ECIS Conference – EUROPEAN AZERBAIJAN SCHOOL

the ECIS HUB IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN AZERBAIJAN SCHOOL AND ECIS TO FOSTER TEACHER AND LEADERSHIP PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE REGION

ECIS Leadership Conference, 12-13 December 2025

Opening Ceremony

The ECIS Leadership Conference officially kicked off with a dynamic Opening Ceremony, setting the tone for two engaging days of collaboration, innovation, and leadership in international education.

The ceremony opened with keynote remarks from Francesco Banchini, CEO of the European Azerbaijan School and Chairman of the Caucasus and Central Asia Association of IB World Schools, Kam Chohan, Executive Director at ECIS – The Educational Collaborative for International Schools, and Dina Khalaf, IB Development and Recognition Manager at AEM. Their insights highlighted the power of global partnerships, visionary leadership, and a shared commitment to advancing high-quality international education across regions.

The Opening Ceremony was followed by a networking session, offering participants a valuable opportunity to connect, share experiences, and establish meaningful professional relationships within the international education community.

We also acknowledge Faria Education Group as an ECIS Conference sponsor, and thank them for their participation and support throughout the event.

The ECIS Leadership Conference promises two days filled with inspiration, collaboration, and forward-thinking dialogue — creating a strong foundation for lasting impact and continued growth in international education.

Elizabeth Sutherland

On the second day of the Leadership Conference, participants engaged in several insightful sessions led by experienced professionals from ECIS, focusing on leadership, innovation, and future-ready education.

One of the highlighted sessions was delivered by Elizabeth Sutherland, Learning Continuum Director at the International School of Paris, titled “Transforming Classrooms: Cultivating Cultures of Thinking in Action.” The session provided educators with practical frameworks and tools for creating dynamic learning environments where deep inquiry, critical reflection, and intellectual risk-taking are the norm.

Helen Morgan

One of the highlighted sessions was delivered by Helen Morgan, Head of Leadership Development and Learning at ECIS, titled “Managing and Embracing Conflict.” The session offered practical strategies for leaders to navigate difficult situations, encouraging them to view conflict not as a barrier, but as a crucial opportunity for growth and stronger organizational unity.

Nancy Squicciarini

One of the highlighted sessions was delivered by Nancy Squicciarini, Head of Middle Leadership at ECIS, titled “Facilitative Leadership in Action: Equipping Leaders to Elevate Collective Wisdom.” The session explored practical techniques for leaders to guide groups toward better decisions and innovative solutions by effectively harnessing the diverse knowledge and perspectives of their entire team.

Rebecca Tickell

One of the highlighted sessions was delivered by Rebecca Tickell, Educator, Researcher and Leadership Coach, titled “Coaching: The Path to People Excellence.” The session demonstrated how effective coaching techniques can empower staff, unlock individual potential, and drive a culture of continuous improvement and high performance within educational institutions.

Richard Parker

One of the highlighted sessions was delivered by Richard Parker, Head of the International School of London and Chair of the ECIS Board of Trustees, titled “Leadership Wellbeing.” The session provided crucial strategies and resources for school leaders to prioritize their own health and mental resilience, ensuring they can sustain effective leadership and navigate the demanding educational landscape.

Rita Bateson

One of the highlighted sessions was delivered by Rita Bateson, Director of Education and Co-Founder of Eblana Learning, titled “AI Governance: What Exactly Should School Leaders Understand About AI Today — and What Can They Safely Ignore?” The session encouraged thoughtful dialogue on responsible AI use and strategic decision-making for today’s school leaders.

To meet the evolving learning needs of our world and ensure that every learner can succeed and thrive, schools must prioritize the continuous professional growth of educators. Research consistently shows that school leaders and teachers must regularly develop new skills, knowledge, and mindsets to respond effectively to the changing demands of education and society.

We will through this partnership host two annual face to face events and 3 online workshops every year!

ECIS Membership

ECIS is a vibrant network of thoughtful doers and change-makers. Our membership represents 425+ schools at every level of education, and 50,000+ passionate educators and leaders in over 100 countries on six continents.

Learn more about the superb benefits for international schools: www.ecis.org/school

Free Resources

Child Protection Resources for Parents

International Taskforce for Child Protection

Humanising Pedagogy

International School Anti-Discrimination Taskforce

Bespoke Training

Elevate your school’s potential through our bespoke training designed for teachers, leaders, and associate staff in international or internationally minded schools. Whether face-to-face or online, our dynamic workshops, led by expert facilitators go beyond the ordinary.

Every bespoke piece of work begins with a conversation to understand your context. With a commitment to building strong relationships, we deliver customized training solutions, not silver bullets. Our partnership for growth approach enables us to listen so that we can design and deliver training that meets the unique needs of your school, group or organisation. These sessions are versatile, and agile, and they can be delivered to any group size.

See the courses here: https://ecis.org/bespoke-training

To find out more about our bespoke training offer, contact helen@ecis.org for a consultation meeting.

