Europe based students, continues, but its management is the same as EWA's, and its course curricula mirror that of the EWA).

All lectures are provided via a secure, dedicated e-learning platform. (http://www.ewaplatform.org/) which is open and available 24/7 to our students.

Perhaps it may not seem important at first, but we are rather proud of our objectivity, of our independence - this is so because we are not sponsored by any beverage corporation, wine company, food conglomerate, government, wine authority, banking or media group, by no one. As we have no financial links or commitments to any one we remain independent in our search to provide the best wine education and training via e-learning to any student, anywhere, who has a computer and the internet and wishes to learn about wine and its various aspects which can be such fun, yet also informative and uplifting!

All our courses are offered essentially via e-Learning (distance learning), but where sufficient student numbers in a city or region justify it, our courses can also be followed via 'blended learning' (which is a combination of normal face-to-face (f2f) classes/practicums/workshops/tastings and e-learning) as well as normal, f2f short & long courses. We provide serious (in the sense of academically sound) wine education & training which:

• is based on a high, modern standard
• can give new learners, those persons wanting to start out on a new pathway of wine knowledge, and more advanced wine enthusiasts (we also have students who already had quite a bit of wine tasting experience and knowledge, but who nevertheless wanted a proper academic background and knowledge, to better appreciate wine) a sound basis of wine knowledge, in whatever direction they’re interested: winetasting, general wine knowledge, winemaking, wine marketing & business or viticulture,
• has internationally renowned lecturers, course advisers and visiting professors in viticulture, oenology, wine marketing, hospitality management, sommeliership and wine business,
• educates and trains aspiring Winemakers, Viticulturists, Sommeliers, Wine Marketing & Business Professionals
• nevertheless believes that serious wine education should always be an enjoyable experience
 

One could further look at our courses offering from a different perspective, and so divide our courses offering into 2 groups: for those starters, or amateurs who are seeking an introduction into, or expansion of their knowledge of wine, winetasting or other aspects of wine. Secondly, we also offer professional education, training and vocational programs for aspiring, or existing wine makers. Please note though that there is a level for anyone, and that anyone may follow these courses, your reason for doing so is not as important to us as your desire to gain the knowledge!

One of the other things that we believe sets us apart from standard wine schools is that, over the years, we have learned that the wine industry changes, and the needs of the wine industry are also changing. Hence the need for newer or more updated wine courses.  Because we serve students from all parts of the globe, and of different backgrounds and levels of wine knowledge and education it became obvious to us that we would have to provide a wide choice of wine courses to meet the needs of those students and such a changing wine industry.  This is why we are so flexible, and why you will notice that we update the types and number of courses we offer, from time to time. or existing, wine professionals.

Please note though that there is a level for anyone, and that anyone may follow these courses, your reason for doing so is not as important to us as your desire to gain the knowledge!

Mission, History and Future
The basis of EWA was formed in the late 1990's in the UK and Europe, when the Academy’s founder, D Derek Koch, started providing standard f2f wine education, but EWA was formalized in late 2003 when it started offering wine courses via blended and e-learning, to students of the Commonwealth Academy in London.

As we are a Wine Academy which essentially operates via the internet, our physical location is perhaps not that relevant, but we selected Belgium, which is at the heart of Europe, with Brussels being the effective capital of the EU, as the ideal location for a European wine school. Ideal, not only because it is centrally located, but more importantly because, as Belgium is a non-wine producing region, it is a neutral region, and is therefore not seen as competition by any of the major wine-producing countries of Europe. In this way we can rely on the co-operation of all European wine-related institutions.   

We have since expanded our presence by opening Learning Centres, in Germany, North America, the Caribbean, and South Africa. We’re currently in negotiation to set up Learning Centres and strategic alliances in China, South Korea and the Far East.

Our goal
The goal of the Academy is essentially the promotion of the study of the grape, wine and spirits via higher, vocational and professional education - it is aimed not only at winemaking or viticulture but also at the oenological, retail, wholesale, export, business, management and hospitality side of the wine and spirits industry.
We want our students to acquire a comprehensive knowledge of the grape, its viticulture and vinification, wine and spirits in all it's guises, as well as the tasting and serving of wine; and all of this at a fairly high academic standard, our firm conviction being that if we provide a course of an unacceptably low academic standard we would only be producing inferior and badly-prepared students, whereas our clear and definite wish is in fact the opposite: to provide an education and training which will empower students and even provide them with excellent career possibilities. 

