Our History

In September 2024, the Ecole Internationale de Genève will celebrate its centenary. Browse through our album showing one century of innovation, passion and commitment towards building a better world.

Our History
1924

Birth of the first international school. The school opens on 17 September 1924, with just 8 students and a rabbit. Founded by local educators and by officials of the League of Nations and International Labour Organization (ILO), the purpose of the school was – and still is – to provide an international education based on the progressive educational principles of the éducation nouvelle movement. Paul Meyhoffer is its first director.

1925

First boy boarders admitted; girls follow in 1926.

1929

The school moves to the site at La Grande Boissière, which is still in use today.

The same year, Marie-Thérèse Maurette becomes director.

1949

Mme Maurette retires after 20 years in the job. Fred Roquette becomes director, aided by Bill Oats owing to the increase in anglophone students.

1953

First Students’ United Nations (SUN) session in the International Labour Organization.

1956

Opening of the Greek Theatre, built largely by students and teachers, on the model of the theatre at Epidaurus.

1958

The school reaches 1,000 students for the first time.

1968

The new Foundation of the Ecole Internationale de Genève comes into being (first meeting of the Governing Board).

1968

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB) in English and French is largely created by Robert J. Leach and other teachers at the Ecole Internationale de Genève.

1971

Distribution of the first IB Diplomas in the Greek Theatre by Lord Mountbatten.

1974

Merger with the Lycée des Nations - Collège International de la Châtaigneraie and creation of our second campus, La Châtaigneraie.

The Foundation reaches 2,000 students for the first time.

50th anniversary celebrations.

1975

Merger with the United Nations Primary School (Pregny and Rigot sites).

1986

Princess Caroline of Monaco inaugurates Les Marronniers, the new Primary School on the campus of La Grande Boissière.

1987

Inauguration of the Pregny Extension.

1991

George Walker becomes Director General.

1994

More than 100 nationalities in the student body for the first time.

1999

A unified Secondary School comes into existence at La Grande Boissière leading to the creation of the Tronc Commun. George Walker leaves the school to become Director General of the International Baccalaureate Organization.

2001

The last boarders leave and Ecolint stops offering boarding.

2003

Nicholas Tate becomes Director General.

2004

Student assembly to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the school.

2005

Opening of our third campus, Campus des Nations – an IB World School – and subsequent closure of Mies and Rigot sites.

2008

One hundred years of education on the La Châtaigneraie site. 4,000 students enrolled in the Foundation for the first time.

2010

Ecolint welcomes its first adult student with the launch of the Post Graduate Certificate in Education (International) in association with Durham University.

2011

Nicholas Tate retires after eight years and Vicky Tuck becomes Director General.

2014

Inauguration of the Foundation’s Centre des arts at La Grande Boissière.

2014

The school pays homage to its first student, Loïs Meyhoffer, during the 90th anniversary celebrations.

The school has 139 nationalities on roll.

2014

Ecolint publishes - in conjunction with UNESCO - a set of Guiding Principles for Learning in the 21st Century.

2015

Nearly 200 Ecolint students inaugurate a sculpture at the Palais des Nations marking the 70th anniversary of the United Nations Office in Geneva.

2016

An American black walnut tree, named Alexandre in honour of its illustrious predecessor, is planted at La Grande Boissière, 40 years after its homonym was felled, in the presence of Loïs Meyhoffer, the school’s first student.

2016

Inauguration of the STEM Centre at La Grande Boissière campus in September 2016. STEM is an acronym of "Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics" and combines these different subjects through transdisciplinary projects using technology and the principles of engineering. The STEM Centre was designed in collaboration with ABCP Architecture, INITIAL and EPFL.

2017

Vicky Tuck retires after six years and David Hawley becomes Director General.

2018

Launch of the Universal Learning Programme (ULP) by La Grande Boissière and UNESCO's International Bureau of Education (IBE). This 21st century curriculum enables students to develop competences so that they are prepared to thrive in our world and act for the public good.

2021

Introduction of the Learner Passport, a way for students to show what they have achieved and present their competences to universities and employers

2023

Conrad Hughes becomes Director General after the departure of David Hawley, who decided to open a new chapter in his professional career.

And you?

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