GACC 2026: Study Abroad 2.0

The 9th edition of GACC brought together 30 counsellors from 17 cities across India for two days of university presentations, industry discussions and shared experiences, this year in the hills of Khandala.

GACC is our annual conference for counsellors, created to bring international universities and industry conversations into the same room. Over the years, it has become a space to discover specialised universities, exchange perspectives and look at the changes shaping the industry.

A warm welcome to Khandala

The conference began with a warm welcome for counsellors arriving from across the country. With participants representing different markets and bringing varied experiences, the first evening was an opportunity to meet, reconnect and get to know one another.

The Confluence Dinner added to the evening, with the GACC Passport giving guests a fun way to look beyond the usual introductions.

Instead of simply exchanging business cards, attendees were given facts about people in the room and had to find the right person, ask questions and collect their stamps. It was a simple way to discover something about the people behind the roles and organisations they represented.

Discovering specialised universities

University presentations formed an important part of GACC, giving counsellors the opportunity to learn more about specialised universities, their programmes and the opportunities they offer students.

The sessions also provided a closer look at where these institutions fit within an increasingly diverse study abroad landscape and the kinds of students they may be relevant for.

Understanding a changing study abroad landscape

Alongside the university sessions, GACC 2026 explored some of the shifts taking place across the industry.

One key discussion focused on how student counselling is evolving. As student expectations, priorities and decision-making change, so does the role of the counsellor.

Another explored the shift from the Big 4 to the Big 14, and how a wider university landscape is influencing the way students and counsellors approach study abroad.

The conference also looked at the displacement of courses — not necessarily courses disappearing, but universities adapting their academic offerings to remain relevant to changing student and industry needs.

Beyond the sessions

Some of the most meaningful exchanges at GACC happened outside the formal programme.

Over meals, between sessions and during informal interactions, counsellors had the opportunity to compare experiences across different markets and share what they are seeing on the ground.

People working in the same industry can experience it very differently depending on their markets, students and local context. Bringing them together allowed those differences to be shared, understood and taken back into their own work.

Looking back at GACC Khandala

From the welcome in Khandala to the final session, GACC 2026 brought together 30 counsellors from 17 cities, specialised universities and a range of perspectives on the study abroad landscape.

Nine conferences in three years have taken GACC across different cities and brought together different groups of people. This year, Khandala provided the setting for the next chapter.

GACC Khandala 2026 was two days of meeting people, discovering universities, exchanging ideas and looking at what comes next for study abroad.