ICEF Secondary Education Budapest is an international education conference: schools, agencies and education professionals from around the world, meeting at the InterContinental Budapest from 23 to 25 September 2026. At an event like this, delegates form their first and last impressions through the on-site team – from the registration desk to the door of the VIP lounge.
The brief: an international audience, four roles, one team
Most delegates travelled in from abroad, so the key requirement was clear: every member of staff works in English and handles questions, surprises and a tight schedule with confidence. Brand Hírnök was responsible for selecting and briefing the team and for our full on-site presence on all three days.
Four roles over three days
On 23 September, the opening day, we covered three areas in parallel:
- Registration desk: handing out badges, lanyards and welcome bags, and answering questions about the programme – the first point of contact for every arriving delegate.
- Roving microphones in the seminar room: bringing the mic to audience members during panel Q&As, replacing water and glasses, and staying in touch with the AV technicians – in English and Hungarian.
- Door management: seating, handling latecomers and giving directions around the venue.
On 24–25 September we ran the VIP (IAS) lounge: badge-based access control and handing out certificates by company name.
Flexibility: when the plan changes on the day
An international conference rarely runs exactly as it looks on paper. Over these three days we had to react quickly three times – and the client never had to deal with the knock-on effects.
- More delegates, more desk staff. When registrations passed 300, we added an extra registration team member at short notice to keep arrivals running smoothly.
- Programme change, longer shift. Because of a change to the programme, we extended the microphone shift by half an hour.
- A last-minute illness. The day before the event, one of our team members fell ill. Our standby colleague stepped in straight away – the client didn't have to give it a second thought.
That isn't luck, it's a system: a standby team member who already knows the brief, and one person in charge who makes decisions on site.
A briefing before every shift – and a director on site
Every shift started with a 30-minute on-site briefing: the day's programme, changes, contacts and what to do if something unexpected happens. Our managing director, Patrik Veress, was there for the start of every day, so the client had a single point of contact available on site.
“Thank you very much, I was very happy with the service and professionalism of the staff!”
The result: three days without a hitch
More than 300 international delegates, four roles, three days – and a programme that changed more than once along the way. The client's feedback singled out the professionalism of our staff, and that is exactly what we aim for at every event: the organiser should be focusing on their guests, not on the staffing.
Hiring event staff for an international conference? Check these four things
- Language: every team member should work confidently in English – not just at the desk, but in the room too.
- Back-up: ask what happens if someone drops out at the last minute.
- Briefing: a short on-site briefing before every shift, so changes never reach your guests first.
- One person in charge: a contact on site who can actually make decisions.
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