Old friends and new skills at #EAIE2023

The 2023 EAIE Conference and Exhibition is here! As of today, the largest ever EAIE Conference is officially underway with well over 6000 international higher education professionals gathering in Rotterdam. The 33rd Annual Conference kicked off with a busy day of ‘Connecting currents’: reuniting with old friends, welcoming newcomers to the field and to the Conference, and above all honing our internationalisation skills.

Day one of the 2023 Conference was a busy one full of happy reunions, introductions for newcomers, and intensive skill-building in expert-led workshops.

Some participants spent the day learning about the Dutch higher education sector in sessions and Campus Experiences, and first-time participants received a warm formal welcome in the session 'Maximise your conference experience and discover the world of EAIE' to start the day.

For many in our community, it was the first time reuniting with groups of dear friends and colleagues since last year’s EAIE Conference, and excitement was in the air at the Opening Reception.

One of the highlights of day one of the Annual EAIE Conference is always the chance to learn from internationalisation experts and sharpen your skills. This is best exemplified by today’s Conference workshops. On topics ranging from content marketing, to strategic internationalisation planning, to blended mobility, expert trainers from around the world offered nine full-day and half-day interactive workshops designed to help professionals build the skills they need to internationalise their institutions.

Mariam El Aichaoui, a participant from Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Morocco, attended the sold out workshop on 'Developing a strategic internationalisation plan: first steps to success'. "The workshop was very energetic and interactive, and it showed me the specific steps I need to take in my institution," she said. "It was so interesting to see how we all share the same challenges."

The Conference workshops are consistently highly rated on participant evaluations and tend to sell out fast, so be sure to secure your spot quick when registration opens for EAIE Toulouse in 2024!

'The workshop was very energetic and interactive, and it showed me the specific steps I need to take in my institution.' – Mariam El Aichaoui, workshop participant

The week is only just getting started. If today’s sessions and workshops left you feeling energised and you’re looking to add more skills to your internationalisation repertoire – or if you missed out on the workshops this year – it’s not too late to sign up for the upcoming EAIE Academy courses this fall!

In addition to all the wonderful networking opportunities and warm interaction with our international higher education community, the world-class workshops and skill-building activities are an important part of what makes the Annual EAIE Conference and Exhibition an event like no other.

What new skills did you gain today? Share your Conference experiences on social media with the hashtag #EAIE2023!