In today’s fast developing exhibition business, top managers stand out through sound strategic thinking and well-developed professional expertise. Being aware of these challenges, IFES offers a certification program for the exhibition and event service industry.

The program is named “IFES Certified Expert (ICE)” and provides professionals with an educational program, which stands for state-of-the-art knowledge and a network dedicated to helping them facing new challenges and acquire new business on a global basis.

The target groups are managers, skilled work forces and project managers of stand building and event service companies. Three years of experience in the industry is recommended before attending. The education program will help attendees to improve their professional qualifications.

IFES partners with the Cooperative State University in Ravensburg, Germany, to train exhibition industry’s professionals to meet tomorrow’s event management demands. The trainers and lecturers being responsible for the ICE program are international experts from the industry and from universities.

The total program includes 130 teaching hours. The participants should compose their own program of minimum 100 hrs., corresponding to their own specific interests and needs. The whole program contains four modules. The participants will personally meet during the first session, which lasts five days. They have the opportunity to get to know each other and to establish networking groups.

Three additional modules are embedded in an e-learning program, which keeps going for approx. four months. Additionally, the participants work together in joint projects.

The Modules

The face-to-face module 1 is dedicated to an introduction into the ICE program. The attendees learn how to run international projects, are taught how to sell their products and services and get to know the differences of stand building in various countries.

The core element of the e-learning sessions is an internet platform where all documents of the program are lodged. There is also the opportunity for collaboration of the students. The documents can be downloaded on the participant’s tablets or other devices. This way, the participants are flexible when and where to study their material.

The structure of the following three modules includes three different sections each: one segment consists of subjects related to general management; another segment has a focus on exhibition management; the third segment concerns subjects directly related to the stand building and exhibition service industry.

For the first time the ICE program starts end of November/beginning of December 2017 in the Frankfurt area (Germany). Graduation Party will take place during IFES World Summit 2018.

For more information on the IFES ICE, visit www.ifesnet.org or contact Isabel Besemer, Project Manager, IFES, at [email protected].