MAYOR OF LISBON CARLOS MOEDAS VISITED OUR SCHOOL

By the end of 2027, the Education Hub is expected to make a meaningful contribution to the social and economic life of Lisbon, Portugal, and Europe.

United Lisbon International school as part of Duke’s Education is well underway to building a truly unique, state-of-the-art Education Hub: a world-class learning village in the heart of Lisbon, designed to foster lifelong learning. It will be a place where young people come together to share ideas, collaborate, develop a global mindset, and become proactive, visionary, and forward-thinking citizens.

The event opened with a stunning piano recital performed by one of our students, followed by a vocal showcase by the Senior Choir and inspiring speeches from Chitra Stern, the Mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas, and ULIS Executive Director, Martin Harris.

Some inspiring moments from the speeches included:

“The greatest people I’ve met in the world come from the intersection of arts and sciences.”— Carlos Moedas, Mayor of Lisbon

“The way you approach education, built on strong pillars like global citizenship, reflects what Lisbon is about and what your school stands for.”— Carlos Moedas, Mayor of Lisbon“

“ULIS is only five years old, yet we are already making our mark. The socio-economic impact that the Education Hub and ULIS will have on generations to come is huge.”— Chitra Stern

This month, we organized a very special activity for Grade 1 to launch our new topic Live and Let Live!

To help students relate to the idea of nurturing and respecting living beings, we had the pleasure of welcoming a surprise guest in our first lesson- a trained therapy dog, brought in by the school psychologist.

Both Grade 1 classes were grouped together and introduced to our “surprise visitor” after being instructed to abide by some important rules; that they were not to raise their voices, that they were to remain seated and that they should always ask for permission before trying to touch or stroke the animal. Upon the dog´s arrival, students were told to observe her carefully and to complete a minor assignment, namely, to sketch the dog and note down adjectives describing what they observed about the animal. They were then invited to approach her, in small groups, and gently stroke or pet her, not without first asking permission. They were able to appreciate how, by maintaining a harmonious and respectful attitude towards the animal, made them feel safe.

This activity was a meaningful way to introduce our topic to our students and help them understand the importance of harmony, compassion and showing respect for animals by means of a real-life and memorable experience.

This month, our joint U13 team from SCP Academy and ULIS played another match in the Sporting Academies Friendly League, which concluded in an exciting 5–5 draw. The team battled until the end and managed to score the equaliser in the dying minutes, with a counter-attack after the goal keeper managed to stop a penalty.

The Girls Varsity Volleyball team also took part in a tournament at CAISL (Carlucci American International School) and won the Fair Play award, showing outstanding sportsmanship.

Our students also participated in a table tennis tournament, held at Francisco Arruda School, which was highly enjoyable.

The month concluded with a school basketball Interhouse competition, where we their was participation of players from different houses. More interhouse competitions to come!

The IB Diploma Programme is known for being academically rigorous and for encouraging students to think critically, manage their time effectively, and make connections across different subjects. In our school, we currently have over 100 IB students. This week we were enlightened by their insights and experience at ULIS. We were lucky to interview some of our students, Saanvi Rathi and Vera Sousa Palma, gave their feedback on the programme and their future perspectives.

Tell us a little about your subject choices in the IB?

Saanvi, I would describe myself as more of a Maths person, but I also really enjoy history, which is why I chose it as one of my Higher-Level subjects. I like working with numbers and problem-solving, but I also enjoy understanding how the world has developed through historical events.

Why did you choose the IB programme?

Saanvi, I chose the IB program because I felt it was one of the most rigorous and advanced programme’s available for students who want to go to university. I believed that by doing the IB, I would have better opportunities and be more prepared for top universities. Another major factor was the philosophy behind the IB; the idea that you can explore subjects you’re genuinely interested in while also developing critical thinking and research skills.

Looking back, what would you have done differently before starting the IB?

Saanvi, If I’m honest, I don’t think I was as prepared as I could have been. I wish I had organized my time better and developed a consistent study routine earlier on. Time management is extremely important in the IB. At the beginning, I didn’t really do much because I didn’t fully understand how demanding the program would be. Looking ahead, that’s definitely something I would change.

What has been your favorite subject, and which one has been the most engaging?

Saanvi, My favorite subject is definitely history. The courses are very well designed, and they really encourage you to think critically and analyze different perspectives. I also really enjoy Maths and consider it important as it interrelates with many other different subjects.

Has the IB influenced your university choices?

Saanvi, Yes, definitely. Based on my subjects, I applied mainly for math-related and interdisciplinary courses. The IB helped me realize what I’m good at and what I actually enjoy studying, which made my university decisions much clearer.

Vera, you joined our school last September and you’re applying to study Politics and International Relations. How has the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) changed the way you see the world?

Vera, TOK is probably my least favorite subject. I dislike the whole conceptual thinking, and I don’t enjoy philosophy that much. However, even though I´m not a big fan, I think it’s very necessary, especially for our cross-curricular work, like what we do throughout the day and particularly in our Internal Assessments.

In what ways do you think TOK is useful for your other subjects?

Vera, I think TOK encourages us to reflect on the purpose of what we are learning and on how knowledge itself is produced and justified. It encourages us to reflect on our biases, our perspectives, and how our background influences the way we understand information. When it comes to subjects like history and languages in particular, it’s really important to be aware of these biases, because they affect how we interpret events, texts, and even data.

Overall, how would you describe the value of TOK within the IB programme?

Vera, Even though I´m not that keen on it, I think it’s very valuable. It changes the way you think, not just in school but also in real life. It teaches you to question information, think critically, and not just accept things at face value, which is a big part of what the IB is about.

Keep and eye out for the next Newsletter 13th February