Middle Leader Certificate

PLUS: As part of ECIS Membership for 2025-2026: One free online Middle Leader Certificate course. Visit www.ecis.org/school to learn more.

Middle Leaders are the change agents of a school; they work with teachers to ensure great learning happens. Effective professional learning builds on the competencies of Middle Leaders to support their roles and responsibilities within the context of their schools.

These programmes are sustained and multidimensional to meet the array of needs of a Middle Leader. ECIS proudly provides a variety of courses designed to enhance the leadership abilities of Middle Leaders. To earn the Middle Leader Certificate, participants complete four courses that can be delivered either on-site or virtually. These sessions are aimed at building the capacity of middle leaders and supporting a sustainable, ongoing professional learning journey.

See the full 2025-2026 calendar and learn more about all the courses and facilitators.

Commitment and Child Protection Training

Child protection courses offered by ECIS in partnership with ICMEC are a foundation for many schools around the globe.

Register FREE for Many Events

Learn more about what’s coming up at ECIS over the next few months.

ECIS Insightful Magazine

ECIS is always interested to hear from educators. Visit Insightful to learn more about how you can share your ideas and experiences with the world.

ECIS Azerbaijan 7-8 June, 2025

opening ceremony

The opening ceremony of the ECIS Empowering Educators Conference marked a historic moment, as Azerbaijan hosted ECIS for the very first time. A strong spirit of collaboration and inspiration filled the room as educators, school leaders, and international guests came together to launch two days of meaningful dialogue and professional learning.

Mr. Francesco Banchini, CEO and Director of the European Azerbaijan School, officially welcomed all participants and expressed his gratitude to the educational leaders who have supported the vision of bringing the ECIS community to Azerbaijan. In his remarks, he acknowledged the valuable contributions of key institutions who helped unite this powerful network of educators—including ADA Primary School, Hadaf Education Group, the “Dünya” School Complex, SABAH School, Oxbridge Academy, and Evrika Lyceum.

He emphasized the importance of international collaboration in transforming education and creating impactful professional development opportunities for teachers and school leaders across the region.

The ceremony continued with beautiful and heartfelt performances by students from the European Azerbaijan School, showcasing their talents and setting an inspiring tone for the conference ahead.

kam chohan

Kam Chohan, Executive Director of ECIS, delivered a truly inspiring and insightful opening speech at the start of the ECIS Empowering Educators Conference in Azerbaijan. Her words set a powerful tone for the days ahead—reminding us of the importance of uplifting educators and strengthening international collaboration.

In her message, she highlighted the partnership with the European Azerbaijan School in bringing ECIS to the region, and how this collaboration is creating valuable opportunities for professional development, connection, and growth among educators, school leaders, and institutions.

A meaningful step forward for education in Azerbaijan—together, we empower.

Nancy lhoest-squicciarini

With decades of experience in international education, Nancy Lhoest-Squicciarini, Head of the ECIS Middle Leader Certificate, brought her deep expertise to the ECIS Empowering Educators Conference as the facilitator of the Building and Leading Teams workshop.

Over two days, participants explored the foundations of high-performing teams, learned how to foster collaboration around student learning, and gained practical tools to lead with purpose—earning the ECIS Middle Leader Certificate upon completion. A transformative session for educators stepping into leadership with clarity and confidence.

helen morgan

Helen Morgan, Head of Leadership Development and Learning at ECIS, brought her rich expertise in coaching and leadership to the ECIS Empowering Educators Conference.

In her workshop, Coaching as the Path to People Excellence, participants explored how coaching can drive sustainable growth, build resilience, and unlock the full potential of their teams. With practical tools and powerful strategies, Helen equipped leaders to embed a coaching mindset—leading with empathy, clarity, and purpose.

rita bateson

Rita Bateson, Director of Education at Eblana Learning and a leading voice in IB curriculum development, joined the ECIS Empowering Educators Conference with her session The Teaching and Learning Express.

Focusing on practical strategies to elevate student agency, Rita guided participants through research-informed techniques to embed thinking, communication, and self-regulation skills across the IB continuum. Educators left equipped to turn theory into action—earning credits toward the ECIS Teaching and Pedagogy Certificate along the way.

keryn dowling

Keryn Dowling, experienced international school leader and ECIS consultant, led a highly practical session titled The Assessment Express at the ECIS Empowering Educators Conference.

Focused on transforming assessment into a tool for growth, the workshop offered educators strategies to implement authentic assessment and Assessment for Learning (AfL) practices across the IB continuum. From clarifying success criteria to using feedback for impact, participants left with actionable tools—and credits toward the ECIS Teaching and Pedagogy Certificate.

Elizabeth sutherland

Elizabeth Sutherland, Director of Learning and Strategic Development at the International School of Paris, facilitated the workshop Coaching as the Path to People Excellence.

Drawing on her extensive experience in strategic leadership and international education, Elizabeth guided participants through key coaching techniques designed to enhance communication, empower teams, and build resilient school cultures. Attendees left with practical tools to lead with empathy, strengthen team dynamics, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.