International & Private Schools Education Forum

What International & Private Schools Education Forum does

International & Private Schools Education Forum (IPSEF) is a privately organized conference and forum series founded in 2009 in London by Mark Roelofsen and Rhona Greenhill. The company operates a portfolio of regional events — IPSEF Global London, IPSEF Asia, and IPSEF Middle East — that convene school operators, investors, legal advisors, consultancies, and government trade bodies active in the international and private schools sector. The platform is structured around three primary revenue streams: delegate ticketing, tiered sponsorship packages (Platinum, Knowledge Partner, and supporting tiers), and exhibitor fees, with named partners including Dentons, L.E.K. Consulting, Clyde & Co, the UK Department for Business & Trade, COBIS, RAKEZ, and Al Tamimi & Company.

The business is operated by a small core team of 1-10 employees, supplemented by specialist roles such as Programme Manager (Helen Freeman) and Social Media Manager (Danielle Donaldson). IPSEF publishes a Content Library that extends engagement beyond live events, and reports high delegate satisfaction (79%) with 95% of attendees rating networking as useful. There is no disclosed technology platform beyond event logistics, ticketing, and content distribution; the offering is fundamentally a live and editorial media business rather than a software product. Geographic footprint currently spans the UK with regional extensions into Asia and the Middle East, and government endorsement provides institutional credibility in markets where school licensing and education exports are politically sensitive.

Name

International & Private Schools Education Forum

Legal name

International & Private Schools Education Forum

Website

https://ipsef.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IPSEF is a London-founded conference and forum operator (since 2009) running regional events — Global London, Asia, and Middle East — that convene investors, operators, law firms, and government trade bodies active in the international and private schools sector.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Conference Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Academic & Education Conference Organizers (THAHACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG), Virtual Recruitment Events, Fairs & Webinar Platforms (EDAIACAF)

Keywords

• International education conferences
• School expansion forums
• Education investor events
• Private school networking
• Education sector conferences

Headquarters

HQ city

Herne Bay

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Conference Ticket Sales: IPSEF generates revenue through selling tickets to their annual conferences including IPSEF Global London, IPSEF Asia, and IPSEF Middle East events. The conferences feature speakers, panel discussions, networking sessions, and exhibitions.
2. Sponsorship Packages: The organization offers a wide range of sponsorship options ranging from table tops and branding packages to high-level partnerships with speaking opportunities. Sponsors include platinum, gold, silver, and bronze tiers.
3. Exhibitor Fees: Companies can purchase exhibition space at IPSEF events to showcase their products and services to the international education sector.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IPSEF organizes and hosts in-person conferences for the international education sector, including IPSEF Global (London), IPSEF Asia, and IPSEF Middle East. The forums bring together UK independent schools, international school operators, investors, law firms, consultants, architects, and education service providers to discuss the establishment and operation of fee-paying schools outside the UK. Revenue is generated through paid conference tickets, tiered sponsorship packages, and exhibitor fees.

Product overview

IPSEF is a conference and event organization that serves as a platform for international education stakeholders. The core offering consists of regional conferences: IPSEF Global (annual London event), IPSEF Asia (Asian regional events), and IPSEF Middle East (Middle Eastern regional events). These conferences bring together school leaders, investors, law firms, architects, recruiters, and solution providers to discuss market opportunities, M&A, and best practices for establishing fee-paying schools overseas. Supporting services include a knowledge bank with industry articles and a mailing list for sector updates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IPSEF Global Conference (London) Flagship annual one-day intensive conference held in London, bringing together senior decision-makers, investors, operators, and solution providers in international education, with panels on M&A, regional markets (Middle East, Asia, India, USA), and structured networking.
• IPSEF Asia Events Regional conferences held across Asia (previously Kuala Lumpur and Shanghai) covering Asian international education opportunities, including school visits, market presentations, and connections with Chinese, overseas, international, and bilingual schools.
• IPSEF Middle East Events Regional conferences held in the Middle East (previously Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah) focusing on opportunities in GCC countries, regulatory frameworks such as KHDA, and school development in the region.

Quantifiable outcome

• 79% of delegates satisfied or very satisfied with IPSEF events
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered platinum, knowledge partner, supported by, supporting partner, media partner, strategic partner and gold sponsor.

