Learn from international chefs on 100 pleats
Culinary travel may be out of question now due to the pandemic, but you can have an interactive live culinary experience while learning from the world’s best chefs on the new 100 pleats platform.
Resilience in troubled times
New York Times has launched a new series on resilience in troubled times — what we can learn about it from history and personal experiences – and you shouldn’t miss it.
Should you wear a mask when exercising?
Wearing a mask during exercise reduces the risk that we will infect someone else with the novel coronavirus if we unwittingly carry the disease. But wearing a mask also affects how the exercise affects us, according to exercise scientists who have begun to look into the effects of covering your face while working out.
Live Well Gastro Experience – corn
This week Live Well Gastro Experience program is sharing with us recipes and interesting facts about the origin and nutritional properties of corn – a healthy source of carbohydrates and fiber.
Live Well Gastro Experience – olive oil
This week Live Well Gastro Experience program is sharing with us recipes and interesting facts about the origin and nutritional properties of quinoa – a healthy source of high-quality vegetable protein.
Self-criticism and being demanding with one’s self
It is scientifically proven that self-criticism, perfectionism, and self-demandingness play an important role in the occurrence and maintenance of mental disorders such as anxiety, mood, and eating disorders. Don’t miss this new article by IEU Mentoring and Counseling and SINEWS and useful tips on reducing self-demandingness and self-criticism.
If you want to be happy, learn to think
If we are to interpret the current context virtuously, critical thinking is fundamental, says Borja Santos, Executive Director at IE School of Public and Global Affairs and professor of practice of International Development and Public Policy. According to him, in this journey and fight against COVID-19, our critical thinking will face many challenges and obstacles. Read on to find out four of them that are critical during lockdown.
Live Well Gastro Experience – olive oil
This week Live Well Gastro Experience program is sharing with us interesting facts about the origin and nutritional properties of olive oil - one of the key ingredients in the Mediterranean diet and an intangible cultural heritage of humankind - as well as some tasty recipes.
The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos
You might think you know what it takes to lead a happier life… more money, a better job, or Instagram-worthy vacations. You’re dead wrong. Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos found that many of us do the exact opposite of what will truly make our lives better. Laurie will take you through the latest scientific research and share some surprising and inspiring stories that will change the way you think about happiness.
Find more meaning in your life
During positive and negative life events, you can choose what you focus on and how you engage in the experience. VIA Institute of Character’s newly released Topics section on Meaning has curated resources and articles to help you find more meaning in your life and see every opportunity as a chance for growth.
Try an IEU Yoga Class at home today!
Our wonderful IEU Yoga Instructor, Ana Paula Bermejo, has shifted from teaching our undergraduates in-person to online. The classes are good for all levels and include an initial breathing/meditation practice to still your mind and connect to your body. Now you can try one of her online sessions, created exclusively for IE. One new class will be added each week until the end of June.
Mindfulness tips to increase productivity
During hectic times at work or in your studies, boosting productivity can help you reduce stress while also making sure you work more effectively. But productivity isn’t as simple as forcing yourself to spend hours hammering away at a particular set of tasks. Adopting a mindful approach to work and study is a great way to make the most of your time and set yourself up for meaningful productivity.
Have fun in the kitchen with your kids
Have some fun with the kids in the kitchen – they'll be more inclined to eat what they've helped to prepare. BBC Good Food has a lot of ideas to keep your family happy and healthy, including toddler recipes, advice on smoothies and fun activities for kids.
How behavioral science can help you shape habits during quarantine
First-year students of IE University’s Bachelor in Behavior and Social Sciences have been tasked with an assignment designed to lift spirits and morale during the COVID-19 health crisis. Read on to discover their tips on how to overcome the challenges of the global pandemic.
Soothing podcasts to bring calm
The podcast industry has responded to the coronavirus crisis with a lot of ingenuity. A number of new shows have launched specifically to help in these troubling times, while other longer-running podcasts have released special episodes addressing our current state of collective anxiety. Of course, there are plenty of other podcasts which never mention the c-word, and are perfect for an hour or two of distraction. Here are a few suggestions by Independent.
