Professor Koutsogiannis is a renowned scholar in educational linguistics and a professor at the Department of Linguistics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. His work focuses on digital literacies, discourse analysis, and the teaching of Greek as a first and second language.

For the second consecutive year, we had the honour of welcoming Professor Koutsogiannis to Paralimni Lyceum. His visit, co-organized with the Cyprus Ministry of Education and the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute, involved guiding teachers from across Cyprus through workshops and roundtable discussions centered on critical literacies and digital communication in education. The sessions encouraged open dialogue and reflection, with participants exploring the role of education in shaping critical, informed citizens.

Notably, students from our school also participated in the workshops of the first day, offering their own experiences and constructive feedback on classroom practices, which added depth and perspective to the professional conversations.

Professor Chatzidaki, a specialist in multilingualism and sociolinguistics, is a faculty member at the University of Crete and a long-standing contributor to European projects on language and inclusion. Her research promotes inclusive education for students from migrant and minority backgrounds, and she is widely recognized for her work on linguistic diversity in schools.

During her Erasmus+-funded visit, organized in collaboration with the Cyprus Ministry of Education and the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute, Professor Chatzidaki led a series of workshops and facilitated roundtable conversations that brought together educators from across the island. Her sessions focused on inclusive practices in linguistically diverse classrooms and intercultural dialogue in education.

Students were also invited to participate in selected sessions, sharing personal stories and reflections that informed the discussions. This interaction underscored the importance of learner voice in developing meaningful and inclusive teaching strategies.

Nicola McNab is a teacher trainer and academic manager with international experience across Europe and Latin America. She holds a Master’s in Applied Linguistics from King’s College London, is Cambridge DELTA certified, and is completing her PhD in Applied Linguistics and Language Teaching.

Nicola was invited independently by Paralimni Lyceum through Erasmus+ support. She delivered a two-day, 10-hour workshop on Project-Based Learning, Gamification, and Unplugged Approaches, encouraging teachers to explore new ways of designing lessons using collaborative and game-based methods. The training emphasized creativity, low-resource strategies (DOGME), and practical classroom application.

Earlier in the school year, Nicola had also offered a free online webinar titled “Let’s Be Real: Authenticity in the Language Classroom”, which was open to all English teachers across Cyprus. The session attracted participation from colleagues at multiple schools and provided an opportunity to explore practical approaches to meaningful, student-centered learning. Her ongoing support and generous sharing of expertise have greatly benefited both our staff and the wider teaching community.

Hosting these three experts through the Erasmus+ Programme during the 2024–2025 academic year has meaningfully enriched the professional culture of our school. Their contributions—whether through national-level workshops, school-based training sessions, or interactive discussions with teachers and students—offered valuable insights into inclusive education, multilingualism, digital literacy, and creative teaching methodologies.

This experience has strengthened our ties with both the Cyprus Ministry of Education and the Pedagogical Institute, while also expanding our international network of collaborators. Above all, it has empowered our educators to reflect, innovate, and grow, aligning closely with Paralimni Lyceum’s commitment to fostering a holistic, inclusive, and forward-looking educational environment.

We warmly thank the Cyprus Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth and the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute for their collaboration and support in making two of the expert visits possible. Special thanks also go to the Erasmus+ team of Paralimni Lyceum, whose vision and coordination brought this initiative to life.

Thanks to our school’s Erasmus+ accreditation, we were able to design and implement a staff development plan that included high-level training and meaningful dialogue with educational experts. We are deeply grateful to all three invited experts for their time, energy, and expertise, which have left a lasting impact on our teaching community.