In these difficult financial times we also offer an opportunity to change career as students can follow these courses at home, whilst you are considering your options, or if you're unemployed, or simply concerned about the future of your current employment or industry.

A qualification or training in wine could possibly launch a totally new career, or perhaps help you to finally decide that you are ready to start that small winery in France or Italy you always wanted!

Obviously the wine industry is not totally immune to the rigours of the international credit crunch, but people will always drink wine, and the billions of potential wine consumers in Asia have not even started to affect the wine markets, once their national consumption figures increase there will be an unprecedented demand for higher wine production, and obviously for people who have specialist knowledge of wine who can help improve such wine production, as winemakers, sommeliers, wine marketers, importers/exporters, restaurant managers, tasting guides, vineyard managers, cellar hands etc. And working in the wine industry is certainly more satisfying than almost any other job you’re currently doing! To that effect we also work together with an international organisation who specialises in jobs and careers in the wine industry and whilst we obviously cannot guarantee our students jobs we can certainly assist to point you in the right direction.

As a small contribution to these difficult times we have decided not to increase our course fees for 2009, this means that for 2 years our course fees have remained at the same levels.

Range of Courses
As can be seen on the next pages we offer a number of courses which cover most wine topics, but the following areas are probably the most popular (also because almost no one else offers these via e-learning):

• wine production
• viticulture
• wine marketing
• wine business management
• sommeliership & restaurant management
• wine tasting

Teaching method

All our courses have the same standard of excellence, they differ only in the method in which they are delivered and in the differing motivation of students: the student following our e-learning courses will do so for very specific reasons: highly motivated students who cannot, (usually because of their geographical location), follow a course in a regular class room environment because of their work schedules, family needs or other reasons. The academic level of our courses is that of a tertiary standard, about equal to that of a Polytechnicon/ Technicon/College, but not as high as university level - and then mostly only because we cannot cover the same amount of material as a full time bachelors course. The course contents are however often/mostly equal to that of a university academic level. We use the following systems:

E-learning (also known as Distance Education), is the main form of education, particularly for the longer courses.

What is e-learning (Distance Education) and what are its advantages?
Simply put, distance education, or e-learning, takes place when a tutor and his/her students are separated geographically from each other by physical distance, and by using technology (i.e. voice, video, data, and print), this instructional gap is bridged. Or put slightly differently: e-learning is an educational system that uses technology: print, audio, video and computers, to reach learners in dispersed locations. However, it is learner-centred in philosophy: that means that rather than simply bringing students piles of packaged information, we engage you in an active educational experience that enhances your professional and personal capacities. Wikipedia gives the following definition:

“Electronic learning (or e-Learning or eLearning) is a type of Technology supported education/learning (TSL) where the medium of instruction is through computer technology, particularly involving digital technologies. E-learning has been defined as "pedagogy empowered by digital technology" ^[1]. In some instances, no face- to- face interaction takes place. E-learning is used interchangeably in a wide variety of contexts. In the United States, it is defined as a planned teaching/learning experience that uses a wide spectrum of technologies, mainly Internet or computer-based, to reach learners. Lately in most Universities, e-learning is used to define a specific mode to attend a course or programmes of study where the students rarely, if ever, attend face-to-face for on-campus access to educational facilities, because they study online.”

This type of program can provide adults with a chance at tertiary education and reach those disadvantaged by limited time, distance, opportunity or physical disability.

Many distance education students have jobs, and/or families. They must therefore manage their time very carefully by co-ordinating the different areas of their lives which influence each other - their families, jobs, spare time, and studies. The essence of eLearning is that you can't always relocate or adjust your work and family schedules to advance your career or to improve your personal growth.  ELearning or online courses empower you so that you achieve your goals at home, or even while travelling, without disrupting your current lifestyle.

But potential students should bear in mind that eLearning does not differ that much from learning in a classroom, as you still have a tutor, which guides you through the course and other glass members you can interact with.  Most importantly, you still have assignments to complete, (which are obligatory) and you can participate in class activities.  As the communication between yourself, the Academy, your tutor and other students all happen online you will have more responsibility for your own learning progress. Apart from some basic computer skills and a good Internet access, the skills required for success with eLearning are the same as those needed in a traditional classroom: preparation, organisation and self-discipline.

