International House World (IH World) is proud to announce the launch of the Mihai Laurențiu Gânj Award for Digital Innovation, an initiative designed to recognise and celebrate excellence in digital innovation within the language education sector. This award, named in honour of the late Mihai Gânj, the former Director of International House Bucharest, aims to inspire International House affiliates to embrace innovative, dynamic solutions that transform language education and school management.

Fostering a Culture of Innovation

IH World is committed to creating an environment that encourages its affiliates to innovate, adapt, and push the boundaries of what’s possible in language education. Earlier this year, the organisation introduced the IH Innovation Advisor role, appointing Shaun Wilden to spearhead efforts in identifying and promoting digital learning innovations across the IH network.

“Innovation is at the heart of IH World’s values,” said Emma Hoyle, Managing Director of IH World. “This award celebrates the creative and forward-thinking approaches our schools bring to language education. By highlighting outstanding initiatives, we hope to inspire even more schools to push the boundaries and continue setting new standards in our industry. We are proud of the network’s commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and we look forward to seeing the transformative projects that this award highlights.”

About the Mihai Laurențiu Gânj Award for Digital Innovation

The award honours the memory of Mihai Gânj, who was deeply passionate about exploring new ways to manage his school and enhance the learning experience. In his honour, the annual award will recognise outstanding digital innovations in two key categories:

• Digital Innovation in Language Teaching: This category celebrates groundbreaking digital tools or technologies that transform language teaching. It focuses on innovations that create more engaging, interactive, and personalised learning experiences, going beyond simply replacing traditional methods.
• Digital Innovation in Language School Management: This category recognises innovations that significantly improve school management processes. Eligible projects could include improvements in student enrolment, scheduling, administrative tasks, communication, or financial management.

Applications are now open to International House Members for the inaugural 2025 Mihai Laurențiu Gânj Award for Digital Innovation. IH World encourages all members of its network to participate and share their innovative projects, which will help shape the future of language education.

Application Deadline: 1st December 2024