July 02: The IC3 Movement‘s 10th Annual Conference & Expo is set for August 19–20, 2026, at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai. Registrations are ongoing for what promises to be a landmark edition. Recognized as one of the foremost global gatherings for school counseling professionals, the conference will bring together participants from 60+ countries, including educators, school counselors, university representatives, policymakers, and organizations, for two days of knowledge exchange, global networking, and dialogue on the future of career and college counseling in schools. With a presence spanning 104 countries, the IC3 Movement has built a global ecosystem for this conversation, and the 10th edition marks a milestone in that journey.
Themed “Looking Deeply – From Information to Insight,” the 2026 conference will examine how the education and counseling community can move beyond the surface, transforming data into discernment and information into meaningful guidance, while nurturing in students the understanding they need to make confident, purpose-driven decisions. The edition will explore five core sub-themes: counseling and admissions practices for a dynamic generation; trust, transparency, and integrity in education; school–university partnerships; consciousness and well-being; and aligning counseling with the future world of work, delivered across keynote addresses, expert-led sessions, and hands-on workshops. The IC3 Presidential Forum, an invite-only dialogue bringing together senior global university leaders, school principals, and government and media representatives, will convene as a parallel high-level stream.
“Ten years ago, we started with a question: why should the quality of guidance a student receives depend on the school they can afford or the city they were born in? That question still drives everything we do. Today, when CBSE mandates a counselor in every school, it is a recognition that the system has heard the call, but mandates create floors, not ceilings. The real work is in building a profession that is trained, trusted, and present for students, not just in a crisis but also in the quiet moments when futures are being shaped. The theme ‘Looking Deeply—From Information to Insight’ is our invitation to the entire community to slow down, to listen more carefully, and to remember that behind every data point is a young person trying to find their place in the world. The research and insights presented through this year’s report releases will strengthen the evidence base around student well-being, reinforcing what educators and counselors see on the ground—that student well-being cannot wait and that a policy without a prepared professional standing behind it is just a piece of paper,” said Ganesh Kohli, Founder, IC3 Movement.
The two-day program will also feature the IC3 Expo, a five-session Inner Child Workshop, and the Annual IC3 Awards on 20 August, recognizing outstanding contributions to counseling across global and regional categories. The IC3 Host School Student & Parent Conference will extend the conversation directly to students and families. A significant highlight will be the release of the latest editions of the IC3 Institute’s Student Suicides Aversion Report and the Student Quest Report, advancing the evidence base on student mental health and the systemic role of counseling in schools.
“The IC3 Conference has never been just another education event. What brings this community back year after year is the opportunity to have honest conversations, challenge our thinking, and work alongside one another to create better outcomes for students. One of the most encouraging shifts we have seen over the past decade is that schools, universities, and education leaders increasingly approach this work as partners rather than as individual stakeholders. As we come together in Mumbai this August to mark ten years of the IC3 Movement, the milestone is less about looking back and more about asking what comes next, because the choices available to students are expanding rapidly, and our responsibility is to ensure that collaboration across the education community continues to evolve just as quickly so that students are supported by informed, connected, and student-centered institutions at every stage of their journey,” said Ritika Singh, Executive Director, IC3 Movement.
Since its inception, the Annual IC3 Conference & Expo has engaged over 6,615 schools and 912 universities globally, impacting more than 3.3 million students. The 10th edition carries the weight of a movement that has quietly shaped how thousands of schools approach student guidance and well-being, and the urgency of a moment that demands it go further.
Registrations are ongoing for school delegates, university delegates, and organizations at www.ic3movement.com/annual–