Welcome to ICEF
We are the global market leaders in business-to-business networking events and services for the international education sector.
Through our unrivalled global programme of online and in-person networking events, support for education agents and market intelligence services, we facilitate outstanding international student experiences.
About us
For over 30 years, we have been bringing together education institutions, carefully chosen student recruitment agents and providers of other services for the international education industry with the simple aim of improving international student mobility.
Why work with ICEF?
In a world with tightening budgets, higher education institutions are coming under growing pressure to get the most out of their marketing budgets as they seek to meet ambitious student recruitment targets. Why then do so many universities and colleges put ICEF at the core of their student recruitment strategies? Learn more here.
Upcoming Events
To find out more about our upcoming events for international education professionals from around the world, click on the links below.
ICEF Berlin
October 31 - November 03, 2021
Berlin, Germany
GLOBAL EVENT
ICEF Berlin, the international education industry’s largest and most comprehensive global networking event, returns in 2021 for its 27th edition.
At our flagship global networking event, you can build your own personalised programme of over 38 in-person and 116 virtual one-on-one meetings with existing and potential partners.
Register for the event
ICEF Virtual Miami
December 14 - 16, 2021
ONLINE
DESTINATION EVENT
ICEF Miami returns virtually in 2021 as a networking event enabling education providers to meet with over 300 ICEF-screened education agents focused on sending students to the Americas.
This event allows participants to schedule over 70 one-to-one video meetings with existing and potential partners of interest.
Register for the event
ICEF Virtual Secondary Education
February 22 - 24, 2022
ONLINE
GLOBAL EVENT
ICEF Virtual Secondary Education provides a dedicated networking opportunity for international providers of secondary, boarding, high school, foundation, and junior education programmes.
In 2022, this event returns for its 3rd edition to connect international secondary schools with the largest gathering of ICEF-screened secondary education focused agents anywhere in the world.
Register for the event
ICEF ANZA
March 09 - 11, 2022
Adelaide, Australia
DESTINATION EVENT
The 15th annual ICEF Australia New Zealand (ANZA) gives you the opportunity to meet the top international student recruitment agents from around the world who have a focus on Australia and New Zealand, as well as leading educators and service providers from this exciting and vibrant study destination.
Register for the event
ICEF Eurasia
March 20 - 22, 2022
Kyiv, Ukraine
ORIGIN EVENT
ICEF Eurasia gives international educators and service providers the opportunity to meet top-quality student recruitment agents from all over Central Europe, Turkey, and the Caucasus at one focused event, enabling them to effectively intensify their marketing & recruitment efforts in these important student markets.
Register for the event
ICEF Central Asia
March 31 - April 01, 2022
Almaty, Kazakhstan
ORIGIN EVENT
ICEF Central Asia gives international educators and service providers the opportunity to meet top-quality student recruitment agents from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Northern China, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan at one focused event.
In 2022, ICEF Central Asia will be a hybrid event held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, as well as welcoming participants simultaneously online.
Register for the event
ICEF Spanish Education
April 19 - 21, 2022
Seville, Spain
DESTINATION EVENT
With more than 470 million native speakers, Spanish is the second largest mother tongue spoken in the world. It is also the third most studied language after English and French.
The inaugural edition of ICEF Spanish Education provides a unique opportunity for Spanish education providers promoting study programmes taught in Spanish to network with ICEF-screened, quality student recruitment agents from around the world.
Register for the event
ICEF Toronto
May 13 - 15, 2022
Toronto, Canada
DESTINATION EVENT
ICEF returns to Toronto in 2022 to give education providers from across the Americas the world’s best opportunity to meet student recruitment agents from around the world actively looking to send students to this leading study destination. Attended by the world’s best education agents focused on the Americas and organised by the industry leader in educator-agent networking events, ICEF Toronto is the must-attend international education networking event in Canada.
Register for the event
ICEF French Education
May 17 - 18, 2022
Montréal, Canada
DESTINATION EVENT
The 2nd edition of ICEF French Education takes place in Montréal and provides a unique opportunity for francophone education providers promoting study programmes taught in French to network with screened, quality student recruitment agents from around the world.