Keeping up kids’ mental health during coronavirus
How can we help our children during this time of change and uncertainty? Here’s what mental health professionals and parenting experts have to say about what they’ve been seeing and how we, as parents, can help.
Sustainability and COVID-19
How has the global lockdown resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic impacted climate change and the environment? Read this new article by Isabela del Alcázar, BSc, MSc and PhD, Global Head of Sustainability at IE University, to find out.
Yoga for vulnerability
Join yoga teacher Adriene for this 35-minute loving and powerful grounding yoga session. This special at-home practice is anchored in an invitation to focus on the rise and fall. Through this structure we will lean in and use the tools of asana, breath, and science to welcome a sense of peacefulness and ease for both mind and body.
Live Well Gastro Experience – milk
Did you know India is the largest milk producer in the world? This week Live Well Gastro Experience program is sharing with us interesting facts about the origin and nutritional properties of milk, as well as some tasty recipes.
Stay physically active during quarantine
WHO recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week, or a combination of both. These recommendations can still be achieved even at home, with no special equipment and with limited space. The following are some tips on how to stay active and reduce sedentary behaviour while at home in quarantine.
12 ways to cope with coronavirus anxiety
Psychologists say feeling worried and anxious is normal in a crisis like this, but it can be managed. To cope, limit your media exposure to the issue, do your part in helping control the virus's spread, reach out to others, and follow these other expert tips.
The reason Zoom calls drain your energy
Video chat is helping us stay employed and connected. But what makes it so tiring - and how can we reduce ‘Zoom fatigue’? What, exactly, is tiring us out?
Learn to cook with Ferran Adriá
Have you ever imagined learning to cook with Ferran Adría, one of the world’s most famous chefs? Now you have a chance to do it! Join him on Twitter every day at 11:30 AM and get started!
Live Well Gastro Experience – coffee
Rafael Ansón, President of Real Academia de Gastronomía, has shared with us his Live Well Gastro Experience program that invites us to fully experience gastronomy: enjoy flavors, smells, colors, touch and taste of a variety of easily available foods, and to improve our knowledge of nutritional properties and cooking methods. We’ll start with something very necessary during the lockdown - coffee!
Why walking matters
We all know that a satisfying stroll changes our outlook. Perhaps we realize it all the more today, when so many of us are hunkered down and this simple activity is a challenge. But walking is especially important now, with gyms and team sports shut down.
Genius ideas for a home garden
Watch this 5-Minute Craft video for great and simple ideas on how to grow a home garden. Learn to grow different plants without an effort!
Lonely lockdown diary
Aahuti Sejpal, IE Master in Management alumna, has shared with us her “Lonely Lockdown Diary”, where she talks about her experience with spending the lockdown alone and what she has learned from it. “I learned new skills, built new relations, re-connected with the existing ones and have understood the meaning of solidarity”, says Aahuti.
Technology, and how to moderate its use during quarantine
After a month in quarantine, we can easily find ourselves saturated with the use of technological devices. We are fortunate to have all these tools at our fingertips, but we must limit their use to make room to rest, spend time with ourselves, meditate, cook, or read mindfully. IEU Mentoring and Counseling and SINEWS Multilingual Therapy Institute suggest us some tips on how to do it.
#COVIBOOK: Supporting and reassuring children
Psychologist Manuela Molina has created this beautiful book to support and reassure our children, under the age of 7, regarding the COVID-19. This book is an invitation for families to discuss the full range of emotions arising from the current situation.
Spending the quarantine alone
Due to the current coronavirus crisis, we have been mandated to be on a prolonged quarantine to ensure our health and the safety of those around us. Due to this, we no longer have access to our support network in the same way we did before. IEU Mentoring and Counseling and SINEWS Multilingual Therapy Institute suggest resources that could help maintain your psychological wellbeing during the isolation period.