E-learning has evolved tremendously in the recent past , as Gráinne Conole and Karen Fill state: ”E-learning is now no longer a peripheral activity, the province of the isolated enthusiast, but is pervading Higher Education (HE), not just as an effective infrastructure for distance courses but blended with more traditional approaches on campus. Indeed,  went as far as to term it a "new online paradigm [which] calls not so much for providing instruction at a distance, as for making available learning resources and instructional activities to students." In effect, the context is a potentially rich learning environment, where "students are typically engaged in multiple activities in pursuit of multiple learning goals, with the teacher serving the role of coach and facilitator."

However, our courses are not self-paced; depending on numbers students are placed into groups and follow a properly structured and managed program of receiving lectures regularly, weekly, and handing in assignments regularly, also on specific days. Courses that are entirely self-paced, i.e. with no structure, place an almost impossible burden of total self-discipline on students! Have a look at the following YouTube video’s (there are many more), to give you some idea (Please note: the situations discussed in these video clips are not exactly the same as ours!) of what e-learning (distance education, online education) is about:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWZ-por8-ow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMzg3QInhf0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKwLERpP78w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de6Au_lpRf8&NR=1 (part 2)

Who should take e-learning courses and how does it work?
If you like the idea of being in control of your own learning and have a real interest in the subjects you have selected, then yes. If you just see it as a way of getting out of going to regular face-to-face classes, then no. It's a very rewarding way to learn but you need to be well-organised and prepared to take responsibility for your own learning. You should be prepared to spend about 1to 2 hours per week on doing assignments. Our tutors realise that there may be times when you need a bit of extra encouragement and support. They are there to help you as much as they can.

Blended Learning
In addition we also offer our courses via blended learning, which is a combination of e-learning and normal, face-to-face classes. In other words the bulk of the course will be offered via e-learning and a smaller part will be offered via regular, face-to-face lectures/workshops or practicums. These learner-centred approaches put the learners back in command, with a wealth of learning resources at their fingertips, customized to their individual needs. Teachers and trainers, however, continue to play a central role, using virtual and traditional face-to-face interactions with their students in a 'blended' approach.

Regular Courses
To a very limited extent, and only where at least 10/12 students register for a course will we offer regular, f2f (face-to-face) courses.

E-Learning Platform

One-on-one guided winetasting demonstration.
One of the initial difficulties which eLearning students face is that when it comes to learning how to taste wine they would like to have personal guidance and advice on various aspects of wine tasting, in particular, the relevant technique. Because we have students in most parts of the world, and as it is not always possible to arrange for face-to-face workshops in their region, such isolated students used to feel a bit left out.  As a result we have instituted a service, which is included in the course fee, whereby the student can, at the start of the course, contact us and ask for a face-to-face demonstration and discussion on wine tasting techniques, using Skype and a Webcam.  We will then arrange a specific date and time and we will have someone available for the student to join in a guided winetasting.  This will not necessarily be for specific wines, but certainly for guidance in the technique of winetasting. Therefore, all new students may request such a face-to-face guided winetasting session, with one of our tutors.  Bear in mind that you should have a good Webcam, also register for Skype, and have a fast Internet connection so that the video quality is acceptable.

What will I need?
Apart from a set of the correct wine tasting glasses, all you need to register for one of our courses is a PC with an internet connection, a webcam, word processor and free software to open PDFs, audio and video files. This usually comes standard but can also downloaded for free at, for instance: Adobe Reader, Quicktime or Mediaplayer and perhaps Skype.



Tutors and Course Advisers
We use internationally-based tutors, course advisers and visiting professors, each one an expert in his/her field and in order to ensure that our courses remain at a high standard and remain up-to-date.


Accreditation and Memberships
We actively support and apply the principles of the EU’s Principles on E-learning. Our Academy was awarded the highly regarded international award of quality: “ISO 9001”, in October 2005, following a strenuous and lengthy investigation by the ISO’s auditors. In addition, because of our firm belief in providing our students with an education of appropriate academic standards backed up by well-qualified tutors and a well-run administration, the Academy, through its founder, has become a member of various wine and educational institutions which lay down strict requirements for membership, thus ensuring that students receive a quality education. If you study the contents of this web site you will notice that we have covered, and explained, far more aspects than those normally required of members of these institutions; this is because we wish our students to be completely informed before registration. You will note that we even allow a cooling off period; we point out the potential pitfalls which a student may encounter, and then suggest a possible solution as well. 

