MADRID, BERLIN and ROME October 30 – November 9, 2019 - For the first time, Languages Canada (LC) was invited to attend the Spanish Association of Promoters of Language Courses Abroad’s (ASEPROCE) workshop, which took place in Madrid on October 30. Representatives from approximately 50 schools gathered, along with ASEPROCE members and other selected Spanish agencies, for a day of meetings. Together with the Embassy of Canada to Spain, LC presented Canada’s English and French program offering to a roomful of agents and European school representatives. Oscar Porras, ASEPROCE’s president, told StudyTravel Magazine, “I would say the market is still increasing, especially for Canada and secondary programs. Inquiries for these are [on the rise.]”
The LC team then moved on to Germany, a country which, similarly to Spain, saw an increase in the number of students attending LC member programs in 2018. Diego Sanchez – Manager, International Promotion and Marketing for LC, was invited to attend the annual meeting of the Association of German Language-Tour Operators (FDSV). Together with the Embassy of Canada to Germany, he presented to a group of over 40 German agents, focusing on the current trend of German students traveling abroad to attend ESL and FSL programs. Canada is a destination on the rise for both languages, and agents were eager to share that their students are interested in crossing the Atlantic to improve their English and French skills.
Next, during ICEF Berlin 2019, the world's largest agent networking event, LC teamed up with the Canadian Association of Public Schools – International (CAPS-I) and Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) to promote Canadian education.
The event kicked off on Saturday, November 2, with a reception co-hosted by the Embassy of Canada in Berlin and sponsored by Guard.me International Insurance, Canada Homestay Network, Paragon Testing, IDP Canada, ICEF, iCent, Flywire, Sidekick, Higher Education Marketing, PhoneBox, Bonard and ApplyBoard. Close to 250 LC members, international guests, and education agents attended the reception. LC, CAPS-I and ICEF, co-owners of the Canada Course for Education Agents, held a prize drawing, giving away 10 Canada Course examination fee waivers to participating agents. The giveaway coincided with the 970th Canada Course graduate.
Over the next few days, LC, CAPS-I, and CICan hosted a “Study in Canada” booth, meeting with agents from around the globe, including from targeted markets for upcoming LC marketing activities, such as the LC trade mission to Spain and France, which will take place in October 2020. LC, CICan and CAPS-I also delivered two presentations to a group of over 100 agents, titled “Make Canada the Destination of Choice for Your Students!” and “Canada’s Colleges and Institutes: An Education for Employment”.
LC was pleased to see close to 70 of its members represented at this year’s ICEF Berlin. On the overall success of Canada's involvement in this year’s ICEF Berlin Workshop, Diego Sanchez stated, ‘’Canada is the number one destination for agents from around the world, according to the ICEF Barometer. There is no question about Canada’s preferred position in this industry. From members to agents to competitors, everyone is talking about how well Canada portrays itself to international students’’.
The last stop on our European tour was Rome. LC was invited by IALCA, the association of Italian agents, to its first-ever IALCA Salone Delle Lingue. Along with representatives from the Embassy of Canada to Italy and the Quebec Office in Rome, LC attended the fair which welcomed close to 1,000 Italian students. A presentation was delivered to approximately 80 students interested in learning French and English in Canada. Traditionally sending students to the UK, Italy is beginning to see Canada as an attractive, high-quality education destination. LC’s booth with the Embassy of Canada received hundreds of visitors inquiring about the country’s education offering. LC will return to Europe in 2020, with a Trade Mission focused on Spanish, Italian and French agents, so the Salone Delle Lingue was the perfect opportunity to test the waters and set the stage for the year to come.
Participation in these European events was made possible with the support of the Embassy of Canada in Spain, the Embassy of Canada in Germany, the Embassy of Canada in Italy, the Quebec office in Italy, and Global Affairs Canada's CanExport - Associations program.
For further information on any of the activities described above, or the upcoming LC trade missions, please contact Diego Sanchez, Manager, International Promotion and Marketing: dsanchez@languagescanada.ca.
