Study Abroad Panel
About
Study Abroad sector within WYSE Travel Confederation represents a diverse range of youth travel programmes with a strong academic component and emphasis on participants’ learning. This includes abroad programmes like educational tours, experiential learning, language studies, secondary and tertiary education, skill-based and vocational training, volunteering, and other education-focused experiences.
The sector provides support to organisations producing and/or selling such programmes, and facilitates their success and growth through WYSE Travel Confederation Four Pillars:
- Trading: We offer a varied networking environment by expanding and diversifying our member base, creating benchmark industry events, and supporting customised trading connections
- Research: We provide our members with the data to guide strategic decisions, and we arm the sector with advocacy tools by driving focused research
- Education: We produce learning opportunities and foster best practices through delivering sector-relevant educational content at our events, webinars and peer-to-peer discussion platforms.
- Advocacy: We support and protect the sector through research-based PR campaigns. We help define sector’s future by involving our members in higher-level discussions about its development. We ensure sector’s wider outreach by representing it within the global players and industry thought leaders.
Trading: meet new business partners at our events

STAY WYSE Miami: Where the Hostel Industry meets
Date: 19 - 20 November 2019
Location: Faena Forum, Miami, USA
After four successful years in Amsterdam, where STAY WYSE Amsterdam has established itself as the place to meet new trading partners in the youth travel accommodation sector from buyers, to operators, investors and suppliers, STAY WYSE will now expand to the Americas. This second event, called STAY WYSE Miami, will bring together members of the youth travel accommodation sector from North and South America.

STAY WYSE Amsterdam: Where the Hostel Industry meets
Date: 30 - 31 January 2020
Location: Beurs van Berlage, Amsterdam, Netherlands
STAY WYSE Amsterdam brings together businesses involved in the youth travel accommodation sector for two days of trading, education and socialising. Now in its fourth year the Conference has rapidly established itself as the place to meet new trading partners; from buyers, to operators, investors and suppliers.

WYSTC Lisbon 2020
Date: 22 - 25 September 2020
Location: Lisbon Congress Center, Lisbon, Portugal
The World Youth and Student Travel Conference (WYSTC) is the leading trade event for the global youth, student and educational travel industry. Since its inception in 1992 as the annual event of WYSE Travel Confederation, youth and student travel professionals have been gathering annually to trade, network and take part in seminars and workshops.
Research: stay up to date on the latest trends
WYSE Travel Confederation undertakes a wide variety of research. Below you can find a sample of our accommodation reports which are free of charge to our members. For all our available reports please click here.
Education:
Developing lifetime destination advocates through study abroad: Study Auckland
Henry Matthews
Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED)
WYSTC 2019 Lisbon
What We Already Know and What We’re Finding Out about Study Abroad, Language Learning, and Career Opportunities
Amelia Dietrich, PhD
The Forum on Education Abroad
WYSE Travel Confederation webinars 2019
Experiential learning: Dissecting a trend in study abroad programmes
Moderator:
John Cedergardh
STS Education
Panellists:
Lauren Groves
GROUND Asia
Barry Rawlings
EDU Africa
Laura Rose
Greenheart International
WYSTC 2018 Edinburgh
Empowering young women through study abroad
Moderator:
Terri Hamilton
David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies, Brigham Young University
Speaker:
Michelle Lomeña
AIP Language Institute
WYSTC 2018 Edinburgh
Advocacy
San Diego Declaration
The San Diego Declaration provides the basis for WYSE Travel Confederation’s work with international organisations, governments, sector stakeholders and other NGOs in furthering the cause of global youth travel. The Declaration is a tool to highlight the economic, social and cultural importance of youth travel to governments worldwide.
The Sector Panellists

John Cedergardh
Chair
CEO
STS Education

Barry Rawlings
Managing Director
Edutours Africa

Andrew Procter
Director
African Impact
