International Newcastle is delighted to announce the appointment of Dimitra Boutsioukis as our new Chief Executive Officer, effective from 1 July 2026.
Dimitra will succeed our current CEO, Declan Baharini, whose leadership, commitment and passion have played an important role in strengthening our organisation and expanding our impact across the city, region and internationally. As an organisation dedicated to fostering international understanding, championing language learning and celebrating cultural diversity, we are excited about this next chapter and the opportunities ahead.
Over the coming months, Declan will work closely with Dimitra, our Board, partners and supporters to ensure a smooth transition and continue building meaningful international connections and creating opportunities for communities across Newcastle and the North East.
Professor Jon Reast
Chair of International Newcastle
We are delighted to appoint Dimitra as the next CEO of International Newcastle. She brings a strong commitment to international collaboration and cultural understanding, as well as significant partnership experience, alongside a clear vision for the future of the organisation.
On behalf of the Board, I would also like to thank Declan Baharini for her outstanding leadership and dedication, which have helped strengthen International Newcastle’s profile and impact across the region and beyond.
Dimitra Boutsioukis
Chief Executive Officer, International Newcastle (from 1st July 2026)
I am incredibly honoured to step into the role of CEO at International Newcastle. In an increasingly interconnected world, fostering global connections, championing language learning and celebrating diversity is more crucial than ever.
I am excited to build on the fantastic work of the current CEO and to work with the Board, our dedicated partners and the wider community to further develop international connections and opportunities for the city and region.
About our new CEO
Dimitra brings extensive experience in international education, strategic leadership and partnership development, with a strong track record of expanding global opportunities for young people.
- In her role as Head of Global Opportunities at Newcastle University, she helped build one of the UK’s largest and most accessible international mobility programmes, leading the strategic development and delivery of initiatives including Erasmus+ and the UK Turing Scheme.
- She managed complex operational and digital projects, oversaw budgets of up to £2 million and secured significant funding to widen participation in international experiences, particularly for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- Under her leadership, Newcastle University received the 2024 PIEoneer Award for Study Abroad and Exchange Experience of the Year in recognition of its innovative and inclusive approach to global education.
Alongside her expertise in international mobility, Dimitra has significant experience in stakeholder engagement, governance and partnership management at both local and global levels.
- She worked collaboratively across 19 Schools and multiple professional service teams, chaired cross-institutional working groups and developed strong governance structures to support strategic delivery.
- Dimitra managed Newcastle University’s global exchange network of more than 250 partner institutions worldwide and has worked closely with embassies, ministries, education agents and international organisations.
- She has led large-scale engagement events
- She has presented at international conferences and developed communications, marketing and outreach initiatives.
- Her leadership style combines strategic thinking, collaboration and a strong personal commitment to widening access to international opportunities and strengthening global connections within the North East community.
Dimitra is also tri-lingual – speaking German, Greek and English fluently.
Ours is an organisation with reach, reputation and purpose
International Newcastle (IN) has spent more than a decade building a powerful partnership framework that supports schools to promote language learning, intercultural understanding and international links. Working across Newcastle and the wider North East — and with national and international partners — the organisation helps children and young people become confident global citizens, particularly those from disadvantaged and under-represented backgrounds.
International Newcastle’s Chief Executive Officer provides strategic leadership, operational delivery and partnership coordination alongside by a highly engaged multi-stakeholder Board.
Our flagship initiatives, Newcastle City of Languages and Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages, are recognised nationally as exemplars:
- The first of its kind and now a leading City of Languages, IN leads Newcastle City of Languages, supporting language teaching and learning in Newcastle and sharing good practice with colleagues from cities around the UK. More cities have joined what is now a national Cities of Languages movement – including: London, Portsmouth, Coventry, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield, Aberdeen, Nottingham and hoping to join soon, Birmingham
- Our 6th annual Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages in 2026 reached 440 schools and 115,000 children and young people, supported by over 50 local, national and international partners delivering free activities, events and resources from 6th January to 31st March 2026 – this is the biggest festival of its kind in the UK and Europe!
- Working with Newcastle City Council (School Effectiveness), we have helped raise over £2.2m from 5 rounds of the UK Turing Scheme to enable 2000 children and young people from Newcastle schools have life-changing visits abroad and the 2026 results (we have supported over £500,000’s worth of schools’ applications) are due in June.