Pest managers looking to upskill in termite knowledge can look to the University of Florida for educational courses led by subject matter experts.
On June 9-14, 2025 the Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, part of the University of Florida, USA, hosted a six-day termite education event. The International Termite Course is aimed at academics (students, postdoctorate researchers and faculty members) who want to deepen their knowledge about eusocial insects.
This year saw 60 academics in attendance representing 35 universities from 17 countries. The 2025 event brought together some of the most active termite research groups in the world, with guests speakers including Distinguished Professor Nan-Yao Su and Associate Professor Thomas Chouvenc, both from the University of Florida. As well as more than 40 hours of teaching material, the event included a field trip to collect termites in an area of South Florida.
“The International Termite Course 2025 was a remarkable session,” said Assoc. Prof. Chouvenc. “The course aims to bring international research teams closer, start collaborations, and make lifelong friendships around termite biology and termite science.”
The next International Termite Course will take place in June 2029.
The University of Florida also runs a termite education program for pest managers. The Termite Course for Professionals has a focus on biology and control of termites, covering material usually not covered during pest control conferences. This event will allow anyone in the pest control industry, from pest managers to sales reps and technical staff, to gain a new understanding of what termites are, beyond their pest aspects.
The three-day workshop includes extensive seminars provided by guest speakers. This is the course for anyone working in the pest industry who is looking to increase their knowledge about termites.
The next Termite Course for Professionals will be taking place in Florida in the US winter of 2027 (Jan-Mar) – there is no course in 2026. Although it’s during peak pest season in Australia, it is a great opportunity to combine work with travel.
