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AIESEC

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AIESEC
File:AIESEC Logo.svg
Formation1948
TypeNot-for-profit
Legal statusActive
PurposePeace and fulfillment of humankind's potential
HeadquartersMontreal, Canada
Location
  • 5605 Avenue de Gaspé, Suite 110, Montréal, QC H2T 2A4, Canada
Region served
Worldwide
Members
40,000
Official language
English
President of AIESEC International (PAI)
Aleyna Sayin
Main organ
Global Plenary
Websiteaiesec.org

AIESEC (/ˈaɪsɛk/ EYE-sek[1]) is an international "youth-run" and led, non-governmental and not-for-profit organization that provides young people with business development internships. The organization focuses on empowering young people to make a progressive social impact. The AIESEC network includes approximately 40,000 members in 120+ countries.[2]

AIESEC is a non-governmental in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), is an independent arm of the UN DPI[3] and UN's Office of the Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth,[4] member of ICMYO,[4] and is recognized by UNESCO.[5] AIESEC's international headquarters are in Montreal, Canada.[6]

Name

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AIESEC (pronounced: eye-sek[7]) was originally a French acronym for Association internationale des étudiants en sciences économiques et commerciales (English: International Association of Students in Economics and Business). The full name is no longer officially used, as members can now be graduate and undergraduate from any university background.[8][9][10][11]

History

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Founding

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File:ACkonverents.jpg
AIESEC in Estonia

The idea behind AIESEC started after World War II, when representatives from schools across Europe exchanged information about various programs and schools that specialized in business and economics. Students had been carrying out internships in other countries, mostly on their own initiative, but this came to a standstill with the onslaught of World War II.[12] In 1944, the neutral Scandinavian countries were still exchanging students. Bertil Hedberg, an official at the Stockholm School of Economics, and students Jaroslav Zich (of Czechoslovakia) and Stanislas Callens (of Belgium), founded AIESEC on July 2, 1948, under the name Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques (AIESEc) with a headquarter in Prague and Jaroslav Zich as the first President of the association.

At the time of AIESEC's founding at the end of the 1940s, Europe was in the midst of recovery from the war that dealt grave losses. Factories and enterprises were in desperate need of executives, managers and leaders. The continent needed more than just business development, however; the war had severely damaged relations between European nations, and many members of the community felt steps needed to be taken to address this problem.[13] AIESEC was formed to address both of these concerns. In 1948, a renewing development of the association was initiated, with implementation of international meetings (congresses), replacing the practice of governance from the headquarter. The first broad meeting was held by students from 9 universities of 7 countries in April 1948 in Liège (Belgium). Then the official, constitutive assembly (the congress) was organized in 1949 in Stockholm with Bengt Sjӧstrand as the President and Sweden as the Presiding Country for 1949/1950. Students from seven nations: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, came together for that first International Congress of AIESEC.[14]

In 1949, 89 students were exchanged by AIESEC among the member nations. The next two annual congresses were conducted in Stockholm, presided by Bengt Sjӧstrand, and in Paris, presided by Jean Choplin, respectively. At those congresses the organization's mission was stated: "to expand the understanding of a nation by expanding the understanding of the individuals, changing the world one person at a time."[12] Also a constitution for the organization defined a purpose: "AIESEC is an independent, non-political, and international organization which has as its purpose to establish and promote the friendly relations between the members."[13]

Global expansion

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The organization grew exponentially[citation needed] in the following years, with more than 1,000 exchanges taking place in 1955 alone. In the following few years, AIESEC quickly became global by establishing its first North American member, the United States, in 1957, and its first South American and African members, Colombia, Venezuela, and South Africa, in 1958.[15]

For the first years of its existence, AIESEC had no central governing body, but was instead managed jointly by a Presiding Country Committee composed of the National Committee Presidents of each member nation. As the organization grew, a central governing body was created and led by a democratically elected Secretary General. Morris Wolff, from the United States, was chosen as the first Secretary General in 1960, and established the first permanent international office for AIESEC in Geneva, Switzerland.[13] Over the following decade, AIESEC expanded to eastern Asia, Australia, and deeper within Europe, Africa, North America, and South America, having a presence in 43 countries by 1969.[15]

In 2010, AIESEC surpassed 10,000 exchanges delivered in a single year for the first time. By 2020, more than 230,000 interactions will have been provided.[2]

Programs

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Membership

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AIESEC members are typically young people aged 18 to 30 who participate in the organization’s leadership, management, and exchange programs. Members take part in organizing events, facilitating international internships, and managing local chapters worldwide. The membership model emphasizes leadership development, cultural exchange, and global networking.

