ICEF Berlin came to a close on Tuesday, November 2, after four days and over 22,500 meetings. Through a hybrid delivery model, ICEF welcomed more than 1,600 participants, with close to half coming to Germany for in-person meetings. Languages Canada was present in Berlin, represented by Diego Sanchez, Manager, International Promotion and Marketing.
Diego was part of a panel, along with Stephan Roussounis and Jenny Nieveen, titled The ELT Sector from Today to 2030 and hosted by ICEF Monitor Editor Craig Riggs. In an amicable conversation, the panelists talked about challenges and opportunities for the Canadian, UK, and US markets. Luckily for Canada, 2022 is poised to be a record year for student numbers given the country’s positive image among international students.
During a later session, Diego delivered a presentation where he highlighted Canada’s current state of affairs: "Travel is back! Canada is open! Language schools are open!". Participating agents were also introduced to the Canada Course for Education Agents, a professional development tool for agents looking to specialize in Canada as a study destination. The Canada Course is offered by ICEF, Languages Canada, and the Canadian Association of Public Schools International (CAPS-I). The CCEA boasts nearly 1,700 graduates from 97 different countries since its launch.
At LC, we were pleased to see a high level of participation by Canadian institutions at ICEF Berlin! Despite being a predominately European event, this year’s workshop saw close to 20% of educators coming from Canada – or from international chains with a school presence in Canada. Participating Languages Canada members represented not only English and French programs, but also K12 and post-secondary programs from across the country.
The feedback we received from agents throughout the event points to a strong upswing in student numbers for Canadian language and other post-secondary programs. With its welcoming message, clear health and safety rules, and openness to the world, Canada currently ranks as the preferred study destination for international students from many countries.
