IH Istanbul Joins the IH Network – A New Home for Teacher Training in Turkey and Beyond
We’re very excited to welcome IH Istanbul to the International House family!
Many of you will already be familiar with Yigit Alp, Director of IH Izmir, who has been part of the network since 2012. Yigit and his team have successfully built IH Izmir into a respected Teacher Training Centre, offering both CELTA and Delta courses. With increasing demand for teacher training across the region, Yigit has now expanded operations into Turkey’s biggest city – and IH Istanbul is born.
“By supporting educators and improving teaching standards, IH Istanbul is set to make a lasting impact on English language education both nationally and internationally,” said Emma Hoyle, Managing Director of IH World Organisation. “We are delighted to have this ambitious new centre joining our network, especially as we have seen Yigit work his magic with IH Izmir.”
A Centre for Teacher Training Excellence
At its core, IH Istanbul is a Teacher Training Centre, offering CELTA and DELTA to teachers across Turkey and the wider region. Like IH Izmir, the new centre sits between being a community school and a study abroad destination. While it will primarily serve local professionals, many of the CELTA and Delta candidates will come from MENA, Eastern Europe, and Asia, thanks to Istanbul’s excellent connectivity and accessibility.
The aim? To support teachers at every stage of their professional journey – from new trainees to experienced educators – with high-quality, internationally recognised training. The team will also be offering a suite of online teacher development courses, covering everything from classroom management and observation skills to specialised topics like teaching Young Learners, Business English, or IELTS.
This is great news for IH schools – particularly those in regions with growing demand for CELTA and Delta, or those looking for new training partnerships.
Why Istanbul?
With nearly 20 million residents, Istanbul is a natural hub for teacher training. The city has seen a surge in English-speaking professionals, many from the Middle East, who are now working in Turkish colleges, universities, and language schools. These teachers are looking for internationally recognised qualifications – and IH Istanbul is well-positioned to meet that demand.
Turkey’s visa-free entry and smooth international payment options make it a practical destination for candidates, and Istanbul’s rich cultural heritage and international outlook make it a compelling place to study and work.
What This Means for the IH Network
IH Istanbul strengthens our network in multiple ways:
- They’ll represent IH on the global stage, especially through collaborations and outreach in MENA and Eastern Europe.
- They bring extensive marketing and recruitment experience in key teacher training regions – expertise we can all learn from.
- The new centre offers potential partnerships for IH schools looking to support their staff with training or send teachers for CELTA or Delta courses.
Down the line, IH Istanbul plans to launch General English courses, becoming a dual-focus centre for both teacher training and language education.
Here’s what Yigit had to say about the new centre:
“At IH Istanbul, our goal is to create a centre of excellence that not only equips teachers with internationally recognised qualifications, but also fosters a strong professional network. Being part of the International House community means we can give our trainees access to the very best training and support, while contributing to IH’s global reputation for excellence.”
We’re proud to have IH Istanbul in the network and excited to see what they’ll achieve in the years ahead.
You can learn more about IH Istanbul here. If you’d like to connect directly with Yigit to discuss collaboration or course availability, please let us know.