IH Directors' Conference 2024

Join us in Split for the in-person IH Directors' Conference 2024

We are delighted that the annual IH Directors' Conference 2024 will be hosted by IH Split in Croatia from Sunday 19th to Wednesday 22nd May.

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, highlighting everything we have achieved in the previous year, and informing our strategy for the future.

The 2024 conference sessions will focus on AI & Innovation, Sales & Marketing, Leadership, Collaboration and EDIB.

See the full programme here >>>

Location

The location for the conference will be a hotel, the Radisson Blu – with a fantastic location overlooking the Adriatic Sea.

The City

Join us in Croatia's second-largest city which is a harmonious mix of the buzz of modern life and rich historical surroundings. The medieval old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers great sightseeing opportunities. On the shores of the Adriatic Sea, the city's beach offers the perfect respite for a pre or post-conference dip and the city is alive with great restaurants and lively bars. What more could you want?

Programme & Schedule Overview

Sunday 19th May

13.00 - 17.00 Guided tour of Split

18.00 Drinks reception and opening dinner sponsored by LanguageCert on the pool terrace of the Radisson Blu Hotel

Monday 20th May

Venue: Radisson Blu Hotel

8.30 Registration

9.15 Welcome from Emma Hoyle and Josip Sobin

9.30 Plenary Session Empowering Educators in the Digital Age: Embracing the Quiz Nerd Mentality
- Morana Zibar

10.00 Shaping the Future: Emerging Trends and Markets in Language Education and
Student Mobility - Ivana Bartosik

10.50 Opportunities and News from LanguageCert - Henry Tolley, Global Sales Director and Lucy Horsefield, Head of UK, Ireland & Malta

11.00 Refreshments

11.30 Plenary Session Generating Solutions Together: A Group Coaching Experience - Marianna Amy Crestani

13.00 Lunch & Visit Exhibitors

Room 1

14.15 IH Mexico Think Lab - Martha Fernandez, IH Cuernavaca and Ariel Lopez, IH Mexico City

14.45 IH Sydney Training Services Moving Forward in 2024 - Tim Eckenfels and Fernando Passarelli, IH Sydney Training Services

Room 2 

14.15 The AISLi Project, Future Skills Agency - Palmina La Rosa, IH Catania

14.45 How Does Your IH School Compare to Others? How to Use Benchmark
Information to Improve Your Marketing Strategy - Jasmina Milošević

15.15 Our Digital Future: 5 Things You Need to Know - Ian Johnstone, Vice President, Partnerships, Avallain

15.25 Refreshments & visit exhibitors

15.55 Diversity and Inclusion at IHWO: An Update - Emma Hoyle and Hannah Youell, IHWO

16.05 The Wellbeing of Educational Leaders - Hannah Youell, IHWO

18.00 Sunset Boat Trip with drinks and nibbles

21.30 Free evening

Tuesday 21st May 

9.00 Cambridge Exam Centres Meeting and Update - Lead by Monica Green, IH Torres Vedras and Lisbon

9.40 Friend or Foe? Teacher Attitudes to Artificial Intelligence - Frédéric Borne Sogno, Trinity College London, Regional Director, Europe East & West

9.50 Quality Assurance for Affiliate Success: Have Your Say About the Changes and
Improvements to the IHWO Inspection Scheme - Lead by Belle Dowber-Hawkins, IHWO

10.50 Refreshments and visit exhibitors

11.20 Navigating The Future of English Learning with Generative AI: Opportunities
& Risks - Adrian Peel, GEL, GELnet Product Manager

11.30 Plenary Session Integrating AI into School Operations: Enhancing Efficiency and Engagement
- John Rogosic

13.00 Lunch and visit exhibitors

Room 1

14.15 Project Governance Practices – Better Manage Project Work In Your Language School - Patrick Creed

14.45 Enhance Transnational Collaboration Through Erasmus+ Programme - Josip Sobin, IH Split

Room 2

14.15 The Success of Our Sales and Marketing Journey - Tim Eckenfels and Fernando Passarelli, IH Sydney Training Services

14.45 Study Abroad Meeting IHWO Update and Committee Election

15.25 Refreshments and visit exhibitors

Room 1 

15.55 Green Standard Schools Study Materials - Jonathan Dykes, IH Bogotá | Medellín
| Barranquilla | Riviera Maya | Belfast

16.15 Developing Responsible Global Citizens – Curriculum Builder - Simon Harris, IH Sofia

16.35 Next Generation Placement Tests - Josip Sobin, IH Split

Room 2

15.55 Study Abroad Meeting

17.00 Charity Auction to raise money for a local charity in Split, HELP and for the IH World Foundation.

Free evening

Room 2

15.55

Wednesday 22nd

9.00 How Many Teams Does it Take to Change a Light Bulb? - Duncan Foord

9.40 Cloud, Platforms and AI – Are You Ready? - Brett Talbot, CEO, Schoolworks

9.50 IHWO Update: Enhancing Support & Expanding Horizons - IHWO Team

11.10 Refreshments and visit exhibitors

11.40 Governance & Finance

11.50 AGM
Business Meeting & Discussion
Plaques & Anniversaries

13.10 Lunch and visit exhibitors

14.25 Unlocking Business Intelligence: The Future of Computer Intelligence in
Transformative Management - Alina Gânj, IH Bucharest

14.55 Sydney 2025

15.10 Plenary SessionUnbreakable – A Story of Grit & Growth - Leela Bassi

16.10 The Mihai Laurențiu Gânj Award for Innovation

16.30 Thank yous and close

18.30 Gala Dinner at Kaštil Slanica

Thursday 23rd

Optional trip to Krka National Park & Trogir

Note that there will be an agent Study Abroad event on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th May.

Registrations are now closed, email [email protected] for more information.

Charity Auction

The Charity Auction will take place on Tuesday 21st May. We will be raising funds for a local charity in Split, HELP and the the IH World Foundation. Please bring interesting items from your town or city – we can’t wait to auction them off! 

Environmental Sustainability

We are delighted to have the opportunity to meet our friends and colleagues for this wonderful face-to-face IH Director’s conference. At the same time we can’t ignore the negative environmental impact that travelling to and gathering in Split will have.  

We will be considering various other initiatives as we prepare for the conference. As delegates, you can contribute in the following ways: 

1. If you fly, consider carbon offsetting your flight. If you live close enough, consider travelling by train.
2. Please bring your own water bottle, re-useable coffee cups and pens to eliminate disposable single-use plastic waste.

Visit the Krka National Park & Trogir

On Thursday 23rd May, there is an optional trip to visit the country's second-largest national park, Krka. We'll visit the park's most popular attraction, Skradinski buk, 17 stunning waterfalls spread out over 800 metres. Together they represent the largest travertine barrier in all of Europe and, in terms of size and power, are the most impressive waterfalls in the area.

Next, we will head to Trogir! This small, coastal town on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia is a hidden gem that is waiting to be discovered. Trogir has everything you could want in a vacation destination: a rich history, stunning architecture, delicious cuisine, beautiful beaches, friendly locals, and more.

We will depart at 9 AM and the cost is 50€ per person.

Enjoy a few photos from the 2023 Directors' Conference in London.

Thank you to our Partner

Thank you to our platinum sponsors

Thank you to our gold sponsors

Thank you to our silver sponsors