IEU Stork: Coping with stress and its effects
Our IEU Students from Stork advise us on coping with stress: be aware of what stress is, how it is affecting us, and what we can do to deal with it. They also offer us strategies that help minimize stress and its negative consequences.
Virtual cooking class with Nonna
We know that most of you can’t make it to Italy these days, but you can still take these 2 hour online LIVE pasta cooking classes with Nonna Nerina in the comfort of your own home!
Maintaining a healthy mind during quarantine
Being at home for long periods can be challenging for some people. Most of us have never experienced a situation like this before. Therefore, IEU Mentoring and Counseling encourages us to take into consideration some aspects that will help us to maintain a healthy mind during the quarantine.
How to manage anxiety and grief during coronavirus
Therapist Julia Samuel, who specialises in grief, says that exercise, treats and keeping plans short-term all have a role to play – as does swearing! Recommended by Kerry Parke, Associate Director of Communications, IE.
Balancing exercise and screen time for kids
As parent, it's important to balance the amount of exercise and screen time your kid has every day. Common Sense Media offers you a marathon of running, jumping, and, most importantly, dancing!
How to make your food last longer
While we’re all trying to make the most of what we have at home, Kate from Cookie and Cate food blog has decided to share share her best tips on how to preserve your ingredients. She offers a few useful tips that you can carry into easier times.
Identifying and calming emotional hunger in times of quarantine
The current situation of self-quarantine is challenging, and one of the essential routines that it has affected is, without a doubt, our eating habits. IEU Mentoring and Counseling shares with us some tips on how to identify and calm emotional hunger in times of quarantine.
Rationing but relishing with Hungry Hungry Hippie
As Elise, who runs this site, puts it, it has been many things in the past – but today it’s a place for her to share allergy-friendly recipes, quick and easy family meals, and whatever else she happens to capture on film.
How to talk to your kids about coronavirus
“When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting and less scary.” Talking to children about coronavirus situation is not easy. PBS KIDS has put together some tips thay may help.
Don’t deny your inner power
Mario Alonso Puig, President of IE Center for Health, Wellbeing and Happiness teaches us how to accept the circumstances without denying your “inner power” and how to build resilience.
A lesson from the astronauts
Can't handle two weeks in your house? Try a year in space. In this article, five astronauts give advice on how to survive isolation. If they can survive months if not years aboard the International Space Station, you can survive a couple of weeks locked up in your apartment!
Cooking classes for kids and parents
Each weekday at 6 PM Delish.com editorial director, Joanna Saltz and her kids, go live on Instagram to share cook-along videos for parents and children.
Happiness Resilience Booster by Tania Romero, Manager of Data Analytics at IE
“March 20th was the International Day of Happiness and I attended Tal Ben Shahar's Webinar “Resilience Boosters, Starting with ABC”. Once I finished it I realized I have been practicing his recommendations even before the crisis. I truly believe this is what is helping me to better deal with the lockdown. I have decided to share my notes as I think they could help others build resilience during this unique moment we are living.” - Tania
Free coaching with leadership coach Pino Bethencourt
IE professor and leadership coach Pino Bethencourt is providing free coaching over skype to help people take advantage of confinement. Her approach "Embrace The Wild!" shows clients how to better manage stress, anxiety and other emotions in order to improve their relaxation, learn more about themselves and improve their leadership skills. Get in touch with Pino for details.
IE Dance Club invites us to keep dancing even at home
IE Dance Club is sharing with us some tips on how to keep dancing at home despite the situation we are facing. GET DANCE is a a Youtube channel that offers many different tutorials of various styles of dance for every level. Check it out and keep dancing!
Easy recipes to cook while you’re self-quarantined
You and your loved ones still need to eat in uncertain times, and the act of preparing and serving a meal — even a simple one — can bring great comfort to the cook as well as to the diner. The New York Times brings you some simple dishes that can be made mostly with what you have on hand.