Global Volunteer

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Global Volunteer is an international, 4-to-8-week exchange program powered by AIESEC for young people (aged 18–30) to work on social impact projects. Participants contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while developing leadership, cross-cultural understanding, and personal growth. Projects often focus on education, health, or the environment.[16][17]

Global Talent

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Global Talent is a professional internship program under AIESEC that places young adults, generally between 18 and 30 years old, in startups, small and medium enterprises, or multinational corporations abroad. The internships last from six weeks to one and a half years depending on the placement. Participants gain practical work experience, develop cross-cultural competencies, and build global professional networks, with support from AIESEC throughout the application, placement, and logistical process.[18][19]

Global Teacher

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Global Teacher is a teaching internship program offered by AIESEC, aimed at individuals aged 18–30 with prior teaching experience and language proficiency. Internships typically last between six and seventy-eight weeks and include responsibilities such as lesson planning, classroom management, and intercultural engagement. The program provides salary or stipend support, professional development opportunities, and logistical assistance including visa processing, accommodation, and onboarding. AIESEC collaborates with over 300 educational institutions across more than 35 countries, involving more than 1,000 young educators annually.[20][21][22]

Global Host program

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Global Host is an AIESEC program that enables individuals and organizations to host international interns and volunteers locally. The program supports cultural exchange and global understanding by providing opportunities for young people from various countries to live and work within host communities and businesses. Hosts engage with diverse cultures while facilitating the personal and professional development of participants. The program operates in multiple countries and partners with startups, SMEs, NGOs, and other organizations offering practical work experiences and community projects.[23]

Awards and recognition

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In July 2015, AIESEC was recognized for the ninth time on the WorldBlu list of "Most Freedom Centred Workplaces."[24] Organizations are included on the list based on a Freedom at Work assessment completed by employees. The assessment evaluates organizational design on a spectrum from fear-based to freedom-centred across leadership, individual performance, and systems and processes.

Members

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As of 2023, AIESEC is found in 95 countries and territories worldwide, including:[25]

President of AIESEC International (PAI)

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The President of AIESEC International (PAI) is the highest executive office within the global organization. The PAI is elected annually at the International Congress (IC) by the Global Plenary, which consists of the National Presidents (MCPs) of all member entities.

Organizational Mandate Shift (2020)

Historically, the AIESEC International team mandate ran from September 1 to August 31 of the following year. In 2020, following an organizational decision led by the "Transitional Team" during the COVID-19 pandemic, the mandate was shifted to align with the calendar year (January 1 to December 31). This change was officially implemented starting with the 2021 term led by Eva Dutary.[26]

Term President of AIESEC International Nationality
2026 Aleyna Sayin File:Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey
2025 Arfan Nazar File:Flag of Sri Lanka.svg Sri Lanka
2024 Ana Leonor Fernandes File:Flag of Portugal.svg Portugal
2023 Chester Shum Error creating thumbnail:  Canada
2022 Louise Kim  Australia
2021 Eva Dutary File:Flag of Panama.svg Panama
2019–2020 Alexandra Robinson  United States
2018–2019 Mohamed Fadel File:Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt
2017–2018 Abdelrahman Ayman File:Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt
2016–2017 Niels Caszo  India
2015–2016 Ana Saldarriaga File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia
2014–2015 Vinícius Tsugue  Brazil
2013–2014 Rolf Schmachtenberg Error creating thumbnail:  Norway
2012–2013 Florent Mei  China
2011–2012 Tatiana Mykhailiuk File:Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine
2010–2011 Hugo Pereira File:Flag of Portugal.svg Portugal
2009–2010 Aman Jain  India
2008–2009 Juan Cajiao File:Flag of Costa Rica.svg Costa Rica
2007–2008 Gabriela Albescu File:Flag of Romania.svg Romania
2006–2007 Edyson David Dos Santos Gamez File:Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela
2005–2006 Brodie Boland Error creating thumbnail:  Canada
2004–2005 Rajiv Chandna  India
2003–2004 Pedro Santos File:Flag of Portugal.svg Portugal
2002–2003 Evrim Sen File:Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey
2001–2002 Sahil Kaul  India
2000–2001 José Pablo Retana File:Flag of Costa Rica.svg Costa Rica
1999–2000 Muratcan Ustunkaya File:Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey
1998–1999 Heather Blahnik  United States
1997–1998 Pedro Gabriel Huerta  Germany
1996–1997 Marianne Knuth File:Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark
1995–1996 Darin Rovere Error creating thumbnail:  Canada
1994–1995 Markus Leonhard Keiper  Germany
1993–1994 Oliver Mack File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
1992–1993 Fernando Carro  Germany
1991–1992 Fernando Carro  Germany
1990–1991 Lennart Bjurstrom  Sweden
1989–1990 Michael Stewart  United States
1988–1989 Matthew de Villiers File:Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa
1987–1988 Anthony Pangilinan File:Flag of the Philippines.svg Philippines
1986–1987 Martin Bean  Australia
1985–1986 Athos Staub   Switzerland
1984–1985 Vikram Gandhi  India
1983–1984 Robby van Den Wyngaert Error creating thumbnail:  Belgium
1982–1983 Dirk Ketele Error creating thumbnail:  Belgium
1981–1982 David Jackson-Grose  Australia
1980–1981 Joan Wilson Error creating thumbnail:  Canada
1979–1980 Per Otto Hyland  Sweden
1978–1979 Stefano Bridelli File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy
1977–1978 Albert Pelach Paniker  Spain
1976–1977 Arnstein Endresen Error creating thumbnail:  Norway
1975–1976 Tom Davies Error creating thumbnail:  Canada
1974–1975 Leo G. Victorio File:Flag of the Philippines.svg Philippines
1973–1974 Volker T. Wiegmann  Germany
1972–1973 Wolfgang Sekira  Austria
1971–1972 David Dempsey File:Flag of Ireland.svg Ireland
1970–1971 Pierre Pailleret  France
1969–1970 William Boyd Griffin  United States
1968–1969 Oyvind Sorbroden File:Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark
1967–1968 Antony B. Harris File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
1966–1967 Antony B. Harris File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
1965–1966 Antony B. Harris File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
1964–1965 John C. Hartley File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
1963–1964 John C. Hartley File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
1962–1963 J. J. Elkin Error creating thumbnail:  Canada
1961–1962 Victor H. Loewenstein File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
1960–1961 Robert W. Andrews File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
1960–1961 Morris H. Wolff  United States
1959–1960 Ramon Pont y Amenós  Spain
1958–1959 Bernd M. Thomas  Germany
1957–1958 Karl Fleischhacker  Austria
1956–1957 Vittorio Tanzi File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy
1955–1956 Jean de Vaulchier  France
1954–1955 Onno Kamerling File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands
1953–1954 Lauri Naykki Error creating thumbnail:  Finland
1952–1953 Albert Kaltenhaler  Germany
1951–1952 Kaj Verner Slot File:Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark
1950–1951 Jean Choplin  France
1949–1950 Bengt Sjostrand  Sweden
1948–1949 Jaroslav Zich File:Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czechoslovakia

