How industry leaders are confronting today’s biggest challenges—and reshaping the future of international education.

The headline panel at EdSummit Madrid, “The Future of the International Education Sector,” brought together six influential voices from across the industry for an unfiltered discussion on the threats, opportunities, and best practices shaping the sector today.

To kick off the conversation, each panelist was asked to introduce themselves—not just with titles and job roles, but with the idea, challenge, or trend that’s been keeping them up at night.

The answers were as varied as they were revealing: from rising student expectations, to shrinking lead times, pricing pressure, and the delicate balance of trust in B2B partnerships. This kicked off a conversation that was grounded in practical insight and shared challenges, framed by a clear sense of purpose and possibility.

1. Evolving Student Expectations

One theme came through loud and clear: the student journey is changing—and fast.

Today’s students are demanding more value, faster communication, and more personalised support than ever before. Meeting those expectations isn’t just about better service—it’s about transforming how institutions operate.

“We have students sending WhatsApp messages at midnight and expecting replies,” said Shoko Doherty, CEO of Celtic English Academy and Chair of English UK. “We used to get enquiries a year in advance. Now it’s two weeks before. That changes how we plan everything—accommodation, staffing, resources.”

From the agency side, the story was the same.

“There’s no patience anymore,” said Pablo Martínez de Velasco, President of ASEPROCE and CEO of Ad Astra. “They want everything instantly. And they want the perfect result.”

Agencies and educators alike are feeling the pressure—but are responding with investment in training, tools, and new delivery models.

2. Trust, Pricing, and the Pressure on Quality

Trust emerged as a central pillar—particularly in B2B relationships between agencies, schools, and providers.

Rafa Rivas, Global Sales Manager at InterWay, highlighted the importance of long-term thinking:

“Sometimes we won’t make the profit we want—but we do it because tomorrow you [our partner] will help us. That’s trust.”

John DeFranco, CEO of ILAC Education Group, explained that this principle has been foundational to ILAC’s success:

“We’ve been an agency-first school for 30 years. That’s how we grew from one student to over 10,000.”

But with trust comes tension—especially around pricing. With tighter margins, growing competition, and rising costs, several panellists voiced concern about price erosion and market saturation.

“The war of prices is crazy,” said Rafa. “Every year you find lower prices—it doesn’t matter the program. This is going crazy.”

David Ganly, CEO of Future Learning, pointed to a major quality concern with the role of ‘rogue players’ in the market:

“In Ireland, over 40,000 students are coming into unregulated schools. It’s a problem. We have schools without standards taking market share—and that’s dangerous.”

Even when discussing innovation in pricing models, the tone remained cautious.

“Dynamic pricing? It sounds interesting,” said Shoko, “but I don’t want to create further price war. That’s not helpful for anybody.”

The consensus: pricing innovation is needed, but it must preserve transparency, trust, and quality.

3. Partnerships in Flux

The conversation then turned to partnerships—how they’re changing, and what it takes to make them work in today’s landscape.

As digital marketing becomes more powerful and booking paths more complex, the panel questioned how traditional agency-educator relationships can and should evolve.

“Margins are shrinking, competition is growing, and some schools are going direct,” said Pablo. “So we need to rethink our models and decide: are we competitors, or are we partners?”

David brought it back to fundamentals:

“Partnerships can’t just be transactional. The best ones are when we solve problems together. That’s what builds loyalty.”

“The biggest issue is trust,” added Rafa. “Some schools say they value agents—but then they send a direct email to the student. That breaks the relationship.”

The message was clear: for partnerships to work, they need to be rooted in transparency, mutual support, and a shared commitment to shared goals and student outcomes.

4. Tech + AI: Efficiency with Empathy

Finally, the panel explored the role of technology—and especially AI—in transforming how the sector communicates, delivers, and supports students.

There was genuine excitement about the potential of automation to improve internal processes and communication.

“We’re already using AI to support teams across sales and operations,” said David. “It helps—but it has to be used well.”

But there was equal emphasis on knowing the limits.

“When a student is in hospital far from home, scared and alone—that’s not when you use automation,” said Nicoletta Pinto, Global Partnerships Strategist at GuardMe. “That’s when you need humanity.”

The group agreed that tech should enhance, not replace, the human element. And as AI becomes more prevalent, the industry’s challenge will be maintaining that balance.

Edvisor’s Perspective: The Power of Honest Dialogue

As moderator Jamie Gibbs, Commercial Director at Edvisor, closed the session, he reflected on the spirit of the discussion and what it represents:

“Tonight wasn’t about easy answers—it was about honest conversations. If we want to build a stronger industry, we have to speak openly about what’s working, what’s not, and where we go next. The partnerships that will thrive are the ones that are willing to have those conversations.”

From student support to pricing to partnerships, the panelists brought clarity, conviction, and nuance to the conversation—each offering a window into how their organisations are adapting in the face of change.