LONDON, U.K. — On Jan. 23, more than 500 of the most influential wine and spirits professionals gathered at the historic Guildhall, in London, England, to celebrate the annual Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Awards where 37 Canadians received the WSET Diploma.
The awards were hosted by WSET honorary president Gérard Basset and WSET chief executive Ian Harris. They presented 49 awards in recognition of the outstanding achievements of the candidates for the 2015/2016 academic year. Graduates and award winners came from countries including the U.K., the U.S., Japan and China, representing the global reach and relevance of WSET qualifications.
“The academic year 2015/2016 was WSET’s most successful to date, with a record 72,171 exams taken globally, an increase of 17 per cent on the previous year, marking 14 consecutive years of growth. Canada, in particular, saw strong growth, with candidate numbers up 15 per cent for the period”, says Harris. “In the dynamic and ever-changing world of wine and spirits, education is proving increasingly important, and through our qualifications and scholarships we are committed to nurturing talent to promote the future of the industry. We are so proud of all our graduates and scholarship winners and together hope to continue to inspire others towards deeper knowledge and achievement.”
The WSET Level 4 Diploma is WSET’s highest qualification — having only ever been awarded to 9,000 people worldwide — and is recognized globally as one of the most distinguished achievements in the sector.
A full list of graduates and award winners is available here