AIRC 18th Annual Conference: Strategic IEM Approaches for a New Era

Join your colleagues at AIRC's 18th Annual Conference, held at the Omni Dallas Hotel in Dallas, Texas, from December 1-4, 2026. The AIRC Annual Conference brings together 400+ professionals to discuss best practices and strategies in international enrollment management. The 4-day conference features 35+ breakout sessions, engaging plenaries, community meet-ups, exhibit hall networking hours, and social activities.

The 2026 conference theme, “Strategic IEM Approaches for a New Era,” emphasizes the necessity of forward-thinking leadership within a rapidly transforming international education landscape. The realities of this new era require stakeholders to unify and co-create innovative solutions, leveraging new tools, models, and ways of thinking to ensure a sustainable and purposeful future for international enrollment management.

Sub-themes at this year's conference will include:

1. The New Global Map: Shifting Demand and Student Flows
2. Resilience in the face of Geopolitical Volatility & Policy Shifts 
3. Optimizing the Pipeline: Data, AI, and CRM 
4. Strategic Partnerships and Alternative Mobility Models
5. Integrating IEM Strategy Across the Student Journey

Top Reasons to Attend

• Improve your international student recruitment strategies
• Build stronger and more diverse global partnerships
• Access exclusive in-person professional development opportunities
• Ensure compliance with AIRC's Standards and best practices
• Learn from top experts on the latest trends and insights in international enrollment management

Conference Prices (USD) | Early Bird Deadline October 2, 2026

Member pricing for conference registration is unchanged from 2025!

AIRC Applicant Agency Phase 2

• Early Bird - $700.00
• Regular - $775.00

AIRC Certified Agency 

• Early Bird - $700.00
• Regular - $775.00

AIRC Individual Member 

• Early Bird - $775.00
• Regular - $850.00

AIRC Institutional Member

• Early Bird - $775.00
• Regular - $850.00

AIRC Service Provider Member

• Early Bird - $775.00
• Regular - $850.00

Non-Member Institution 

• Early Bird - $1,125.00
• Regular - $1,200.00

Non-Member Sponsor 

• Early Bird - $1,125.00
• Regular - $1,200.00

Secondary Schools

New this year, we are pleased to offer a 2-day conference package for secondary schools. Registration fees cover all sessions, plenaries, and social activities on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

AIRC Secondary School Member 2-Day Package

• Regular - $475.00

Non-Member Secondary School 2-Day Package

• Regular - $625.00

Who is Eligible to Attend

Representatives of AIRC Member Organizations, including:

• Accredited Institutions
• AIRC Certified Agencies
• Service Provider Affiliates
• Individual Members
• AIRC Approved Stage 2 Applicants for Certification
• AIRC Strategic Partner organizations

Representatives of Organizations that are not Members of AIRC are eligible if they are:

• Representatives of accredited US higher education or secondary school institutions
• Representatives of non-US educational institutions that are recognized by an accreditation authority in the home country
• Representatives of non-profit or governmental organizations that support international education

Other Organizations

• Representatives from companies and for-profit organizations in a category other than those listed above must become an AIRC 2026 Annual Conference sponsor in order to present at and attend the AIRC Conference. Contact memberservices@airc-education.org for more information.
• Non-AIRC Certified agencies, including any entity or individual, that receives incentive-based commission for the recruitment, placement, or referral of international students are not eligibleto sponsor or attend the AIRC conference. Please contact Emma Sletteland at Certification@airc-education.org for more information.

AIRC Connect B2B Networking Event

NEW! AIRC Connect is a dedicated B2B networking event taking place on Tuesday, December 1 from 2:00-6:00 pm in the Exhibit Hall. The 4-hour event will allow conference attendees to pre-schedule meetings with current and prospective partners during this dedicated time. AIRC Connect is included for full conference exhibitors, or can be purchased individually. Exhibitors who purchase the stand-alone AIRC Connect table will only have access to an exhibit table during the 4-hour event on December 1. More details can be found in the exhibitor and sponsorship brochure below.

Hotel

The Conference hotel is the Omni Dallas Hotel.  Book your hotel room here.  Discounted room rate ends November 11, 2026. 

AIRC Conference attendees booking their room at the Omni Dallas Hotel will receive a welcome gift and be entered into a drawing to win one of 3 prizes! Grand Prize: Free Registration for the AIRC 2027 Conference in Bellevue and 3 nights free hotel; or one of two free 2027 Conference Registration prizes.

Travel

The Omni Dallas Hotel is located near DFW Airport. We encourage attendees to book travel early to take advantage of airfare savings. If you are traveling from overseas and require a visa letter, please download this document.

Don’t forget to check out the weather and learn more about visiting Dallas before you depart!

Sponsorship Opportunities

If your institution or organization is interested in gaining visibility among conference attendees, consider adding an exhibit table or sponsorship item while registering for the event. View the exhibitor and sponsorship brochure here.

Attendee Networking

Starting in November, AIRC will share a weekly list of conference attendees on the conference website. We encourage participants to begin their networking before they arrive in Dallas, which can easily be done through the conference mobile app. Be sure to check the conference website frequently as updates are made over the next several months.

Attendee Cancellation Policy

Cancellation notices must be received in writing via email: staff@airc-education.org.  All refunds are granted at the discretion of AIRC. From May 18, 2026 to October 2, 2026, a 50% refund may be granted at the discretion of AIRC. Please note, refunds are not guaranteed. From October 3, 2026, no refunds will be made.  Pre-conference workshops are non-refundable.

Attendee Conference Registration Credit and Registration Transfer Policy

In lieu of a cancellation, you may request a registration credit or transfer to a colleague.  Conference registration credit requests must be received in writing via email: staff@airc-education.org by November 27, 2026. Conference registration credit is good for one calendar year, can only be used towards the 2027 conference registration fee, and the credit will only be in the amount of the 2026 conference fee.  Registration transfer requests must be received in writing via email: staff@airc-education.org by November 27, 2026.  A registration transfer can only be made one time to a member within the same organization.