 
The discussions and negotiations which the Academy has been busy with regarding further accreditation and joint programs with certain Universities and Wine Schools continues.

Our wine teaching philosophy
This Academy was the brain child of a group of passionate wine makers, wine professionals, sommeliers, wine educators, journalists, writers, wine consultants, importers and retailers: highly committed people and all of whom agreed on a few core issues:

• that most wine courses are too amateurishly presented, and even though experienced professionals are sometimes used, the tutors are for the most part book-educated wine hobbyists
  
• the current theoretical and academic standard of professional wine courses is generally too low
  
• longer wine courses have to ensure that a student also received some practical exposure and experience
  
• there was too little on offer for existing or aspiring Wine Business Professionals and Managers.
  

It is our philosophy, and one of the most important foundations of this Academy, as reflected in its longer courses, (and this distinguishes us from other wine courses) that our wine courses are holistic, that is, it FIRST provides students with a general background into the study of Wine (in the form of our Essentials module) and then that general knowledge is applied to a specific field or speciality, eg Wine Marketing or Wine Production. 

We do not believe that any specialised field or wine region can be studied or understood properly in isolation any more, given the global world that we live in and that the wine commodity finds itself in:

• with certain universal varietals such as chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon being planted almost everywhere on the globe,
• by wine makers who have all studied winemaking and viticulture, and utilise the same techniques, from the same text books, often at the same universities,
• with flying wine makers, using these universal varietals, making the same style of wine, on all continents,
• the pervasive influence of famous wine critics further encouraging this trend towards an almost universal wine or, as we call it: the "vinum universum".

Why are our courses different?

What sets us apart from other educational institutions offering Wine courses is:

• a higher academic standard in our course contents resulting in a better prepared, trained and employable student.
• flexibility and friendliness
• using our one-on-one interactive Skype/webcam guided winetasting training sessions, students can now see and hear from their tutor, in real time, how to taste wine properly!
• some of our course are designed specifically for the wine trade, management, sommeliers and hospitality trade and those who already have some grounding in the basic principles of wine
• by using our detailed Wine Tasting Guide, plus matching Wine Analysis Sheets (also for Sparkling wines and Spirits) students learn how to analyse and taste wine analytically and in a professional manner.
• Additionally we have a few hundred video clips which can assist students, on all important topics such as wine tasting, viticulture, oenology, the major wine regions, sommeliership and wine marketing & business.
• we recognize that not all students are able to immediately pay all of their course fees, so we allow certain students to enter into a Fee Instalment Plan.
• once you have completed your course you will still receive, for a minimum of 12 months, regular academic updates via wine articles on the platform
• via our e-learning courses international students, who often cannot get access to such sophisticated wine and spirits courses, due to geographical reasons, can now also follow wine courses
• we want all our students to obtain as much practical, hands-on experience of and exposure to the wine industry. This is achieved in most courses by students having to attend limited on-site training at a local wine business, shop or winery, where available of course.
• Also, in some courses, by attending practicums and work shops, and any of our students may join us on a tutored:
  
  • Field Trip to a wine region, to get some hands-on, practical exposure to grapes, viticulture, wine making or other related practical experience. These are optional trips.
  • Visit to a Wine Fair, like the London Wine Fair, ProWein, the Cape Fair or Vinexpo in Bordeaux
  • Visits to local wineries and vineyards

 
And Exams?
Most of our courses will require students to write a final exam, and currently we utilise the Proctor system to do so, simply and efficiently. A proctored exam is one that is overseen by an impartial individual (called a proctor) who lives near the student.The proctor monitors or supervises a student while he or she is taking an exam. The proctor ensures the security and integrity of the exam process. Such a proctor is actually selected by you, the student, and is a person who lives in your area who will act as the proctor and it is usually held in the office or home of the proctor.

In the very near future tests and even exams will be conducted via the Platform.

