Students and campus ministries across the globe are preparing to mark IFES World Student Day 2025 this Thursday (16 October), celebrating 50 years of united prayer for student mission and ministry.
Organised by the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES), the annual event invites students, ministry staff, supporters, and churches in more than 180 countries and territories to come together in prayer.
This year’s theme, “Immeasurably More,” draws inspiration from Ephesians 3:20–21: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine... to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations.”
“In a time of so much global division and uncertainty, this expression of international fellowship and united hope is a truly heartwarming event to be a part of. Please join with us,” said Tim Adams, General Secretary of IFES.
As part of the celebration, participants can access a resource hub with prayer cards, devotional guides, and testimonies from student ministries around the world. Each tool is designed to help groups and individuals join in prayer wherever they are.
Marking the event’s 50th anniversary, IFES is encouraging participants to reflect on how God has already done “immeasurably more” through the global student movement and to continue seeking His guidance for the future.
The scale of student ministry continues to grow. According to UNESCO, there were a record 264 million students enrolled in higher education worldwide in 2025 — up 25 million since 2020, and more than double the number in 2000. Increased access to education through online learning and hybrid degrees has fuelled this rise.
Globally, more women than men now attend higher education, though disparities remain. In Sub-Saharan Africa, only nine per cent of young people are enrolled, compared with a global average of 43 per cent.
Student leader David Velkovski, from SEAM, the IFES movement in North Macedonia, said the World Student Day brings unity and encouragement. “It gives us a sense that we are part of a bigger movement these days, just to pray,” he said. “We would just pour our hearts into simple prayer and worship.”
So far, more than 22,000 participants from over 100 countries have registered for this year’s event, with a wave of prayer expected to move across the world from Vanuatu to Vancouver.
Throughout the day, IFES will share updates and images of student gatherings on its social media platforms, highlighting the global fellowship in prayer and worship.
Adapted from CDI.
