Hi everyone, and welcome back to another Schools & Agents Bulletin highlights. In our recent live broadcast we had the pleasure of speaking with Tony Lee, Chief Visionary Officer at ICEF, about the organisation’s latest developments in agency training and professional standards. Here are the key takeaways from this interesting discussion.

Addressing industry challenges 

Following the pandemic, ICEF redefined their mission to ‘raise professional standards’ across the international education sector. This vision emerged as the industry faced not only recovery challenges, but also the threat of government regulation that could disrupt the free marketplace. Tony emphasised the importance of self-regulation and professionalisation to distance reputable schools and agencies from those that are not, making professional standards more crucial than ever.

Introducing ICEF’s new initiatives 

This is where ICEF’s recent initiative comes in. The ICEF Agency Status (IAS) accreditation builds on their established verification process by conducting thorough background checks on agents and collecting references. Using blockchain technology, schools can easily verify an agency’s credentials, and annual re-verification ensures all information remains up to date. ICEF has also expanded its training offerings through ICEF Academy with numerous new courses, including Ethical Sales Training and the Train Your Agents platform.

Investment, not expense

When asked if these initiatives were simply a way for ICEF to generate additional revenue, Tony emphasised that the company subsidises these efforts for the sector’s long-term benefit. The monthly cost is kept affordable to make professional verification accessible while reducing administrative burdens for agencies, and is intended to be seen as a worthwhile investment rather than an expense. 

ICEF’s investment in raising professional standards reflects their commitment to maintaining an open and free marketplace in international education, filled with the right industry players. We look forward to finding out more about these initiatives from ICEF’s representatives in future live broadcasts, so stay tuned for further insights coming soon!

Written by Stephanie Clark