IFEAT – The International Federation of Essential Oils and Aroma Trades – has announced the launch of a new website and learning platform for its flagship educational programme, ICATS (International Centre for Aroma Trade Studies).
To celebrate the launch of icats.education and the bespoke ICATS remote learning platform, IFEAT is also offering discounted course fees for all of September 2024.
Prior to announcing its acquisition of ICATS in 2023, IFEAT was a long-time supporter of ICATS, which was created by industry expert Dr Tony Curtis, to meet the Aroma Trades industry’s need for flexible, yet rigorous, specialist education.
For over 30 years, ICATS has provided quality distance-learning materials for Continuing Professional Development. ICATS supports professionals in various roles with courses including chemistry, biosciences, maths and statistics, technical, flavour and fragrance, so they can reach their full potential and bring extra skills to their organisation.
Today, the IFEAT-accredited ICATS courses can be taken either as a full Graduate Diploma, or any combination of its individual course units can be taken through a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) pathway.
The Graduate Diploma is a 120-credit diploma at Level 6, comprising 14 units and 1200 hours of study. It is accredited by IFEAT and endorsed by the University of Reading, IFRA, the UK Flavour Association, the British Society of Flavourists, Perfumer & Flavorist, and the British Society of Perfumers.
The course has been written and developed by industry experts and academics who have many years of experience working in the Aroma Trades, and is frequently updated in line with a fast-moving highly technical industry.
Course authors include Penny Williams (industry expert in Legislation & Regulation in the Aroma Trades), John Wright (internationally acclaimed authority on flavours), Past Presidents of the British Society of Perfumers John Ayres (Pandora) and Marianne Martin (lecturer at the London College of Fashion), Dr Tony Curtis (esteemed perfume chemist, academic and author) and IFEAT Medal winner Dr Brian Lawrence, on essential oils.
IFEAT Education Officer, Lindsay Smith, said, “As we launch the new ICATS learning platform, I can’t express enough how excited we are to make this incredible resource accessible to everyone in the Aroma Trades, no matter where they are in the world!
“This platform is more than just an educational tool – it’s a gateway to growth, innovation, and opportunity in our industry. We’ve designed it with flexibility in mind, allowing professionals to develop their skills and advance their careers on their own terms. I truly believe that this new chapter for ICATS and IFEAT will empower individuals and businesses alike to reach new heights in the Aroma Trades.”
NOTES TO EDITORS:
- For Media Enquiries, please contact Simon Frost ([email protected]).
- Images and video can be found here – please credit IFEAT/ICATS and link to icats.education
- IFEAT – The International Federation of Essential Oils and Aroma Trades – is a trade association founded in 1977. It represents the interests of companies involved in the production, processing, trading and manufacturing of the many thousands of ingredients used in flavours, fragrances and aromatherapy.