 
Venues for Practical Training, Residential Courses and Conferences

• University of Padua, Italy
  In view of its rich viticultural and oenological traditions, combined with high, modern scientific research and facilities, we have arranged that our students can follow a range of top-up courses, linked to our existing courses, as well as practical training in viticulture & oenology, as well as Sommeliership, with the prestigious University of Padua, which has its Viticulture and Oenology department in Conegliano in the Veneto, Italy (established 1874-it is the oldest wine University in Italy). It may also be possible that the university could arrange accommodation for our students in its student’s residence in Conegliano.
  
  
  
• Schloss Vollrads, Rheingau, Germany
  
  Joining Collalto Estate in Italy as one of our preferred Training Centres is that equally impressive and historic Wine Estate: Schloss Vollrads of the Rheingau, on the Rhine. Dr Rowald Hepp, (who is on of our Course Advisors) its winemaker and Chief Executive, confirms that this historic 14^th Century Castle, adjacent to Geisenheim university, will co-operate in a joint venture with us to provide a fantastic training venue by giving us access to their vineyards, winemaking cellars and top restaurant, for workshops, lectures and tasting sessions in viticulture, oenology, wine marketing and sommeliership.
  
  The building of the actual palace – next to the massive tower that Goethe described as ‘unusual’ during his visit in 1814 – was commissioned by Georg Philipp von Greiffenclau in 1684. Generally speaking, the greater part of SCHLOSS VOLLRADS as its stands today is the work of Johann Erwein, and the many armorial designs decorating the farm buildings, the cavalier’s house and the gateway to the garden bear witness to his remarkable building activity. 
  
  
  
• Collalto Wine Estate, Veneto, Italy
  As important and vital as the University is the co-operation of the world-famous Collalto wine estate, (which has been making quality wines for more than a 1 000 years!), courtesy of Princess Isabella Collalto, with whom our Academy has close professional links by providing wine marketing advice and assistance (she also followed one of our wine courses). Collalto is an Estate which has not forgotten how important the soil is, the value of caring for the grapevine and making outstanding wines by using modern, up-to-date equipment and methods, but methods where family traditions and experience are also integrated, to produce a wine, which is not only an icon of its place and vintage, but also an ambassador for the patience and skills of its winemaker and the traditions of the family which has helped to create it (these are qualities which this Academy shares completely). They therefore have strong links with the Slowfood movement. The Collalto family of San Salvatore Castle, nestling in its green vineyards, is such a family. They have always known that it takes more than simple science and marketing experts to produce a wine which is elegant and filled with a sense of place and tradition.
  
  Collalto is a preferred venue for our residential and short courses, practicums, wine conferences, workshops, wine trips as well as wine tastings. These will be held at Collalto's premises and winery in Susegana in the Veneto, close to Venice. It is also conveniently located very near the campus of the University of Padua, at Conegliano. Accommodation for our students is easily available in the near vicinity, and limited, very basic student-type accommodation can possibly also be arranged by Collalto at their own premises. See:http://collaltowines.com/
  

 Establishing the Asian Wine Education Partnership
We and the universities and wine schools listed below will not only provide recognized lecturers, tutors and experienced winemakers for this project, and offer f2f education and training in Asia itself, but will also accept trainee wine teachers and students from Asia at their own campuses via the student exchange program which we will manage. In addition we will arrange for international Masters of Wine to hold trainee courses and guided tastings in the main centres in Asia and in Europe.

In order to further our plans to offer our range of courses, as well as the partnership with our network partners, to the new burgeoning superpowers in Asia we have set up a separate sister wine Academy: The International Wine Academy of Asia, with current head offices in Beijing, to co-ordinate all activities.

The following international partners form part of this network:

• Universitè du Vin, Suze-la-Rousse, France (General wine education, viticulture & oenology, sommelier)
• University of Padua, Italy (viticulture, oenology & sommeliership)
• Virginia Tech University, USA (viticulture and oenology)
• Texas State University, USA (wine marketing)
• Plumpton Academy, UK (General, wine marketing, viticulture & oenology)
• German Wine School (General, wine marketing, viticulture & oenology)
• Austria Wine Academy (largest wine school of Europe)
• University of Surrey UK (Consisting of a group of lecturers in Wine Marketing, Hospitality, Hotel training and Sommeliership,)
• EIT-University of East Hawke’s Bay, NZ.