• DentonsplatinumStrategic or Co-development PartnerDentons serves as Platinum Partner for IPSEF Global events, providing expert legal guidance on international school expansion including contractual provisions, termination rights, liability allocation, and development obligations for UK schools and their international operating partners.
• L.E.K. Consultingknowledge partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerL.E.K. Consulting serves as Knowledge Partner, presenting market data on international education trends, growth projections across different markets, and strategic insights for school expansion decisions.
• Clyde & Coknowledge partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerClyde & Co serves as Knowledge Partner, providing key insights on regulatory frameworks, market conditions, and legal considerations across global markets including Middle East, Asia, and emerging regions.
• Department for Business & Tradesupported byGTM or Marketing PartnerThe UK Government's Department for Business & Trade supports IPSEF as a platform for promoting UK education exports and facilitating connections between British schools and international markets.
• UK Middle East Education Summitsupporting partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with UK Middle East Education Summit to extend reach to education stakeholders in the Gulf region.
• Mint Communicationssupporting partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerPR and communications partner supporting IPSEF event promotion and media relations.
• Edarabiamedia partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerEdarabia serves as Media Partner, providing promotional support and extending IPSEF's reach to its audience of education professionals in the Middle East and globally.
• International Teacher Magazinemedia partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner providing coverage and promotional support for IPSEF events to the international teaching community.
• The Piemedia partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner covering international education news, extending IPSEF's visibility in the education media landscape.
• Think Global Peoplemedia partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner focused on global education and relocation topics, providing promotional support for IPSEF events.
• Council of British International Schools (COBIS)supported byGTM or Marketing PartnerCOBIS supports IPSEF as an organization representing British international schools, providing endorsement and promotional support.
• Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ)strategic partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerRAKEZ partnered with IPSEF Middle East events, particularly in 2019 when IPSEF was held in Ras Al Khaimah, facilitating connections between schools and the economic zone.
• Al Tamimi & Companygold sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAl Tamimi & Company, a major law firm in the Middle East, serves as a sponsor for IPSEF events, providing legal expertise and market insights on the Saudi Arabian and regional markets.
• School Management Plusmedia partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerSchool Management Plus serves as a media partner for IPSEF, reaching school management professionals in the international education sector.
• International Schools Todaymedia partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational Schools Today serves as a media partner, providing coverage of IPSEF events and extending reach to the international schools community.
• Class Futuresmedia partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerClass Futures serves as a media partner, covering IPSEF news and events through its platform tracking international education developments.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• ECIS (Educational Collaborative for International Schools): Membership organization for international schools that convenes annual conferences and professional development events for international school leaders and educators — overlapping audience and event-driven GTM with IPSEF.
• Council of International Schools (CIS): Global membership association for international schools that runs its own annual leadership conferences, workshops, and accreditation events for international school operators — directly comparable to IPSEF's audience and event model.
• Council of British International Schools (COBIS): UK-based membership association for British international schools that is also an IPSEF supporting partner; runs its own annual conference and CEO conference — the most direct audience-overlap peer in the British international schools ecosystem.
• EducationInvestor Global: Conference and media platform focused on investment in education, including international schools — overlaps with IPSEF's investor and operator audience but emphasizes the deal-making angle.
• The PIE (Professionals in International Education): Media brand and event organizer for professionals working in international education, including awards and conferences — directly comparable audience targeting and event-driven revenue model.
• AAIE (Association for the Advancement of International Education): Runs leadership summits and workshops for international school heads and administrators — directly targets the same 'school leaders and directors of international operations' audience that IPSEF serves.
• Going Global Conference (British Council): British Council-organized annual international education conference bringing together educators, recruiters, and policymakers — the closest publicly-backed peer to IPSEF's UK-rooted international education positioning.

Regional players

• CEESA (Central and Eastern European Schools Association): Operates annual conferences and professional learning events for international school leaders across Central and Eastern Europe — comparable conference business model with a more constrained geographic footprint than IPSEF.
• GESS (Global Educational Supplies & Solutions): Middle East-focused education trade exhibition and conference for K-12 suppliers and educators — comparable B2B conference/exhibition model concentrated in the Gulf region where IPSEF Middle East operated.

Broad incumbents

• Bett UK: Large-scale UK-based education technology exhibition and conference — operates in the broader education event space with significantly greater scale than IPSEF but less specialized in international school expansion.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IPSEF
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ipsef-global

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International & Private Schools Education Forum