IH Directors' Conference 2022

Join us in Madrid for the in-person IH Directors' Conference 2022

Access the conference programme here>>

Registration is now closed. Please mail [email protected] if you would like to attend but haven't registered yet!

The annual IH Directors' 2022 conference will be hosted by IH Madrid from Saturday 7th – Tuesday 10th May 2022.The timing of this conference is particularly special as the school recently celebrated 40 years of language teaching.

After two years of the Directors' Conference being online, delegates, sponsors and guests will enjoy 3 days of conference sessions, networking in person and enjoying a taste of wonderful Spain. 

As usual, we will do everything we can to make it an event that is enjoyable, safe and beneficial to your business. 

About the Conference and Speaker Programme 

The IH Directors’ Conference affords an opportunity for those who own or manage International House schools to invest time in their own personal development and leadership skills, hear from industry experts and share their own knowledge with each another. It is also a time for celebrating the IH network and everything we have achieved in the previous year, and informing our strategy for the future.

This year the conference programme addresses the following important topics:  

• Business Development and Diversification
• Digital Transformation and Digital Solutions in schools
• Re-Designing Work, Recruitment and Staff Retention
• Mindful Leadership and Change Management 
• Increasing Sales
• Competitor Analysis and Future Trends
• Sustainability

Delegates will also receive useful updates and information from our partners and providers Cambridge Assessment & CUP, GEL, Guard Me, Language Cert, Macmillan, Pearson, Trinity and Swoosh.

Programme Overview 

Saturday 7th May

Delegates will need to arrive at least 30 minutes before the first activity they take part in to provide their lateral flow (antigen) test. More details will be sent by email. 

10.30 - 14.00 Walking City Tour finishing with opportunity to have tapas for lunch in the market (lunch not included).

We will provide a coach from the Hotel Melia Serrano to the city centre, the bus will depart at 10.30. The tour will start in the Plaza del Oriente, by the Royal Palace ending in the Mercado de Barcelo. The tour will last 2 hours and then you will have time to buy your tapas lunch in Mercado Barceló.

15.00 - 17.30 Training Workshops: Involving all your staff in the sales process

It’s not just your sales and marketing staff that make sales. At every touchpoint, with any member of staff, your customers are forming an opinion on the value of your company and whether they should book and then re-enrol.

Beccy and Nicola will run two complimentary workshops looking at touchpoints throughout a customer lifecycle, and how giving more staff the awareness of the sales and customer experience landscape mean you are more likely to make new sales and valuable repeat business. Each workshop will be run twice, enabling delegates to attend both sessions.

Nicola Lutz, No Fluff, has 25 years sales expertise and helps business flourish and grow their sales through her training and coaching. She is language graduate and the proud Director of a media company in international education. Beccy Wigglesworth is Director of Member Services and Customer Experience at IH World, since 2016 Beccy has been providing training and guidance for IH schools to support them in delivering an excellent Customer Experience.

(These workshops will be held at IH Madrid Alonso Martinez - Calle de Zurbano, 8, 28010 Madrid). 

18.45 – 23.30 Welcome Drinks at Melia Serrano, coaches depart at 19.45 for Dinner at El Gran Barril Restaurant sponsored by Cambridge Assessment English 

Sunday 8th May

9.00 - 17.45 Full Day of Conference sessions and sponsor exhibition 

Monday 9^th May

9.00 - 17.00 Full Day of Conference sessions and sponsor exhibition 

17.30 - 19.00 IH World Foundation Fundraising Event 

Tuesday 10^th May

9.00 - 17.30 Full Day of Conference sessions and sponsor exhibition 

19.00 - 24.00 Closing Drinks on Roof Terrace with stunning views of Madrid, followed by dinner at Casa Suecia and dancing!

Optional Day Trip To Segovia Wednesday 11th May

Segovia is a beautiful walled city with UNESCO World Heritage status just under 100 km from Madrid. It is famous for its extensive Roman aqueduct, the Alcázar medieval castle, a 16th-century Gothic cathedral and many other religious buildings, including synagogues, convents, and monasteries. We are currently sourcing a day trip to the city for those who would like to pay for an excursion day after the conference. Tour Details and Price​

Conference location

The Melia Serrano is a 4 star hotel located in the north of the Salamanca district of Madrid, close to the Paseo de la Castellana and iconic Calle Serrano. It is a lovely area with plenty of restaurants, bars, shops and good transport links. The hotel is a pleasant 20 minute walk from IH Madrid Alonso Martinez and a short taxi or metro ride to the centre of town.

More information for IH Members attending the event can be found in the Members' Area here.

Environmental Sustainability

We are delighted to have the opportunity to meet our friends and colleagues for the first face-to-face IH Director’s conference since Catania in 2019. At the same time we can’t ignore the negative environmental impact that travelling to and gathering in Madrid will have.  Using the framework of the IH Environmental Sustainability Review, we are planning a number of environmentally sustainable actions during the conference. You can find out more about them here and during the conference.  

But for now, what does this mean now for all attendees? We are asking you do just three things as you plan your trip.

1. If you fly, consider carbon offsetting your flight. If you live close enough, consider travelling by train.
2. Bring a conference bag from a past IH Director’s Conference. Do you have one from Cordoba in 2003, Cairo in 2010 or maybe Dubai in 2014? Let's see who can bring the oldest conference bag to the event! (We won’t be providing new ones)
3. Please bring your own water bottle, re-useable coffee cups and pens to eliminate disposable single use plastic waste.

Thank you

Thank you to our partners guard.me - International Insurance for their support and sponsorship. 

Thank you to our Gold Sponsors

Thank you to our Silver Sponsors