Stream 6 hours of soothing music
NPR Music’s "Isle of Calm" is there to help settle your jangled nerves, slow your heart rate and string up a little hammock for your soul. Recommended by Kerry Parke, Associate Director of Communications, IE
Coping with stress, fear and anxiety
Ten Percent Happier have put together this wonderful list of meditations, podcasts, blog posts, and talks that will help you build resilience and find some calm amidst the chaos.
Nothing can stop us if we are together
Mario Alonso Puig, President of IE Center for Health, Wellbeing and Happiness encourages us to take a new perspective on the challenges we are facing and become conscious of our inner resources. It’s time to work together with our community.
Live fitness sessions with Reto48
Our regular partner Reto48 gym is supporting our alumni and entrepreneurs by offering live fitness sessions with trainers on their Instagram feed every day at 8 AM, 2 PM and 6:30 PM.
7 tips on how to make the most of our quarantine
Carlota Guedes, IE’s 3rd year student in Communication at IE School of Human Sciences and Technology, invites us to keep our bodies and minds active in her podcast. Don't let the quarantine seclude you!
Why not cook something new every day?
If you need ideas for what to cook next, have a look at this collection of more than 17,000 recipes from The New York Times, featuring beautiful photography, and easy-to-follow instructions.
Staying active during lockdown
Looking for ways to stay active and engaged during the lockdown? Down Dog, a popular fitness service, has made all of its apps — Yoga, Yoga for Beginners, HIIT, Barre, and 7 Minute Workout — free until April 1.
Yoga for kids
Struggling to find ways for your kids to stay active at home? Cosmic Kids Yoga channel will motivate them to get up and move, while learning some yoga.
Solitaired
We took the all-time favorite Solitaire game FreeCell, and breathed new life into it with fun designs, like this one featuring mindfulness prompts to help you center your thoughts.
How to make your tech last longer
In a pandemic-induced recession, it’s more important than ever to take care of our smartphones and other gadgets. If we put a small amount of time into caring for our gadgets, they can last indefinitely. We’d also be doing the world a favor. By elongating the life of our gadgets, we put more use into the energy, materials and human labor invested in creating the product.
FT Summer Books 2020
FT writers and critics have chosen their favourites of the year — from politics, economics and history to art and food. Novels too.
Improve your Zoom skills
Use this 80 min free course offered by LinkedIn to learn how to schedule, moderate, and participate in meetings using Zoom, the popular video conferencing tool.
Staying sharp in times of adversity
Strong leaders know how to recover quickly from adversity by controlling their response to situations instead of just reacting emotionally. Amélie de Marsily gives us some tips on how we can control our response in different situations in order to stay focused and rational.
Grounded with Louis Theroux
Stuck at home, Louis is using the lockdown to track down some high-profile people he's been longing to talk to - from all walks of life and on both sides of the Atlantic. Recommended by Kerry Parke, Associate Director of Communications, IE
Practical tools for emotional regulation
Rocío Fernández Cosme, IE University clinical counselor shares with us practical tools she discovered through Dialectical Behavioural Therapy that could be used independently by each of us to help with our self-regulation.
IE Library recommends: eBiblio
IE Library recommends a great free database for electronic books - eBiblio. eBiblio is a loan service for electronic books, which the libraries and public reading services located in the Community of Madrid, Segovia and other regions of Spain make available to their residents.
Learn about yourself, beautiful business, and the world
From Ask-Me-Anythings, conversations, masterclasses, social experiments, to dispatches from Davos, House of Beautiful Business invites you to attend or host an online session as part of a curated program featuring special guests. Click here to check their upcoming Living Room Sessions.
Free access to HBR Ascend online learning platform
HBR Ascend is an online learning platform with useful career growth & soft skills development content, knowledge pills authored by thought leaders for young professionals. IE Library offers us free access to the platform until the end of June.
