A total of 133,452 foreign students went to Spain to learn Spanish in 2023, which represents an increase of 33% compared to the previous year, according to the annual report of the Federación Española de Asociaciones de Escuelas de Español para extranjeros that was presented today in ICEX.

Elisa Carbonell, CEO of ICEX, highlighted the bank's support for the sector due to its significant "impact" on the Spanish economy, generating wealth of more than 400 million euros. In this context, he underlined the current prosperous moment that this industry is going through, with a remarkable recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.

ICEX Spain Export and Investment has hosted the annual presentation of the sector report of the Spanish Federation of Spanish Schools for Foreigners (FEDELE), in an event that has brought together leaders and experts from the educational sector in Spain . The day has become a session of analysis of the previous year and reflection on the future of the sector.

The opening was carried out by the CEO of ICEX, Elisa Carbonell, who highlighted ICEX's firm support for the Spanish school sector due to its significant “impact” on the Spanish economy, generating wealth of more than 400 million of euros. In this context, she highlighted the current prosperous moment that this industry is going through, with a notable recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, evidenced by a 33% increase in the number of foreign students in Spain.

To conclude, Carbonell mentioned that ICEX will take note of the data presented in the FEDELE Report to “fine-tune and adjust its support mechanisms,” thus continuing to promote this sector with high impact on the national economy.

The agenda of the event has been divided into two blocks. The first has been dedicated to the analysis of the year 2023, with emphasis on the results, growth rates and economic sustainability of the sector. The discussion table was made up of the director of Industrial Technology and Professional Services of ICEX, Pablo Conde; the president of FEDELE, Begoña Llovet; the head of the Accredited Centers Unit of the Cervantes Institute, Nuria Vaquero, and Area Head - Brand of TURESPAÑA, Isabel López, who shared their perspectives and experiences.

As for the second block, it has focused on the challenges facing the sector in the coming years, from artificial intelligence to changes in the student profile and the internationalization of the service. Guillermo Escribano, general director of Spanish in the World; Amaya Núñez, head of ELE Spain and the Cervantes Institutes of Editorial Diversión, and, again, Begoña Llovet of FEDELE participated in this debate table, in which innovative solutions and strategies to adapt to a constantly changing environment were explored.

The meeting, marked by its collaborative spirit and its focus on innovation and academic excellence, has laid the foundations for future initiatives and projects that promote the growth and quality of the educational sector in the country.