ICEF and NAFSA have announced a strategic partnership to grow and diversify the international student population in the US by strengthening international enrolment management practices and expanding opportunities for high quality professional development.
The collaboration includes a special programmatic focus on effective utilisation of education agents during the NAFSA 2025 conference and a new ICEF agent networking event to support US colleges and universities seeking to partner with agents for the first time.
“We are delighted to announce this new strategic partnership with NAFSA,” said Markus Badde, CEO of ICEF.
“Our shared vision and commitment to improving industry standards while continuing to drive internationalisation will support the growth of the sector and, most importantly, provide better outcomes and opportunities for future international students.”
This development comes at a pivotal time for international education in the US. While there has been robust recovery in international student enrolments in the post-pandemic period, the projected 15% decline in the number of domestic college-age students beginning in 2025 poses a significant challenge to higher education institutions.
“This partnership represents NAFSA and ICEF’s shared commitment to growing and diversifying international student enrolment and reflects the importance of institutions’ strategic partnership with student recruitment agencies in achieving that outcome,” said Fanta Aw, executive director and CEO of NAFSA.
“These joint endeavours, combined with our organisations’ continued advocacy for welcoming policies and practices through the US for Success Coalition, will ensure that a larger and more geographically-diverse population of International students may bring their talents to US campuses, classrooms, and communities.”
Under the new partnership, both organisations will facilitate access to each other’s selected courses and offer benefits to their respective members and learners.
NAFSA members will receive preferential rates for ICEF Academy’s Working with Education Agents course, while those accessing NAFSA’s Essentials of International Credentials Evaluation course through ICEF Academy will enjoy similar benefits. Both courses are designed to help educators enhance their skills and knowledge in strategic international student recruitment.
The 2025 NAFSA conference being held in San Diego, California will feature a pre-conference workshop and a special programmatic focus on working with agents, created by the ICEF Academy and ICEF Monitor teams.
An inaugural agent networking event, ICEF USA will also take place following the NAFSA conference, facilitating one-to-one meetings between institutions and ICEF-accredited education agencies from over 90 countries.