In the heart of Lisbon’s Alcântara district, The Lisboan International School is redefining what it means to learn in the 21st century. Open since September 2025, the school combines innovation, sustainability, and global citizenship in a setting that honours Lisbon’s creative and cultural heritage.
A Living Learning Community
Within just a few months, The Lisboan’s first cohort of students has brought the campus to life. Classrooms hum with curiosity and collaboration as teachers and learners explore subjects through inquiry, discussion, and project-based learning. Each lesson is designed to connect knowledge with real-world applications, helping students understand not only what they learn, but why it matters.
The school community already includes families from over thirty nationalities, creating a daily exchange of ideas, languages, and experiences. This diversity enriches the learning environment and helps students develop open-mindedness, empathy, and respect for different perspectives.
Learning with Purpose
The Lisboan’s curriculum combines the structure of the Cambridge International Curriculum in the early years with a progression toward the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. This pathway provides both academic rigour and flexibility, supporting students to become independent, reflective learners ready for global university destinations.
Teachers act as facilitators rather than lecturers, guiding students to question, explore, and take ownership of their progress. This approach develops confidence, resilience, and a lifelong love of learning.
Education Rooted in Lisbon
The Lisboan takes pride in being both international and deeply connected to its city. Through its “City is Our Classroom” initiative, the school uses Lisbon as an extended learning environment. Partnerships with local organisations, including Clube Atlético for sports and the Agronomia Agricultural School for sustainability projects, bring lessons to life beyond the classroom.
Students learn from the city’s rich history, architecture, and innovation hubs, gaining a sense of place and purpose while building awareness of their role in the wider community.
Built on Values: The BOA Way
At the heart of school life lies the BOA principle: Belong, Own, Act, that shape how students learn, interact, and contribute. These values translate into daily actions: belonging to a community, taking ownership of one’s learning, and acting with integrity and kindness.
The Lisboan also draws inspiration from the IB learner profile, nurturing students who are inquirers, knowledgeable, caring, and principled young people who will make thoughtful, responsible decisions in an interconnected world.
Sustainability and Design with a Story
The school’s home, the historic A Napolitana building, has been thoughtfully restored into a 20,000 m² learning space that reflects both a commitment to sustainability and respect for heritage. Natural light, open classrooms, and flexible spaces encourage creativity and wellbeing.
Sustainability is embedded in the way the school operates and thinks, from the design of its facilities to the daily habits encouraged across the community. Students learn to understand their environmental impact and to lead change through everyday choices.
A Global Team of Educators
Behind The Lisboan’s approach stands a team of resolute teachers representing eleven nationalities, including the UK, Portugal, the United States, Ukraine, Iceland, Serbia, Cyprus, Spain, Italy, France, and Brazil. Their collective expertise and diverse perspectives bring richness to classroom discussions and model the global outlook the school promotes.
Made in Lisbon, Ready for the World
The Lisboan’s mission is simple: to prepare students for meaningful lives, not just successful careers. A Lisboan graduate will leave as a confident communicator, compassionate thinker, and responsible global citizen; someone who carries Lisbon’s spirit with them wherever they go.
For families seeking an education that connects academic excellence with real-world purposes, The Lisboan International School offers a new way forward: rooted in Lisbon, inspired by the world.
The Lisboan is a proud member of the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) and part of Artemis Education, a global family of schools committed to delivering innovative, values-driven education.