Alumni

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This is a non-exhaustive list of notable AIESEC alumni:

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "What is AIESEC?". August 23, 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2024 – via YouTube.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "About us | AIESEC". www.aiesec.org.
  3. ↑ "Non-Governmental Organizations Committee Recommnds 52 Organizations for Consultative Status With Economic and Social Council". www.un.org.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ruggiero, Cassandra (22 September 2013). "The end of the IANYD and ICMYO Meetings – just the start of AIESEC's involvement with the United Nations". AIESEC International. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  5. ↑ "UNESCO English Search: AIESEC". UNESCO. Archived from the original on 2014-10-23. Retrieved 2014-10-18.
  6. ↑ "AIESEC: Contact Us". AIESEC.
  7. ↑ "AIESEC Global Brand Guidelines "Blue Book"" (PDF).
  8. ↑ Mattia, Fioretta Benedetto (2003-09-30). Elsevier's Dictionary of Acronyms, Initialisms, Abbreviations and Symbols. Elsevier. ISBN 9780080544137.
  9. ↑ "Student associations". www.unive.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2017-06-05. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  10. ↑ "About AIESEC | AIESEC Global". AIESEC. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  11. ↑ "AIESEC | Live the experience". AIESEC. Retrieved 2019-02-07.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Kern, Beth (2003-10-02). "AIESEC Helps Interns Make Adjustments". University Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2009-01-30. Retrieved 2008-02-11.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 "AIESEC 60 Years". Archived from the original on 2014-12-17. Retrieved 2014-11-27.
  14. ↑ "AIESEC History". www.aiesec.org. Archived from the original on 2014-11-27. Retrieved 2014-11-27.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "AIESEC Expansions since 1948" – via YouTube.
  16. ↑ "UNS Student Elevates Early Childhood Learning through Global Volunteer Program".
  17. ↑ "How TMU students are landing global internships and leadership roles".
  18. ↑ "Global Talent". AIESEC KG. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  19. ↑ "Global Talent Overview". AIESEC. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  20. ↑ "Global Teacher". AIESEC KG. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  21. ↑ "Global Teacher". AIESEC India. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  22. ↑ "Global Teacher for a Sustainable World". AIESEC Blog. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  23. ↑ "Global Host". AIESEC. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  24. ↑ "WorldBlu List". WorldBlu. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  25. ↑ "AIESEC: Contact Us". Archived from the original on 2014-12-17. Retrieved 2015-01-13.
  26. ↑ "AIESEC Elects the New Global Leadership Team for 2021 with a Change in The Mandate Start Date". AIESEC | Blog.
  27. ↑ "EU City: AIESEC alumnus, elected as new President of Portugal". eucity.blogspot.in. Archived from the original on 2018-02-18. Retrieved 2018-02-17.
  28. ↑ Luna, Kim (30 May 2023). "Inner Drive: Public Speaking Imbued With Purpose". Lifestyle Asia. Archived from the original on 17 May 2025. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  29. ↑ "About". Gunter pauli. Archived from the original on 2018-02-28. Retrieved 2018-02-17.
  30. ↑ "Endorsements". Issuu. Retrieved 2018-02-17.
  31. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: AIESECFinland (2009-09-15), Martti Ahtisaari's Greetings to AIESEC, retrieved 2018-02-17
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