Three Days of Connection, Business and Valencia Magic
Just days after the IH Directors’ Conference, Valencia welcomed another gathering of IH community members, this time for the IH Study Abroad Workshop 2026, held from 7th–9th May.
Bringing together a carefully selected group of leading language schools and high-performing student recruitment agents, the three-day event delivered everything a boutique workshop should: focused business, genuine connections and a setting that made every moment memorable.
Quality Over Quantity
What sets the IH Study Abroad Workshop apart is its deliberately intimate format.
Participation is by invitation only, which means everyone in the room is there for the right reasons. The result is an atmosphere that feels less like a trade fair and more like a gathering of professionals who genuinely respect each other’s work — and that makes all the difference.
Feedback from this year’s participants reflected exactly that. The calibre of both schools and agents was consistently praised, with many noting it as one of the most productive workshop formats they’d experienced in years.
Fruitful Business Meetings
At the core of the workshop was a full day of B2B sessions at The Westin hotel in Valencia.
Participants completed up to 21 pre-scheduled 20-minute meetings across morning and afternoon blocks. Networking breaks took place in The Westin’s beautiful Art Deco interior garden, giving participants space to follow up, explore new leads and simply enjoy each other’s company.
The programme also featured two industry sessions that generated discussion. Sales and networking expert Nicola Lutz of No Fluff & Study Travel delivered “The Networking Glow-Up”, a session that challenged participants to rethink how they approach professional relationship-building. GuardMe International Insurance’s Nicoletta Pinto and Jamie Gibbs presented “We Look After the Students You Send into the World”, offering a thoughtful and candid look at student protection across the network’s key markets. Both sessions were timely, practical and well-received.
Evenings to Match the Days
The social programme was every bit as impressive as the business agenda. The workshop opened with an exclusive dinner at Restaurante Contrapunto, set within the Palau de les Arts opera house, with a terrace overlooking Santiago Calatrava’s illuminated architecture. It was a spectacular way to bring everyone together on the first evening.
The highlight of the social calendar, however, was the 20th Anniversary Gala Dinner of Españolé IH Valencia on the evening of 8th May. Held within the school itself, in the heart of Valencia’s historic quarter, the evening brought together workshop participants and industry guests to celebrate two decades of outstanding language education. It was a joyful, warm and well-deserved tribute to Cristina Navarro, her team and everything they have built.
A Farewell Worth Savouring
The programme closed on the Saturday morning with a guided walk through Valencia’s modernist and historic landmarks, with interactive networking activities and team quizzes woven in along the way, a lovely reminder that the best conversations don’t always happen across a meeting table. The afternoon farewell lunch at Marina Beach Club, with traditional Valencian rice dishes and panoramic views of the Mediterranean, was a perfect final chapter.
As Emma Hoyle, Managing Director of IH World Organisation, reflected: “Valencia provided the perfect canvas for everything we set out to achieve. The quality of attendees, both schools and agents, was exceptional, and the feedback we received spoke unanimously about how productive and inspiring these three days were. When you combine the right people, the right format and the most beautiful settings, the results speak for themselves.”
It’s difficult to say it better than that. Congratulations to everyone who attended, presented and contributed to making this year’s workshop such a success. We can’t wait to see what next year brings.