Beyond Resilience
Santiago Íñiguez, the Executive President of IE University, shares with the IE Community a few recommendations that might help in maintaining and strengthening our resilience along the lines of mens sana in corpore sano for the many difficult weeks ahead of us.
Shaping Business Minds Through Arts with IE alum Nir Hindi
We often think about art as an object – a painting, a song, a movie, a sculpture, or a play. But what if we learned art is a mindset? In this podcast that is being launched today, Nir Hindi, IE alum and founder of The Artian, is exploring how artists think, why art can influence business, what innovators and business leaders can learn from artists, and much more.
Learn storytelling with Pixar
Pixar and Khan Academy has teamed up to offer a free online storytelling course. Thanks to a partnership with online learning site Khan Academy, anyone with an interest in improving their storytelling skills and an internet connection can learn the basics of the craft from the experts.
New York Times events live at home
Make the most of your time indoors. Better understand the world outside. Experience New York Times events, live at home. New York Times live events bring The Times’s journalism to life through summits, festivals, conversations, performances and more.
Expert tips for running effective virtual meetings
As teams around the world have transitioned to fully remote-work, many have had to completely rethink their meeting practices. To help make this reset easier for teams still navigating the transition, Asana asked their customers and community for their favorite strategies, tips, and advice on running effective virtual meetings. Here’s what they had to say.
Communicating with Attendees During COVID-19
Transparent communication is imperative during any time of uncertainty. With so much unknown, it’s important to be sensitive to the worries and anticipated questions of your attendees. Whether your event is cancelled, postponed, or going ahead as planned, attendees will need to know the status so they can plan accordingly.
The power of the weak ties
Can quick, informal check-ins provide a means to satisfy our need for social connection without turning socializing into a chore during this emotionally exhausting time? Recommended by Kerry Parke, Associate Director of Communications, IE
How small business leaders can step up
IE Business School professor Michael C. Wenderoth writes that "The face of the economic disaster linked to the coronavirus is human – and it belongs to the people who are self-employed or run small businesses to make ends meet." Recommended by Kerry Parke, Associate Director of Communications, IE
Free access to Perlego online library for IE Community
Perlego is a subscription-based online library that provides fully unlimited and simultaneous access to more than 300,000 academic and professional business books from renowned publishers. In order to support IE during the period of school closure, Perlego is offering all students and faculty unrestricted access to its platform for 4 weeks. To access the offer sign up with your IE email and the code D2DBE2.
What coronavirus can teach us about hope
When a storm subsides, the air is washed clean of whatever particulate matter has been obscuring the view, and you can often see farther and more sharply than at any other time. When this storm clears, we may, as do people who have survived a serious illness or accident, see where we were and where we should go in a new light. Recommended by Kerry Parke, Associate Director of Communications, IE
Hosting a successful online event
Online events are great because they often give the audience direct access to the speakers. This builds trust with attendees and boosts your credibility as a thought leader. From strategy to planning, marketing, hosting, and presenting, follow these 30 essential tips and tricks by online eveng giant Eventbrite to help you create an incredible virtual event.
Unwritten rules of conference calls
Just as there are unwritten rules for email and meetings, threre are guidelines for business phone calls and conference calls that everyone should follow. Here’s to more productive (and less annoying) calls forevermore!
Best sustainability books in 2020
BookAuthority identifies and rates the best books in the world, based on public mentions, recommendations, ratings and sentiment. Here’s their list of top 19 best new sustainability books to read in 2020.
Unleash the writer within
NoRedInk builds stronger writers through interest-based curriculum, adaptive exercises, and actionable data. In light of COVID-19, they’ve expanded their free offering through the rest of the school year. Support your students with hundreds of free writing and grammar exercises for grades 5-12.
Online classes: a professor’s perspective
Jessie Brechin is the Marketing and Business Development Director at VeraContent, and Branded Content professor at IEU Bachelor in Communication and Digital Media. In this blog post, she shares with us her insights about teaching online, and where she sees virtual classes heading in the future.
