ECC × Efekta Partnership Launches New Service 'ECC Online Hyper Lessons'

ECC Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Osaka; Representative Director and President: Masahiro Hanabusa; hereinafter "ECC"), a comprehensive education and lifelong learning institution, and Efekta Education Ltd. (Headquarters: London; President Schools and Enterprises: Peter Burman; hereinafter "Efekta") have signed a business alliance for new initiatives in global human resource development.

As the first phase, the online English learning service "ECC Online Hyper Lessons" (hereinafter "this service") will begin offering its services on Wednesday, July 1, 2026.

This service combines Efekta's cutting-edge learning technology and global standard learning platform, which Efekta, a group company of EF (Education First), one of the world's largest private educational institutions operating experiential learning programs in over 110 countries, has provided to over 24 million people worldwide, with ECC's "instructional methods for Japanese learners" and "coaching-style guidance" cultivated over 60 years of history.

The biggest feature is that "ECC instructors," who are well-versed in the weaknesses and difficulties of Japanese learners, will be in charge of all online lessons. By combining world-standard technology with "ECC's teaching prowess," we aim to create learning opportunities for 25,000 people by 2028.

Purpose of the Alliance

As the globalization of society accelerates, English proficiency has become an important skill that expands future options. On the other hand, in the field of English learning, "low learning continuation rates" and "difficulty in seeing results" have been long-standing challenges.

In a "Survey on English Proficiency of Working Adults" *1 conducted by ECC in March 2026 (targeting 300 general employees and 300 managers, a total of 600 people, who want to learn English for work), "talking with instructors" and "role-playing assuming actual work situations" were among the top responses for effective learning methods.

Against this background, "ECC Online Hyper Lessons" has optimized its service to make it easier for Japanese learners to achieve results, utilizing the educational and learning platform of Efekta as its foundation and leveraging the knowledge cultivated from ECC's cumulative instructional record of over 9.5 million people *2.

This service aims to solve the long-standing challenges of "improving learning continuation rates" and "visualizing results" by combining the creation of practical output opportunities with the visualization of learning processes and continuous support.

*1 Source: Survey on English Proficiency of Business Professionals (https://www.ecc.co.jp/newsrelease/2026/20260327.html)

*2 Cumulative number of students within the ECC Group from 1962 to 2023 (company survey)

Three Features of "ECC Online Hyper Lessons"

① "Next-generation Immersive Lessons" that create an overwhelming sense of immersion

This is not just online English conversation, but an "immersive" lesson that progresses while simulating specific scenes. For example, the instructor acts as a boss or client, and the student conducts negotiations or presentations in English. By repeatedly outputting in situations close to real-life scenarios, learners are guided from "understanding" knowledge to "usable" English proficiency.

Furthermore, this learning experience is maximized by a systematic approach combining "Self-study × Private Lessons × Group Lessons." AI-powered Self-study builds English fundamentals in a 24/7 accessible learning environment. In Private Lessons, ECC instructors conduct one-on-one role-playing to output knowledge learned in Self-study, elevating it to "usable English."

Additionally, reservation-free Group Lessons allow up to 8 peers to interact in real-time without prior preparation, strengthening the quick thinking and flexibility required for conversation. By combining these, the service continuously stimulates learning motivation and provides a mechanism for uninterrupted learning.

② Instruction by native instructors who are well-versed in Japanese learners

The greatest feature of this service lies in the "human element" that maximizes Efekta's technology. ECC's instructors are native speakers recruited from English-speaking countries, who have cleared strict standards and are responsible for all lessons.

Even after recruitment, multiple training sessions based on ECC's teaching methods are conducted to deepen their understanding of the weaknesses and difficulties Japanese learners often face. Furthermore, instructional quality is maintained and improved through lesson checks by teaching trainers. Through such instruction by instructors, ECC's unique "teaching prowess" and "coaching-style support" are combined with a global standard learning platform to support learners' progress.

③ Accelerate learning with "visualization" of learning progress and multifaceted learning support

The service adopts the international language proficiency standard "CEFR" and sets 16 finely divided levels from A1 (beginner) to C2 (mastery). Upon completion of each level, a completion certificate is issued after a progress test, and the correlation with major exams such as TOEIC® L&R TEST is clear, allowing for objective visualization of results.

Furthermore, in addition to progress such as study time and lesson attendance status, a system that allows learners to check feedback from instructors at any time not only enables effective learning but also helps regulate the learner's pace and maintain motivation.

Moreover, ECC's unique learning support app "ECC Study Assist," equipped with AI-powered "free English conversation practice" and "evaluation/advice functions," is provided at no additional charge. In addition, lesson reminder notifications and regular online seminars or webinars are planned. The service supports continuous learning and retention from both technological and human aspects.

* The difficulty levels are merely an image. ECC does not guarantee ease of acquisition.

* CEFR stands for Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. It was developed as a common reference framework for language proficiency in Europe, where multiple languages are used. Currently, it is widely used as an indicator in foreign language education not only in Europe but also around the world.

* TOEIC is a registered trademark of Educational Testing Service (ETS). This publication is not endorsed or approved by ETS.

* L&R means LISTENING AND READING.

PDF version of the press release:

d16929-206-708fa46b213c2b1bd5ecce3892d8c4f1.pdf ■ ECC Co., Ltd. https://www.ecc.co.jp/

Since its founding in 1962, ECC has been engaged in various educational activities for over 60 years. It introduces unique curricula and teaching materials that enable individuals from infants to seniors to achieve their respective goals, producing reliable results. ECC's mission is to foster individuals equipped with the qualities of "true global citizens" suited to the times through language education.

Efekta Education Ltd https://www.efekta.com

Efekta Education is an innovative technology company that provides a world-leading autonomous AI teaching platform for public and private educational institutions, as well as global corporations. Its mission is to be utilized by teachers, learners, and educational institution operators to scalably improve learning outcomes and deliver high-quality education widely across the globe.

Our technology is developed based on data cultivated in one of the world's largest online English schools and over 60 years of leadership in immersive education. AI is optimized in real-time according to the needs of each individual learner.

To date, Efekta's learning platform has been used by over 24 million people, and currently, it is implemented by over 4 million active users, 25,000 teachers, 3,000 companies, and government agencies worldwide.

Efekta is a member of EF (Education First), one of the world's largest private educational institutions.