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2008 ICEF BERLIN WORKSHOP

Sold Out Months In Advance, ICEF Berlin Sets New Record

"ICEF continues to set the standard for global networking. The organisation and magnitude of the Berlin Workshop is unequalled, as is the effectiveness and quality of relationships forged here."

— Richard Brande, South Kent School, Connecticut, USA

"Miss one year and you miss a lot!"

— Ann Fox, American Education and Travel Services, California, USA

For the seventh consecutive year, the ICEF Berlin Workshop again set an attendance record in 2008, confirming its position as the largest and most international agent workshop in the world and the global education marketplace's premiere networking event.

The 2008 Workshop was held at the InterContinental Berlin from November 2-4, and attracted 1,621 participants from 86 countries for a day-long programme of market intelligence seminars and two intense days of one-to-one business meetings.

Other key statistics from the 2008 Berlin Workshop:

  • Participants arranged 20,929 pre-scheduled meetings using the latest ICEF version of the eSchedule PRO online scheduling system.
  • Sixteen percent of agents were attending their first ICEF Workshop, ensuring a source of "newcomer agencies" who are well established in their respective markets and who offer promising new business contacts for participating educators.
  • 687 educators from 461 educational institutions came from 36 countries. The top five countries of origin were the United Kingdom (32%), Canada (11%), the United States (10%), Spain (7%), and Ireland (6%).
  • 825 agents from 568 agencies came from 79 countries. The top five countries of origin were Spain (12%), Germany (8%), Italy (8%), Russia (6%), and Turkey (5%).

Other than the sheer scale of the Workshop, participants have continued to note the diversity and quality of participating agents and educators. Jane Hume from White House Guardianships (UK) noted, "There were many agents from new countries as well as a good selection from around the world. There was a definite feeling of quality amongst the agents. I am sure we will be working with many of them in the near future." From the agents' perspective, Vera Arsenteva, from the Russian agency Intellectual, echoed the perspective of many agents when she observed that, "[ICEF Berlin] has the best list of providers of any other workshop."

As in previous years, this year's ICEF Berlin Workshop introduced a number of new features and innovative networking strategies, including:

  • A new FAM tour series, combined with a growing schedule of networking receptions and meetings. FAM tours were scheduled—both prior to and following the workshop—for Spain, Vienna, Belgium, France, Germany, and England. In addition, workshop participants had an expanded menu of networking receptions this year, including events organised by did deutsch-institut, GLS Sprachenzentrum Berlin, Tourism Ireland, International House, ILAC]-Thompson Rivers University, and Quality English.
  • A programme of 37 different market intelligence and professional development seminars, ranging from one-hour presentations to all-day, hands-on training sessions. With the internet playing an increasingly important role in international student recruitment, it is no surprise that sessions related to emarketing, search engine optimisation and online enrolment attracted large crowds. The 2008 edition of the School Owners Forum, featuring an international panel of school owners from Australia, Germany, Ireland and the USA, also received praise from attendees.
  • Improved table and venue signage as well as a redesigned, easier-to-use format for the workshop catalogue.

"The basic formula of the ICEF Workshop has remained consistent throughout the years," noted ICEF CEO Markus Badde. "However, our goal is to continue to improve each year. With the ongoing feedback that we collect from both educators and agents, we always find ways to innovate with new features and services to help ensure participants get the maximum value from each workshop."

The 2009 ICEF Berlin Workshop will take place from November 1 to 3 and will include a new Work & Travel Zone—a dedicated area within the workshop venue where agents and educators can meet sellers of work and travel, apprenticeship, internship, volunteer, au pair and gap-year programmes.

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