In May 2025, our team at the European Montessori College was delighted to attend the Montessori Europe Congress in Oslo, right in our home city. This year’s gathering brought together passionate educators, researchers, and advocates from across Europe and beyond to explore the future of Montessori education in a changing world. The conference was aptly titled: Montessori – Out of the Box

We were proud to represent our training college in several ways throughout the weekend:

🎤 Keynote Speaker: our founder Clare Healy Walls delivered a keynote address exploring Montessori Core Principles — reflecting on how core Montessori principles should be at the centre of everything we as Montessorians do. Clare received a standing ovation at the end and she herself felt this address was the culmination of her life’s work (she has been studying Montessori for over 50 years). Her full presentation and notes can be accessed here.

Research Presentation: Our college director, Sarah Kennedy-Berge, and Jordi Freixnet from the University of Girona presented their research on Montessori and Technology at the research day on the Friday of the conference. It was very well received.

🧠 Workshop Presenters:

• Sarah and Jordi also presented two interactive workshops on Montessori in the Digital Age. Sarah’s book, Montessori in the digital Age, was in great demand at the conference and it can be purchased here.
• Aleksandra Zarosa, our college coordinator and one of the trainers, did a special Walk & Talk Workshop where she guided congress participants in a walk through the Vigeland Sculpture Park while she discussed Montessori Out of the Box in successful inclusion of children with various needs.
• Our Swedish team Kajsa Olsson Falk and Ronny Lyseggen also did a ‘Walk and Talk’ presentation around Oslo showcasing it’s beautiful buildings through the lens of the conference theme ’Out of the Box’.

These sessions were booked out and sparked rich conversations and practical sharing among participants.

🤝 Conference Stand: We welcomed visitors from all over Europe at our stand, where we shared details about our international training programmes, including our new onboarding course for Montessori school staff and our recent partnership with Sarasota University. Our books from Clare Healy Walls and Sarah Kennedy-Berge were a great success, and we sold out of almost all our copies. It was a joy to meet past students, connect with colleagues, and forge new relationships.

New Name: We also launched our new college name at the conference. After many years as waterpark Montessori we changed our name to European Montessori College to reflect how we as a college are growing and developing. It was well received by all and we look forward to the future as European Montessori College.

A Weekend of Connection and Inspiration

Throughout the Congress, we were struck by the sense of shared purpose and commitment that unites Montessorians everywhere. From keynote addresses to hallway conversations, the weekend offered reminders of why this work matters — and how much we can learn from each other.

A highlight for our team was hearing Clare speak on to a packed room. Her topic appeared to deeply resonated with the audience and reflects our belief in education that supports the whole child and honours local cultural contexts.

Our Ongoing Commitment

Attending Montessori Europe 2025 reminded us that while Montessori education is over a century old, it remains ever-relevant — especially when we work together across borders to adapt, innovate, and support one another.

As a training college, we are committed to offering accessible, internationally relevant programmes that prepare educators to bring Montessori principles into diverse schools and communities. Events like this inspire and inform our work every day.

Let’s Stay Connected

We want to thank everyone who visited our stand, joined our sessions, or shared a conversation with us in Oslo. If you’d like to learn more about our courses or connect with our team, you’re warmly invited to reach out. Our conatct details are available on our website: www.europeanmontessoricollege.com

Together, we move forward — grounded in Montessori values, guided by collaboration, and inspired by the children we serve.

We are looking forward to the Congress next year in Latvia. See you all there!

Photo credits to Steff van Niekerk (@by_ember_ on Insta!).