Teacher Exchange

Between International College, Beirut, and other international schools

International College (IC) is one of the oldest and largest international schools in the world.  It was founded in 1891 in Smyrna, Turkey, and moved to Beirut, Lebanon, in 1936.  The College is located on two campuses housing two preschools, two elementary schools, two middle schools and a secondary school, with a total enrollment of over 3650 students.

Since its inception, International College has had the overall purpose of preparing its students for entry to leading colleges and universities in Lebanon, the United States, Europe and throughout the world.  To fulfill that purpose, IC offers the following academic programs to its students, depending on their language background, nationalities and college aspirations:

1. The International Baccalaureate Program (IB)
2. The College Preparatory Program (CPP)
3. The Lebanese Baccalaureate Program
4. The French Baccalaureate Program

All programs are offered within a common curriculum framework stemming from the IC Mission, Philosophy, and Objectives and based on an educational approach that promotes inquiry, student-centered learning, and performance-based learning and assessment.  Inquiry is stressed from the early years through the Primary Years Program (PYP) of the International Baccalaureate.

The Teacher Exchange Program

International College started a teacher exchange program several years ago to provide opportunities for its teachers to visit international schools in various parts of the world and for teachers from those schools to visit IC and also explore interesting cultural and historical sites in Lebanon.  As the list below shows, nearly 30 schools have taken part in the program over the last several years.

The teacher exchange program is the arrangement of a one-week visit whereby the sending school covers travel costs and the receiving school takes care of accommodation and meals.  The visit will usually include classroom visits, meetings with teachers, and participation in school activities.  A visiting teacher may also wish (or be invited) to address a class or an assembly on a topic of general interest.

IC usually houses visiting teachers in a school-owned apartment building close to the main campus in Ras Beirut, and IC teachers take turns in having dinner with the visitor (s) at a Beirut restaurant each evening.  Lunch is served at the school cafeteria.  One weekend day is usually set for an excursion to places like Baalbeck, Byblos, Jeita Cave, or Beiteddine Castle.

IC does not expect participating schools to offer identical services to IC visitors. Lodging at a teacher’s residence is a suitable alternative to a separate apartment or hotel accommodation. We also realize that teachers in the receiving school may be too busy to take visitors out for dinner during the week.  IC visiting teachers would, however, welcome an opportunity to tour the area or city where the school is located.

IC welcomes teachers and administrators from other schools anytime when school is in session.  Just let us know so we can make the necessary arrangements.  Our calendar is posted on this website.  As for our teachers, we try to send them on exchange visits during breaks and vacations to minimize their absence from classes. However, we would consider other times if need be.

We hope your school is interested in this exchange program.  Your teachers will probably find colleagues of all ages, with similar interests and who teach the same school subjects, at IC.  If you are interested in joining the program, please complete and return the attached form.

We look forward to hearing from you.

For further information, please contact:

Dr. Mahmud Shihab
Director
Educational Resources Center
International College
Beirut—Lebanon
P.O.Box 113-5373 Hamra
Post Code: 1107-2020
Beirut, Lebanon
Tel: + 961-1-364016
Fax: + 961-1-361448

Schools Expressing Interest in Participating in the Teacher Exchange Program with International College

Please click here to fill the application form.