Largest Ever Canada Workshop

May 7, 2012 - PRLog -- Over three days, participants attended industry-specific seminars, held over six thousand pre-scheduled business appointments, and developed personal relationships during breaks and meals, a reception, and a Friday evening party.

North American institutions are increasingly recognising and embracing the decisive role that educational agents play in growing and refining international student enrolment; among agents, interest in the strong and diverse North American education market remains at a continual high. These trends continue to fuel the growth of ICEF’s North America Workshop in Canada: with educator and agent numbers having increased by 10% and 7% respectively, ICEF North America – Montreal welcomed a record-breaking 630 participants from 64 countries, cementing this workshop’s position as ICEF’s largest event after those held in Berlin and Miami, and the largest of its kind in Canada.

Educators who attended the workshop met agents who had been specially selected for their professionalism, their proven interest in the North American educational market, and their diversity. In the words of Amanda Lu from Pattison High School in Canada, “the diversity of agents at ICEF Montreal was excellent – we got the chance to meet agents from all over the world!” Martha Acosta-Pieters from Edmonds Community College in the USA stressed the value that agents provide: “ICEF Workshops have been the cornerstone to our marketing efforts. I look forward to meeting professional agents that will produce results for us...the investment is worth it every time!”

Agents, on the other hand, were able to meet with educators who clearly see agents as valuable recruiting partners. With Canadians comprising two thirds of participating educational institutions, the workshop provided agents with an incomparably authentic, personal, and authoritative introduction to the breadth and depth of the Canadian educational market – an invaluable experience that was further reinforced by agent familiarisation tours held before and after the workshop. For Pascal Carre of Study Experience in France, the benefits of participation in the event were clear: “By coming to the ICEF workshop, I learned about the advantages of Canada as an educational destination: work permits for graduates, a multicultural, welcoming society, and educators who are prepared to develop new or joint programmes.”

In addition to high quality agents and educators, participants also benefited from a day of seminar presentations providing business advice, market intelligence, and invaluable word-of-mouth insights from industry veterans. “The seminars were relevant and informative,” commented John Twohig from Ladysmith International Student Programs, USA. The seminar programme also included the French language symposium sur le recrutement d’étudiants internationaux, led by experts in international student recruitment. This symposium, a first in the industry, allowed representatives from the Quebec government and public educational sector to learn about the history and purpose of agents in international student recruitment.

The importance of this event for the international education industry was underlined by the active participation of major industry-related governmental bodies and associations, including Citizenship and Immigration Canada, DFAIT, Languages Canada, CAPS-I, and CAIS.

Recognising the incalculable opportunities that informal and spontaneous networking can provide, participants were offered ample opportunities to socialise outside of formal appointments. On Friday night, workshop attendees were treated to a particularly memorable party at the Windsor Ballrooms, a glamorous venue overlooking Dorchester Square: the evening began with a mesmerising performance of a contortionist from Montreal's Circus School, followed by an explosively entertaining act by a dance troupe with a repertoire of lively pop-anthems. It was occasions like these that Dharmesh Shah from Good Wind Education and Career Consultancy Services in India found particularly valuable: “these evening entertainment events gave me a chance to meet participants whom I had been unable to schedule a meeting with.”

The next ICEF Workshop in Canada will be held in Toronto at the Westin Harbour Castle from May 09 – 11, 2013.

If you require further information please contact Korinne Algie or Will Ohm at communications@icef.com

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ICEF connects educators, education agents, work and travel professionals and industry service providers to key markets and networks worldwide, supporting the growth and development of international education and global student mobility.

ICEF has built a reputation for quality through ICEF Workshops, the industry`s premier educator/agent networking events; ICEF Online Workshop, the collaborative Internet platform linking educators, agents and service providers; and ICEF Agent Training, professional development for the international education sector.

ICEF Workshops - B2B events in all key markets, connecting international educators, agents and service providers as well as work and travel professionals

ICEF Monitor - a business development and market intelligence resource delivering news, research and commentary for international student recruitment

ICEF Agent Training Course (IATC) - a practical, professional training course for agency-based international student recruitment counsellors

ICEF Agency Recognition Programme - quality assurance recognising screened agencies successfully vetted to participate in ICEF Workshops

ICEF Education Fund - donations and support for selected causes that give young people around the world access to education

ICEF Marketing and Sponsorship - guaranteed exposure and branding to key decision makers in the international education and language travel markets

Internet Course Finders - websites enabling educators to promote their institutions to over 600.000 annual international student visitors