Finalists from 26 countries have been shortlisted and winners will be announced at the lavish PIEoneer Awards ceremony on September 22 in London.

An organisation specialising in promoting study abroad opportunities to black college students in the US, a public-private partnership aiming to promote Women in STEM Entrepreneurship in Latin America and a scholarship program for refugees from Myanmar to study with Western Sydney University are just some of the outstanding entries that made the 2023 shortlist.

Six finalists for the Outstanding contribution to the industry from five countries include heavy hitters and influencers from the sector including Studyportals’ Edwin van Rest, Global University Systems Canada’s Cyndi McLeod and Bobby Mehta from BUILA and the University of Portsmouth.

The UK represents heavily in the student support category, with Study Group, FTI Consulting, University of Bristol and QA Higher Education all joining Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences from the Netherlands and studentVIP in Canada as finalists.

In the exciting Emerging leader of the year award, a new category this year, UKCISA’s Yinbo Yu, De Montfort University’s Francis Glover, UUKi’s Andy Howells come up against each other.

They are joined by PhD candidate Elliott Lancaster at Keele University, Katrin Klodt-Bussmann from HTWG Konstanz – University of Applied Sciences in Germany, Sea Change Mentoring CEO Ellen Mahoney, co-founder of SCORE Test Prep & College Counseling, Pilar Lindley, and program director (Language Programs and Short Courses) at English Unlimited, Ivan Kumar.

Organisers have also added a Digital innovation of the year category for student recruitment to recognise exceptional work done in the past year in a fast-changing sector.

Seven outstanding business schools in six countries make up the finalists in a new Business school category, while the Study abroad and exchange experience of the year has also been introduced for 2023.

“There are many exceptionally talented, influential and inspirational up-and-coming leaders working in the sector”

“The Emerging leader of the year award is one of the four new categories we have introduced this year, and it has proven very popular,” Clare Gossage, COO and co-founder of The PIE, said.

“There are many exceptionally talented, influential and inspirational up-and-coming leaders working in the sector, who are making a big impact or contribution to their own organisation or the wider industry, and going above and beyond the normal scope of their role. We wanted to create a platform for them to gain recognition for their work on a global scale and outside of their own organisations.

“I can’t wait to see who the judges select as the winner this year, it’s going to be very competitive!” Gossage added.

In the attendee-favourite International alumni of the year award, seven fantastic entries from Vietnam, India, Albania, India, Egypt, Cameroon and New Zealand will vie for the 2023 recognition.

As the world continues to grapple with a climate emergency, the Sustainability international impact award – last year won by EHL, Switzerland for its food operations on global environmental sustainability program – will be highly anticipated.

An Intercultural outreach Initiative in Ecuador, Germany’s IU International University of Applied Sciences, the Universities of Sydney and Coventry, a zero waste marketplace app for students created by a University of Birmingham graduate and a ‘SDGs at Work’ awareness and engagement initiative in Canada have all been shortlisted.

See the full list of finalists for the 2023 PIEoneer Awards here.