ICCA, the International Congress and Convention Association, announced new educational initiatives at their Imex press conference, including ICCA Masterclasses, the ICCAUni partnership with colleges and universities, and expanded ICCASkills certification programmes.
The new ICCA Masterclasses cover Association Impacts, AI-Empowered Event Professionals, and Regenerative Event Management. The Association Impacts Masterclass, co-created with #Meet4Impact and GainingEdge, aims to enhance societal contributions and boost global and local influence. The AI-Empowered Event Professionals Masterclass, developed with Gevme and Dahlia+Agency, focuses on efficiency, engagement, and AI integration. The Regenerative Event Management Masterclass equips professionals to host eco-friendly and regenerative events.
ICCAUni focuses on collaboration between academia and the events industry, cultivating new talent and engaging colleges and universities. It is built on Data Sharing, Mentorship and Education, and Networking and Collaboration. ICCAUni provides scholarships for students to attend the ICCA Congress, offering registration, travel, accommodation, and access to ICCA’s resources and post-Congress mentorship.
ICCA has also enhanced ICCASkills certification programmes, making online classes self-paced for global accessibility and expanding in-person classes with new hubs in Beijing and Luxembourg. An executive-level class will be offered in New Zealand this September, supported by Tourism New Zealand, with scholarships for local learners.