The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and the European Society of Association Executives (ESAE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance collaboration within the global association meetings sector.
The MoU was formalized at IMEX 2025 in Frankfurt by ICCA CEO Dr. Senthil Gopinath and ESAE Managing Director Ioannis Pallas. This strategic agreement underscores both organizations’ commitment to nurturing emerging talent and contributing to each other’s research and development initiatives.
Through this partnership, ICCA will expand its existing student engagement programme, ICCAUni, by collaborating with ESAE to further connect with universities and aspiring professionals. A major pillar of the agreement involves increasing outreach to students and young professionals, aiming to raise awareness about careers in international association meetings.
As part of the collaboration, ICCA will engage institutions globally to bridge the gap between students and seasoned industry experts. ESAE, in turn, has expressed its commitment to supporting the initiative and will explore practical avenues for involvement, reinforcing the shared objective of fostering professional growth and strengthening the association ecosystem.
Dr. Gopinath emphasized that the partnership represents a significant step toward building a sustainable future for the industry, stating that both organizations are investing in the next generation while creating opportunities for mutual exchange of knowledge and research.
Mr. Pallas noted ESAE’s enthusiasm in renewing ties with ICCA, highlighting the value of collaboration, best practice sharing, and the role of associations in providing stability and innovation during uncertain times. He affirmed that this partnership would enhance ESAE’s ability to deliver cutting-edge insights on congresses and events to its members, ultimately raising operational standards across Europe’s association community
