The must-attend student conferences in 2018
(To know about top student competitions in 2018, follow the link : https://medium.com/@pritishgupta_33963/top-competitions-every-student-needs-to-know-about-in-2018-e7d2b6c5dc8a)
As a college student, I had the privilege of being a part of the so-called ‘Global leaders’ community, one which attends multiple conferences across the globe, learns from the biggest leaders of our times, solves burning global issues, and yes parties together!
College students have often asked me on things they can do to improve their resume and make it better suited for business roles. My personal take on this subject has been to immerse yourself in opportunity which exposes you to latest development trends (believe me, world is advancing at much faster scale than you might think sitting in your campus), lets you socialize with innovators and thought leaders, opens new doors in the form of projects, internships etc. and makes you friends with people from across the globe, people who are going to become world leaders themselves. When it comes to achieving those target, I have found attending conferences is one of the better investments you can do as a college student.
Now, addressing the question that follows immediately after. Which ones are worth my time and effort? From having attended 3 such conferences myself and having talked to many friends who have cumulatively attended 150+ conferences, here is the list of top conferences for college students:
Note: Some of the conferences have yet to start their 2018 registrations, so you might see registration closed link from last year. And the cost mentioned includes all the costs related to attending the conference: travel, registration, visa costs etc.
Business Related
Business Today International Conference
Where?: New York, USA
When?: Usually November (2017: 19th-21st November)
Total cost (considering travel from India)?: Free (All expenses paid by Conference)
When to apply?: By mid-August
Min. days required for participation (Travel, conference days etc)?: 6 days
No. of delegates: 130
What past delegates loved about it: The most business-like organised conference. Organised by Business Today group, the conference features some of the biggest names in the industry: CEO of Coca Cola, Blackstone among others. Case studies organised by companies like EY help students engage with fellow delegates in a global work-like setting. It is usually organised at The Grand Hyatt Hotel which makes it all the more charming for students.
South American Business Forum (SABF)
Where?: Buenos Aires, Argentina
When?: Usually August (2017: 3rd-5th August)
Total cost (considering travel from India)?: INR ~1 Lakh (Conference fee is nil)
When to apply?: By mid-April
Min. days required for participation (Travel, conference days etc)?: 6 days
No. of delegates: 100
What past delegates loved about it: Two reasons: Highly immersive & chance to experience South America, which you might not get to do otherwise . With limited delegates, sessions are designed as such that you will end up making best friends with South American students (which constitute ~40% attendance). Conference generally falls around the time when academic pressure is less.
World Business Dialogue
Where?: Cologne, Germany
When?: March (5 days)
Total cost (considering travel from India)?: INR ~75 Thousand (Participation fee can be waived off if delegate participates in student projects)
When to apply?: By January (Applications for 2018 have closed)
Min. days required for participation (Travel, conference days etc)?: 6 days
No. of delegates: 300
What past delegates loved about it:
[Personal note: This is a great conference. Mentioning this conference even though the registrations for 2018 have already closed]
One of the foremost conference in Europe, WBD brings leaders from various companies and students together on one platform. Pre-conference events and sessions during the conference (esp. International Delegates’ Night) are planned to allow delegates explore local culture and forge long-term friendship (I recently met 4 delegates from USA, Morocco, UK in London). Prior to the conference, WBD allows students to work on a remote project in teams of 4–5 delegates, and their work is eventually presented to business giants like Mercedes, Bayer etc.
Social Impact Related:
[Side note: Social impact fetches lots of brownie points in corporate life]
One Young World Summit
Where?: Hague, Netherlands
When?: 17–20 October
Total cost (considering travel from India)?: INR ~3.5 Lakh (OYW team extensively supports in receiving external funding, esp. from multiple Fortune 500 companies)
When to apply?: By mid-August
Min. days required for participation (Travel, conference days etc)?: 5 days
No. of delegates: 1400+
What past delegates loved about it: The most diverse conference, participants have come from 196+ countries in the past summits. At the Summit Closing Ceremony, delegates graduate as One Young World Ambassadors, who are globally recognized esp. by organisations like the United Nations. Given the size of delegate attendance, the summit gives students multiple opportunities to collaborate with fellow graduates and create impact even after the conference is over
UNLEASH Global Innovation Lab
Where?: Singapore
When?: 30 May — 6 June
Total cost (considering travel from India)?: INR ~40 Thousand
When to apply?: By 15th Feb
Min. days required for participation (Travel, conference days etc)?: 9 days
No. of delegates: 1000+
What past delegates loved about it: A highly diverse group of people committed to solve SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) set by United Nations. Across 8 days, students form teams to ideate and present solutions on the SDGs, with top teams awarded at the end. Competition involving actual problem solving, opportunity to work in cross-cultural teams are some of the highlights of the event
The conference also actively seeks volunteers to help them in organizing the event.
Clinton Global Initiative University
Where?: Boston, USA
When?: 13th–15th October
Total cost (considering travel from India)?: INR ~1 Lakh (CGI have partnered with CrowdRise where students compete to get their participation funded)
When to apply?: By mid-May
Min. days required for participation (Travel, conference days etc)?: 5 days
No. of delegates: 1000+
What past delegates loved about it: Organised by the Clinton Foundation, CGIU is one of the most prominent event in social impact space. As a pre-requisite, students develop their own ‘Commitment to Action’: specific and measurable initiatives that creates impact in their communities. On final day of the conference, which is called ‘Day of Action’, delegates work with local communities which gives them a flavor of social impact at grass-root levels. Meeting Hollywood stars is an added bonus!
Multi-topic conference
Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations
Where?: Boston, USA & one Asian nation (happens twice every year)
When?: Mid-Feb (For Boston), Mid-Aug (For Asian country)
Total cost (considering travel from India)?: INR ~1.2 Lakh
When to apply?: By November (For Boston), By May (For Asian conference)
Min. days required for participation (Travel, conference days etc)?: 6 days
No. of delegates: 200+
What past delegates loved about it: One word: ‘Harvard’. Arguably the most popular conference in recent times, the conference gives delegates a chance to explore Harvard University and work in collaboration with students from Harvard. The ‘Harvard’ brand attached to it makes getting permission from professors an easier task, and also easier to sell to potential recruiters :)
HPAIR has diverse topics: Entrepreneurship, Social Impact, World Politics among others
Bonus : Entrepreneurship Related
Kairos 360, ASEAN
Where?: 3 countries in South-East Asia
When?: July (6 days)
Total cost (considering travel from India)?: INR ~75 Thousand
When to apply?: By May
Min. days required for participation (Travel, conference days etc)?: 7 days
No. of delegates: 15
What past delegates loved about it: Kairos 360 : 3 countries, 6 days, 0 boundaries! This 6 days program takes delegates across 3 countries where they engage with startups, VC funds, technology giants like Google, co-working spaces to explore the entrepreneurial culture in these South-East Asian countries. Multiple competitions, interactive sessions etc. provide opportunities to students to contribute/work for such organisations
Articles on hacks to fund these conferences, opportunities in other fields, scholarships students must apply for and more…. coming soon. Stay tuned!