Our Global Community
International Houses Worldwide is a consortium of 16 International Houses that are separate, independent, nonprofit institutions which span four continents and are united by one mission: To provide students of different nationalities and diverse cultures with the opportunity to live and learn together in a community of mutual respect, understanding, and international friendship.
This mission is achieved by daily interaction among our resident members through programs, facilities, and community life designed to foster diversity of thought and experience. This dynamic flow of ideas elevates our communities as places where students and scholars from around the world can all share discoveries, approaches, and points of view. Through this experience, our students learn about other cultures; at the same time they also learn to transcend cultures and to appreciate their common humanity. It is this shared experience that prepares our students to meet the challenges of a global world.
For over a century, we have attracted the best and brightest students and scholars from across the globe. International Houses Worldwide alumni are equipped with the skills to think critically and creatively and have made many contributions to a broad range of fields and society. As they shape our world, International House alumni share pride in an extraordinary tradition of community, excellence, and global leadership. From Nobel laureates and business and education leaders, CEOs and attorneys general, literary and film giants, winemakers, and history-makers, International House alumni carry on the tradition of using their experience to make a difference in the world.
“I took advantage of the International House mentor program and had lunch with the great Shelby Cullom Davis who introduced me to the world of finance. He said ‘Young man, I think you ought to go into finance.’ And it truly redirected my career. So I owe all of that to International House.”
—James Gorman ’87, Chairman and CEO, Morgan Stanley
(International House New York alumnus)
The role and mission of International Houses Worldwide are more important than ever: to make their greatest possible impact in the international marketplace of ideas, students and scholars must be engaged with ideas and approaches from around the world. I-House helps them do that, while also contributing to the intellectual and cultural fabric of the communities in which we are located.
International House New York Centennial Celebration
Beginning September 14-15, 2024, International House New York celebrated its centennial with a weekend-long program of performances, special guest speakers, and a centennial Sunday Supper. The centennial weekend will provide an opportunity for current resident members and alumni and friends to connect and celebrate the history of the first International House and to envision the next 100 years together.
Celebrating 60 Years of International Students House London (ISH)
ISH celebrated its 60th anniversary on June 11, 2025, with a special gala including remarks by Lord Nick Bourne (Chair of the ISH Board) and Alice Lewthwaite (great granddaughter of Harry and Florence Edmonds – the founders of the I-House idea).
On the occasion, Anne, Princess Royal wrote:
“As Patron of International Students House (ISH), many congratulations to the Governors, staff, residents and alumni on the 60th Anniversary of the opening of the Great Portland Street Building. I always enjoy my visits to the House, which is a fine example of how the world should be, with young people from many different countries and cultures living and learning together in harmony. In the words of the former Patron, my grandmother Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, on the 10th Anniversary of the House: “Long may the members of ISH set an example to the world in mutual respect and understanding.”
2025 marks the 70th Birthday of I-House Japan Building
2025 marks the 70th anniversary of the I-House building, which opened on June 11, 1955. It is the only piece of architecture jointly designed by the three giants of Japanese modernism: Kunio Maekawa, Junzo Sakakura, and Junzo Yoshimura. See footage of the 1955 opening ceremony.
A story of friendship, diplomacy, and International House’s role in shaping U.S.-Japan relations, John and Shige: The Quiet Builders explores the bond between John D. Rockefeller III and Shigeharu Matsumoto and the founding of I-House. Watch the film here and join the virtual panel discussion where experts reflect on its themes and the institution’s postwar impact.