A brief history of IH Barcelona

2010	A total of 33,000 local school pupils participate in the third edition of our Fonix English Competition, with a further 6,500 in the second edition in the Balearic Islands.
2009	We launch our online Spanish teacher training site FormacionELE in collaboration with three other IH schools in Spain.
2008	IH Barcelona becomes a member of EMAS, the European Union's Eco Managemanet Audit Scheme
2007	We become a Full Member of EAQUALS, The European Association for Quality Language Services. Further details of accreditation for our courses.
2007	IH Barcelona opens IH Belfast, a specialist English language school and teacher training centre and one of the first year-round quality schools to open in Northern Ireland.
2007	IH Barcelona opens IH Bogotá and starts Spanish courses in Colombia, in collaboration with IH Mexico and our Colombian partners.
2006	We launch The VIVA Group, a new brand name designed to help promote the five Spanish language schools that operate in collaboration with IH Barcelona (Barcelona, Palma, Tarragona, Playa de Carmen and Santiago de Cuba).
2005	Our new Translation Service joins the other language services we provide.
2004	IH Barcelona opens a new school in Playa del Carmen (Mexico) in collaboration with IH Mexico. IH's first Spanish courses in Cuba are started.
2002	Spanish courses in Palma de Mallorca are offered for the first time, in collaboration with IH Palma.
2001	The school takes over another three floors in the building and undergoes a major refurbishment. The first summer Spanish course for teenagers is offered in Tarragona.
1998	IH Barcelona's Spanish teacher training courses are recognised by the University of Barcelona.
1998	Net Languages is started and develops into one of the world's leading virtual language schools.
1995	The school opens an 'electronic classroom' containing computers connected to the Internet. This was almost certainly the first Internet room opened by any language school in Spain.
1994	The Ben Warren Trust is established and an annual prize for the most significant contribution to the field of language teacher education is launched.
1993	IH Barcelona becomes a DELE exam centre.
1991	The first Conference for Spanish teachers is organised by our Spanish teacher training department. This annual event becomes the largest conference for Spanish teachers in Spain.
1991	After Ben Warren's death, Jonathan Dykes takes over the management of the school.
1983	The school opens the Spanish teacher training department and offers the first practical teacher training courses for Spanish language teachers in Spain.
1982	A new department dedicated to in-company language training is started. The school expands onto a third floor.
1980	The school opens an agency dedicated to sending students on language courses abroad.
1978	The school expands onto a second floor in the same building on Calle Trafalgar.
1976	A new department dedicated to training English language teachers is opened.
1973	IH Barcelona opens its Spanish Department.
1972	International House Barcelona is established by Ben Warren. The new school occupies one floor of a building in the city centre, and its main activity is teaching English to people from the local community.