Meet Stuart McMillan, Teacher Training Co-ordinator at CES Centre of English Studies, Dublin
As part of our ongoing blog series, we are delighted to introduce more of the dedicated teams behind our accredited training centres in Dublin, Cork, and Galway. These interviews offer an insight into the people, expertise, and teaching approaches that make Ireland such a popular destination for Erasmus+ teacher training and professional development.
In this interview, we are pleased to introduce Stuart McMillan, Teacher Training Co-ordinator at the Centre of English Studies (CES) in Dublin. CES is one of Ireland’s most established and respected English language schools, with a long-standing reputation for academic excellence and teacher development. Located in the heart of Dublin, CES offers modern facilities, experienced teaching staff, and a wide range of programmes for international students and education professionals.
Under Stuart’s leadership, CES delivers high-quality teacher training and Erasmus+ professional development courses, supporting educators from across Europe who wish to improve their English language skills, explore innovative teaching methodologies, and exchange best practice in an international learning environment.
In the following interview, Stuart shares insights into his role, the approach to teacher training at CES, and what participants can expect when joining a professional development programme in Dublin.
How long has your centre been hosting Erasmus+ participants, and what experience do you bring to international education?
CES has been hosting Erasmus+ participants since near the conception of the programme. With more than 40 years of experience, CES is a market leader in language learning and teacher training. Throughout the year, we deliver a large number of Cambridge accredited CELTA courses, as well as providing training to our many overseas teachers. Our Erasmus+ teacher training courses are led by the same highly experienced core group of trainers who deliver these CELTA courses. This ensures that participants benefit from trainers with an expertise in methodology along with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities teachers may face in their different classroom settings.
What range of Erasmus+ courses and training programmes does your centre offer, and how do they meet the needs of today’s educators?
At CES, we offer a range of Erasmus+ courses and training programmes that have been designed for the modern classroom. Our courses cover areas such as CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning), Mindfulness, Methodology, 21st Century Teaching Skills, and Blended Learning, ensuring that participants gain practical strategies for today’s educational challenges.
Each course is tailored to the needs of the participants. Through our needs analysis and ongoing feedback from our participants, we are able to adapt content. This ensures that every participant leaves their course and take the next step with being able to apply what they have learned into their working situation.
By combining contemporary teaching approaches with a focus on personal and professional development, our Erasmus+ programmes provide a meaningful and impactful learning experience.
What kind of support do you provide before, during, and after the course to make participants feel at home?
From the moment that our participants register, our team is on hand to provide support with logistics, travel advice and accommodation options so as to make the journey and stay in Ireland as smooth as possible. Through the needs analysis that is sent to each participant, we are able to tailor our courses to suit their individual requirements.
Throughout the course, our trainers are on hand to respond and adapt our sessions to meet the needs as they arise, ensuring that every participant gains maximum benefit. In addition, all participants are given access to our Google Classroom which we regularly update with new resources and activities to extend learning beyond the course.
We also recognise the importance of ongoing collaboration which is why we are always happy to connect with schools and institutions through webinars, providing further training opportunities and continued professional support after the course has finished.
What makes your training centre special as an Erasmus+ destination?
With its rich history, CES combines professional and experiences training with the warmth and friendliness of a family-run organisation. The combination of academic excellence, cultural immersion and support helps to make CES a superb Erasmus+ partner.
Why do you think Ireland is such a powerful place for Erasmus+ professional development?
As an English speaking country, Ireland is a unique setting for language learning and teacher development for Erasmus+ participants. Ireland combines a rich cultural heritage with a forward looking and innovative spirit. Known as a destination for its friendly people and its hospitality, Ireland and the Irish can offer a welcoming environment where everyone and anyone can feel at ease and open to new ideas.
Not only is it a great location for professional development in the classroom, but it is a wonderful place to engage with local culture and be able to explore some of the stunning landscape that the country can offer.
Such a background can help to create an ideal location for reflection and collaboration with other Erasmus+ participants.
What cultural or social activities can participants enjoy during their stay with you?
For our training courses, all participants are given the opportunity to take part in our engaging sessions on Irish Culture. These take place twice a week in the afternoon for five hours and they are a fantastic way to learn more about Ireland and the Irish. Find out about the Irish language, explore Irish history, discover information about myths and legends.
Not only do we have these sessions, but we also have an extensive social programme. Participants are able to join afternoon activities like a guided tour of Dublin (or Cork) and organised trips to galleries, museums and other points of interest. We also organise several weekend excursions to such wonderful locations like Kilkenny, Glendalough, and Belfast.
How would you describe the cultural vibe of your city, and what activities or traditions should participants not miss?
For such a small city, Dublin boasts a wide range of fantastic places to visit. It is a vibrant and welcoming city that is famous for its hospitality. From lively traditional pubs, where you can enjoy the craic agus ceol (fun and music), to its historic landmarks and museums, there is something for everyone to discover.
CES Dublin is located in the city centre which makes it ideal to explore everything that the city has to offer. We are just a few minutes from Temple Bar, the cultural and nightlife hub of the city, as well as the shopping areas of Grafton Street, the National History Museum and the National Art Gallery, all just a 10-minute walk away from our school.
We are also a short bus / tram ride away from the Guiness Storehouse and Phoenix Park (the largest urban park in Europe). Dublin is perfectly placed for short afternoon excursions: take the train northwards to the charming fishing village of Howth where you can eat delicious seafood or go on the wonderful cliff walks. Dublin’s location is also ideal for weekend day trips such as a visit to the monastic site of Glendalough or the prehistoric wonder of Newgrange.
The atmosphere is friendly and inclusive, making it easy for visitors to feel at home while experiencing authentic local culture.
In what ways does your centre encourage Erasmus+ participants from across Europe to connect and collaborate with each other?
With participants coming from such a wide range of countries, it is a great way to build friendships and working partnerships. Here at CES we encourage collaboration through peer feedback and networking activities which are built into our courses.
Sharing experiences is a key component of an Erasmus+ programme and we encourage participants to exchanges ideas and reflect on their learning together. This helps one to explore differences from both their working and cultural experiences – perspectives that can help to strength both personal and professional connections.
Next up … read about Dublin as an Erasmus+ KA1 Staff Mobility Destination in our blog “Top Ten Things to Do in Dublin: A Guide for Educators on Erasmus Mobility Programmes“.