This is an exciting announcement not only because we have a new IH community school joining the network, but also because we have the first IH school in Laos! IH colleagues, join us in welcoming IH Vientiane.
School Director, Thitirat Chirathitiporn, came to the IH Director’s Conference in London in May 2023, where he experienced the benefits and values of the International House network first-hand.
The school is a collaboration between Director, Thitirat Chirathitiporn, and pillar of the IH network and CEO of IH Sydney Training Services, Tim Eckenfels. The partnership started in 2016, with the goal of setting up a new English Language school from scratch with an ambition to operate academic management with the highest standard of ESL/EFL teaching and learning in Vientiane.
“I first met Thitirat in 2014, when he began sending individuals and groups of Laos students to International House Sydney,” reflected Tim Eckenfels. “As an agent, he always joined his groups of students in Australia to ensure their safety and an overall excellent experience. I was very impressed with this dedication and professionalism. When he asked me to assist him with the creation of Classy Language School, I was most impressed with his ambition to diversify his business, and his commitment to exceptional quality and high standards, seeing an opportunity to improve language learning in Laos. Today, I could not be prouder of his success and am extremely pleased to call him my business partner, friend, and now fellow colleague in International House.”
The successful mix of Thitirat Chirathitiporn’s passion and IH Sydney Training Services’ mentorship has delivered great progress, from the school’s first week in 2016 with 24 students, it now welcomes over 500 students each year at the purpose-built campus in the heart of Vientiane.
Today, IH Vientiane offers four mainstream courses: General English, IELTS preparation, Academic English and Business English to three different age groups secondary, university, and adult students.
The school has 5 classrooms, 1 computer lab, a student common area, a counselling space, a designated office space and plans for more facilities in the near future.
Today, the school has a strong academic team of high-performance teachers who commit to years of employment based on job stability, incentives, welfare and holidays. They are proud to have a dedicated administrative team that provides excellent student and administrative support to all students and members of staff.
Their goal was always to join the IH network and with so many shared values, it makes perfect sense.
"This is a dream come true,” said Thitirat Chirathitiporn, the owner of Classy Education and IH Vientiane's Director. “A local language school in Laos is affiliated with the International House network. My team and I are delighted with this life-changing opportunity. A proud moment and such an honour for my team. We'd like to share this honourable moment with gratitude with our students, their parents, and the Lao Governmental authorities and would like to invite everyone in Laos to celebrate with IH Vientiane."
Since its inception in 2016, IH Vientiane has continued to improve and expand its course delivery and expertise in language teaching and language learning. Curriculum and syllabus development, quality of teaching and student services are the top priorities.
“We are delighted to welcome this ambitious and innovative school to the IH network,” said Emma Hoyle, Managing Director of IH World. “Their commitment to quality and drive to provide a language learning experience that goes above and beyond is nothing short of inspiring. Not only will they find much support and knowledge in the network, but we are certain they will play an important role in the network and engage with their IH colleagues around the world.”