EF Celebrates 60 Years of Opening the World Through Education

Zurich, Switzerland – EF (Education First), the world’s largest privately-held international education company, is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2025. Founded in 1965 by Swedish entrepreneur Bertil Hult, EF is a pioneer of the experiential learning movement, driven by the belief that the world is better when people try to understand one another. With a mission of opening the world through education, EF programs have fostered cross-cultural understanding and empowered global learners for six decades. The company is marking the anniversary this year with a variety of events for staff and customers around the world.

From One Idea to Global Impact

EF emerged from a deeply personal journey. Bertil's struggles with dyslexia made it difficult for him to learn English in a traditional classroom setting, leading him to leave school early. During a work exchange in London, he saw his English improve quickly through immersion, which inspired him to introduce a fresh approach to learning. Bertil soon began offering language trips for Swedish students to England – a simple idea that grew into a global movement.

Today, EF offers immersive, hands-on experiences that help people travel the world, learn new languages, participate in authentic cultural exchange, and earn academic credentials. Its 52,000 team members help people explore the world, embrace unique perspectives, and spark mutual understanding through culturally immersive education.

Several of EF’s many independent businesses include:

• EF Explore America and EF Educational Tours: North American students and their teachers explore iconic landmarks and landscapes at home and overseas, experiencing hands-on learning that brings classroom lessons to life.

• Efekta Education Group: A spin-off of EF, Efekta’s novel AI-based platform makes personal tuition accessible and affordable, leading to significantly improved learning outcomes at scale in high schools, universities, and multi-national companies. Efekta’s app (EF Hello) and AI tutor (Addi) recently won the Apple Cultural Impact Award.

• EF High School Exchange Year: International students spend a year attending an American high school while living with a host family, gaining academic experience and cultural insight.

• EF Language Abroad: Each year, tens of thousands of students of all ages learn languages in the countries where they are spoken at one of EF’s 50 International Language Campuses, combining interactive language learning with cultural exchange and global community.

• EF World Journeys: A leading guided experiential travel company, offering U.S. and Canadian travelers epic tours to more than 400 destinations across the globe. It operates tour brands that include EF Adventures (all ages, 14+ with adult supervision), EF Go Ahead Tours (all ages, including customized group travel and multi-generational offerings for families), and EF Ultimate Break (adults 18 – 35).

“Our vision is to make the world more connected through education,” said EF CEO Edward Hult, PhD. “We believe that the world is a better place when people try to understand one another, and that is exactly what our programs aim to achieve. As we celebrate this milestone, we are reminded of the countless lives touched by EF programs and the potential we have to shape a better future together. True learning happens when you’re immersed in experiences that challenge your biases and expand your perspective. By connecting people from different backgrounds, our programs spark a ripple effect and deliver transformative impacts that extend beyond the individual student or traveler.”

EF Impact

Success in business has positioned EF to have a broader philanthropic and research impact, including:

• Supporting the Hult Prize, an annual $1M competition for student-driven social impact startups.

• Launching EF Skills Evaluation Technology (EF SET), powering the world’s first free, high-quality certifying English test, and the EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI), the world’s largest ranking of countries and regions by English skills.

• Serving as a "main partner" for the Nobel Prize Museum in Sweden.

• Developing and implementing industry-leading animal welfare guidelines.

• Planting nine million mangroves to-date as part of the EF Forest Initiative, which includes an ongoing partnership with WeForest to fund an agroforestry project to grow 3 million additional trees in the coming years.

• Supporting Médecins Sans Frontières’ Academy for Healthcare, which educates and empowers healthcare professionals in crisis-affected regions.

• Advancing global education through initiatives like LegiLexi, which improves childhood literacy, The Mentor Foundation, focused on youth health and well-being, and the EF Global Classroom Foundation, which has rebuilt schools in Nepal and supports educational projects worldwide.

• Awarding millions of dollars in program scholarships each year, expanding access to life-changing educational opportunities.

“At EF, impact is integral to our mission,” said Chairman Philip Hult. “Whether through educational programs that inspire personal growth, initiatives that support sustainability, or partnerships that empower underserved communities, we are committed to creating lasting change. Every program we design challenges participants to step outside their comfort zones and unlock opportunities that transform their lives and the world around them. The same is true for our global teams, who chart enriching and lasting careers at EF.”

Innovative Investments Beyond Education

EF’s commitment to education and cultural exchange extends beyond its core programs. Through EF Pro Cycling, EF owns a men’s and a women’s professional cycling team that compete at the highest levels, including the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes, promoting global connections through sport. EF is also the steward of Ashridge House in England, a country manor house and former royal residence, which serves as a popular event venue and is also home to Hult Ashridge Executive Education, which offers leadership development and executive training programs. These ventures underscore EF’s belief in bold, inspiring projects that reflect its broader mission.

Looking Ahead

As EF proudly celebrates 60 years, the company remains focused on expanding access to immersive learning. By leveraging technology, fostering cross-cultural understanding, and empowering the next generation of global leaders, EF aims to help address some of the world’s most urgent challenges.