Cultural and Linguistic Exchange
From the final week of Term 2 and into Term 3, IGS welcomed 38 exchange students from Europe and Asia as part of our Global Learning Program. Students from France, Italy, Spain, Germany and Japan joined us, with arrival dates spanning from Friday 20 June to Monday 21 July.
During their stay, students have been participating in a series of enriching excursions and activities designed to deepen their understanding of Australian culture and enhance their language immersion. These include visits to various iconic landmarks across Sydney and across our IGS campuses:
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Taronga Zoo
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The Retreat and Kangaroo Valley
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Sydney University
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Aboriginal rock painting site
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The Australian Museum
- Paddy’s Market and Manly
- Drama workshops and English classes
These visits provide our students with immersive learning experiences that build global perspectives and lifelong friendships.
Thank you to all staff for welcoming these students into your classes and to host families for supporting this unique opportunity for cultural and linguistic exchange.
Chinese Immersion Days
On Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 July, IGS welcomed the Australia-China Education Group along with 21 primary students from Years 4 and 5, and four accompanying teachers from Nanjing Phoenix Garden City Primary School in China for a two-day cultural and educational exchange.
The visit included a warm welcome session and guided campus tour, as well as classroom immersion experiences where the students joined their IGS peers to gain first-hand insight into Australian education and classroom life.
Principal Shauna Colnan, Sarah Herbert Deputy Principal Junior School, Regine Berghofer Director of Languages and Shuyi Wu Assistant Head of High School Languages met with the group for a friendly and engaging conversation. The visiting students expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to experience daily life at an Australian school.
It was a memorable experience for all involved, strengthening ties between our schools and cultures. Thank you to everyone involved!
Year 3 Practises LANGUAGE the Fun Way
Year 3 German class was visited by the 3 German exchange students. They set up a market stall, where the exchange students pretended to be the sellers at the German food stall on International Day. The Year 3 students were coming up to them and having small talks, practising ordering what food or drinks they would like to have at the event. While the Year 3 Italian meet Italian exchange students. They were divided into groups and exchanged information about countries while speaking Italian, and at the end, they shared what they learned with classmates.
Great learning experience and lots of fun for all!
Osaka International High School visits IGS
Mr Carl Arvidson Head of International Exchange at Osaka International High School (OIHS) visited IGS on 23 July, reconnecting with the students who had previously participated in our Junior and Senior Japan exchange programs. The students recalled their experiences studying and staying with host families in Osaka, enjoying the opportunity to catch up with Mr Arvidson.
During his visit, he toured the IGS campuses and held a brief meeting with Japanese students who are preparing to travel to OIHS in January 2026. He was warmly welcomed by Deputy Principal Academic Thom Marchbank, Director of Languages Regine Berghofer and High School Japanese Language Teacher Hiroko Yamaguchi. Together, they engaged in a meaningful discussion about future exchange plans and strengthening the partnership between the schools.