Register for the eventMarket Intelligence
ICEF Monitor is the leading source of market intelligence for the international student recruitment industry. Read about the latest issues affecting the sector and learn about emerging trends with ICEF Monitor.
Australian conference highlights new thinking about international education
The 2021 Australian International Education Conference (AIEC) hosted more than 1,200 delegates last week and featured more than 70 sessions focused on the global international education marketplace and how it has changed because of COVID. Many of the sessions also looked at the challenges and opportunities for Australian educators specifically. A prevalent theme at theContinue reading…
Australia: Border reopening begins alongside expanded vaccine approvals
Vaccination rates are going up in Australia, and as they do, the government is preparing to reopen the country’s borders more fully for its citizens and permanent residents, and shortly after, international students. The transition will occur once the country has reached a national vaccination rate of 80% of the eligible population over the ageContinue reading…
Vaccines and border openings beginning to drive some recovery in global tourism
The latest update from the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) finds that global tourism is on the rise this year, albeit with travel patterns very mixed from region to region and still far below 2019 levels. The UNWTO estimates that 54 million tourists crossed international borders in July 2021. This is down by two-thirds (67%)Continue reading…
Mystery shopping study highlights “lost opportunity” for enquiry conversion
A new mystery shopping study offers some important findings for recruitment marketers with respect to managing and converting enquiries from prospective students. Conducted earlier this year by UniQuest and industry consultancy Edified, the study saw mystery shoppers place enquiries with 54 UK universities (which represents about 40% of all higher education institutions in the country).Continue reading…
Global education outlook anticipates major growth but also downward pressure on post-secondary fees
A recent Global Education Executive Briefing from market intelligence platform HolonIQ forecasts dramatic growth in worldwide demand for education, but with downward pressure on student fees, a greater role for technology, and an expanded footprint for microcredentials and alternate qualifications. Speaking at the August 2021, briefing, HolonIQ Co-CEO Patrick Brothers outlined projections for nearly aContinue reading…
The growing application of virtual reality in international student recruitment
Offering international student prospects a virtual reality (VR) experience once seemed out of reach for most schools and universities. Not anymore. Thanks to new, lower-priced VR devices, the tantalising idea of offering prospective students a headset with which to enter a 3D world linked to your institution has entered the realm of the possible. StudentsContinue reading…
IELTS to launch new online test in early 2022
Students around the world will soon have the ability to take IELTS Academic, a leading test of English for international higher education, from the comfort of their homes or another suitable location. IELTS Online will launch early in 2022. It will have the same content and format as the current pen-and-paper and computer-delivered IELTS tests,Continue reading…
Australia approves student return pilot for New South Wales
The governments of Australia and New South Wales have approved a second major student return pilot that will see up to 250 foreign students per fortnight returning to New South Wales to continue their studies. The pilot is expected to welcome its first students in December 2021, and will operate within these important parameters: ItContinue reading…
UK will introduce new international travel rules beginning in October 2021
The UK is moving to a new international border protocol in terms of which travellers – from which countries – will be permitted entry under specific conditions, including the type of vaccine they have received. The current (and contentious) “traffic light” system of green/amber/red countries (i.e., where “green” has meant the fewest border restrictions/rules, “amber”Continue reading…
Brazilian outbound recovery projected for 2022
Brazil is the largest student market in Latin America and has been an important growth driver of student mobility over the past decade. The most popular destinations for Brazilian students are Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia, and those preferences have been fairly stable in the years leading up to theContinue reading…
Stand out with ICEF
ICEF Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality with ICEF empowers education and accommodation providers to tell uniquely engaging stories, access new audiences, and grow international student recruitment. Learn how to leverage this immersive technology to connect with students around the world and tell powerful stories about your institution.
Training for education agents
International student recruitment agencies play a vital role in international education, connecting education institutions with students around the world. We offer high-quality professional development to keep education agencies informed about immigration requirements, course entry standards, and student support expectations around the world.
