The past few months have seen a flurry of activity across the International House (IH) network, with conferences, events, and exam preparations driving exciting developments. From inclusive teaching practices and charitable initiatives to award-winning innovation and professional growth pathways, this update showcases the best of what’s happening in the IH community.
IH Galway Language Centre, in partnership with Trans Equality Network Ireland and Transilvanian Educational Services & Tourism, hosted a groundbreaking Erasmus+ webinar series: Language for All – Creating LGBTQIA+ Inclusive ELE Classrooms.
Highlights included:
Survey findings revealing only 4.7% of ELE materials are considered LGBTQ+ inclusive
In-depth workshops on diversity, allyship, and inclusion in ELT
Actionable insights on improving representation in language learning materials
This initiative was also presented at the Eaquals Conference in the workshop “Adapting Language Materials for Better Inclusion of LGBTQ+ Students.” It underscores the growing commitment within IH schools to foster inclusive and welcoming learning environments for all.
At IH Braga, spelling took on a new purpose this Easter. The school’s Sponsored Spell initiative encouraged students from ages 8 to C2 level to secure sponsorships for correctly spelled vocabulary words. The results were impressive:
€2,200 raised for two charitable causes: Virar a Página and Doctors Without Borders (Médicos Sem Fronteiras)
100% student participation, connecting language learning with social impact
This inspiring model blends language development with community engagement, providing a blueprint for other schools looking to combine learning and giving.
Looking to enrich your English lessons this summer? Sensations English delivers ready-to-use, real-world news videos and articles tailored for learners from A2 to C1 levels.
Why it works:
Content across 33 real-world topics with integrated, interactive lessons
Promotes cultural awareness and language fluency
Saves teachers valuable lesson planning time
4-week licenses for only £6.30 (10% off)
Valid through August 31st (licenses expire September 30th)
📧 Contact [email protected] to claim this offer and elevate your classroom this summer.
Apollo IH Vietnam is redefining professional growth with a new competency framework that supports alternative career trajectories for academic managers.
Key initiatives:
Functional rotation roles (onboarding, culture, training)
New Team Leader roles for project-based leadership development
Cross-functional collaboration across over 80 centres and 50+ nationalities
This forward-thinking approach supports career satisfaction and long-term retention by offering personalised growth that isn’t limited to traditional leadership roles.
At the IH Directors’ Conference, innovation took centre stage with the presentation of the first-ever Mihai Gânj Digital Innovation Award, awarded to IH Split for their development of Amber School Manager.
Amber is a custom-built digital platform streamlining:
Class scheduling and payments
Student assignment management
Exam coordination
Developed by educators, for educators, it empowers schools to reduce admin time and focus more on teaching. Congratulations also to runners-up IH Newcastle and IH Santiago de Compostela for their outstanding contributions.
International House is thrilled to announce a partnership with TeacherMatic, an AI-powered platform that supports:
Lesson planning
Resource creation
Assessment design
🔹 IH schools enjoy an 83% discount
🔹 One free licence per school available now
📧 Contact [email protected] to claim your licence
IH is also partnering with BSD Education to offer digital learning courses in:
Coding
Artificial Intelligence
Web Development
Game Design
Entrepreneurship
After successful trials, BSD is now inviting IH schools to join pilot programmes. Courses are asynchronous and ideal for integrating into existing curricula or launching new digital skills initiatives.
Stay tuned for upcoming webinars to learn how your school can get involved.
April’s IH ToruÅ„ Teacher Training Day welcomed over 90 teachers from across Europe for a day of interactive ELT workshops. With a sustainable approach (paperless materials, digital prize draws), sessions covered:
Arts & crafts for VYLs
Teaching neurodiverse learners
High-level student engagement
Idioms and debating in the ELT classroom
With speakers from IH Poland schools and keynote contributions from Chris Roland and Vincent Smidowicz, the event exemplified collaborative professional development.
Recognised for its exceptional customer service and personalised learning journeys
Use of dedicated class managers to guide students from enquiry to completion
Strong culture of ongoing improvement and student-centred support
Leading in educational technology and CRM systems
Seamless integration of tech into classroom and admin processes
Praised for its adaptability, collaboration, and drive for excellence
On 20 September 2025, IH Toulouse will host a special Teachers’ Day celebrating 25 years of language education. Educators from across Occitanie, France will gather for:
Pedagogical workshops
Peer learning opportunities
Networking with IH partners
Follow our social media channels for updates and post-event highlights.
At British School IH Pisa, summer means immersive English-language camps for children aged 5–11. Held in June, July, and September, the camps include:
Creative activities in English
Real-world learning themes (arts, science, global cultures)
Group projects that build confidence and communication skills
By blending play with purpose, the camps offer a vibrant and effective language acquisition experience.
Whether it’s innovation, inclusion, digital education, or community impact, IH schools continue to lead the way in providing world-class language learning. Be sure to check back regularly for the latest news and resources from across the network.