Two former directors of International House Dublin have acquired a 50% stake in Future Learning (FL) Ireland, a Dublin-based English language summer school focused on integrating technology into classroom practice and lessons.
Karen Nolan and and Larry Finnegan, founder and former-CEO of IH Dublin, will take a ‘hands-on’ approach as investors in FL’s expansion strategy.
“With Future Learning, we intend to do the same only better and with more emphasis on being relevant to current student needs”
“Larry and Karen are obviously well known figures within the EFL sector and both will be active in our marketing and quality control issues,” School Director David Ganly and former IH Dublin Centre Manager told The PIE News.
“Their experience will allow us to make the correct decisions and open us to some exciting new markets which we are currently exploring.”
Founded last year, FL currently hosts around 70 students on campus but Ganly anticipates enrolments will triple by next year under plans to introduce year-round mini group stays for juniors, set up academic year programmes with Irish secondary schools and offer teacher training.
According to Finnegan, FL’s “technology enhanced” approach to learning that includes paperless lessons, 1:1 tablet devices and app development and web design modules makes it “unique” in the ESL sector.
He added that FL caters to the students’ “increased expectations on the use of daily technologies both inside and outside the classroom”.
Between them, Nolan and Finnegan have around 40 years of experience in the EFL industry. After merging their companies in 2000 under the IH Dublin brand offering year-round and summer programmes, they reached an annual turnover of €5m before selling to Independent Colleges last year.
Finnegan is confident the new venture will surpass his previous success at IH. “With Future Learning, we intend to do the same only better and with more emphasis on being relevant to current student needs,” Finnegan promised.
