The Greek English language teaching community gathered on Friday, 26 June, for the 7th ELT Excellence Awards, recognising outstanding achievement, innovation and leadership across the profession. The ceremony brought together educators, school owners, publishers, academic organisations and industry partners to celebrate the individuals and institutions shaping the future of English language education in Greece and Cyprus.
This year’s awards showcased the breadth of excellence across the sector, with 88 finalists selected from hundreds of submissions spanning teaching, leadership, innovation, wellbeing, inclusion, technology and community engagement. Their projects reflected the diversity of today’s ELT profession, highlighting initiatives that have delivered measurable impact for learners, teachers and schools alike.
One of the evening’s most significant moments was the presentation of the Honorary Award to Tessy Ojo CBE, recognising her outstanding contribution to education, leadership and social impact. Tessy Ojo CBE, Chief Executive of The Diana Award, is an internationally recognised leader in youth development and education. Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2020 for her services to children and young people, she has transformed The Diana Award into a global organisation operating in more than 40 countries, championing youth leadership, wellbeing and social action.
The ceremony also recognised two of the profession’s highest honours.
The title of School of the Year was awarded to Epikoinonia School, acknowledging its sustained commitment to educational quality, innovation and student-centred learning. The award recognises institutions that demonstrate excellence not only in academic outcomes but also in leadership, organisational culture and their wider contribution to the ELT community.
The prestigious Educator of the Year award was presented to Dr Xenia Tsolaki Metaxa of Cyprus, in recognition of her exceptional contribution to English language education. Her work has earned widespread respect within the profession for its academic quality, educational leadership and lasting impact on teachers and learners.
Throughout the evening, awards were presented across a wide range of categories covering every aspect of modern English language education. Entries were evaluated against four equally weighted criteria: vision, implementation, methodology and impact, with independent judging panels assessing evidence of innovation, effectiveness and measurable outcomes. This framework continues to distinguish the ELT Excellence Awards by placing equal emphasis on educational thinking and demonstrable results.
Beyond recognising winners, the ceremony highlighted a profession that continues to evolve. Many of this year’s shortlisted projects explored themes such as artificial intelligence, learner wellbeing, inclusive education, teacher professional development and digital transformation, reflecting the changing priorities of language schools and educators across the region.
Now in its seventh consecutive year, the ELT Excellence Awards have established themselves as one of the leading celebrations of excellence in English language teaching in Southeast Europe. What began as an initiative to recognise outstanding practice has developed into a benchmark for quality, encouraging schools and educators to document, evaluate and share effective practice with the wider profession.
The awards also serve as a reminder that innovation in education is not confined to new technologies. Across this year’s finalists, many of the most compelling projects combined strong pedagogy with thoughtful leadership, collaboration and a clear focus on improving learners’ experiences.
The complete list of winners across all categories is available on the ELT Excellence Awards website: https://eltexcellenceawards.gr/past-winners/