Lessons in constructive solitude from Thoreau
Thoreau has spent more than two years in self-isolation. It’s a condition many of us are experiencing during the present pandemic moment. And we can learn a lot from what Thoreau created from it: constructive solitude. Recommended by Kerry Park, Associate Director of Communications, IE
Handy tips for running better remote meetings
Whether you’re meeting with colleagues who are working from home that day, or with clients located half a world away, running a productive and effective remote meeting can be a challenge. The Muse comes to help with 12 handy tips.
Will the pandemic forever transform how we live?
Simon Kuper shares with us his catalogue of utopian dreams, a list of changes that have actually happened, should last, will save time or money and can mitigate horrors such as carbon emissions, loneliness and homelessness. Recommended by Kerry Park, Associate Director of Communications, IE.
Why you should start a coronavirus diary
People tend to think that some random person’s daily journal isn’t as important as an exchange of letters between two politicians, but you never know what impact it may have. Recommended by Iona de Macedo, Academic Director for Bachelor in Communication and Digital Media, IE University.
Science experiments at home
Check out Science Fun’s Kidzone for a great selection of ideas for science experiments you can do at home with your little ones. Have fun with creating volcanoes, water fireworks, crystal candies, and more!
Free online events and activities for kids at home
For many parents who are practicing social distancing with their kids at home, finding ways to break up the day and give kids a sense of routine has been a real challenge. One of the silver linings is that authors, artists, musicians, and creators of educational tools are stepping up to offer free lessons, tours, and concerts that you can check out from the safety of your home.
Daily lockdown Puzzlers
Please accept these simple Puzzlers as a relief from the chaos and solitude, if only for a few minutes. Call it a mental health break. An intellectual cup of coffee, perhaps. Or just an artist in quarantine trying to help in any way he can.
Women in Media Arts
Through various initiatives, Ars Electronica attempts to increase the visibility of women working in media art in the public consciousness and to focus on role models for girls and women. This motivation has given rise to Women in Media Arts – a comprehensive database devoted specifically to women in media art. Users are invited to contribute articles on women artists.
Tips on running an effective online session
Getting people to pay attention or effectively engage during a virtual session is as difficult as teaching a 5-year-old. You have to set up the right environment for them to engage and succeed. Here are a few useful tips.
Now Play This at Home
Now Play This, a festival of experimental game design running at Somerset House in London, has packed its digital bags and will be coming to your home for a free weekend of play, creativity and experimentation for all ages to enjoy.
How stuff works
How Stuff Works is an amazing platform that explains thousands of topics, ranging from the flu to black holes to conspiracy theories, with video and illustrations so you can learn how everything works. And not only for children!
Free certified online courses by IE on Coursera
IE, in partnership with Coursera, is offering all IE students full access to its 36 online courses and 7 specializations that include areas such as Marketing, Branding, Economics, Critical Thinking, Retail, Law and many others. Log in with your Business School ID (@student.ie.edu) to create your Coursera account.
Resources for faculty teaching online
Teaching online is new for a lot of faculty members and can be challenging. LinkedIn has come to help and offers a set of free hands-on courses that are available to all LinkedIn members.
At-Home Resources for Kids (and their grownups)
To help support learning at home, KiwiCo is sharing activities, resources, and ideas over the next few weeks, including daily DYI ideas, downloadable STEAM projects to keep your kids learning, and useful tips to navigate the new normal.
Learn about art with MoMa
Immerse yourself in ideas and see your world in new ways through art. In MoMA’s free courses, you will hear directly from artists and designers, look closely at works in our collection and exhibitions, and join a community of learners unlike any other.
Train your brain
Sharpen the skills you use every day. Memory. Attention. Flexibility. Processing Speed. Problem Solving. Lumosity targets the skills that matter to you most.
Best ways to study from home
There are heaps of benefits to being able to study remotely. You get to wake up a little later, save money on transport, and hang out in your pajamas all day. However, it’s easy to get off track with so many distractions. Don’t dread! We’ve come up with a few tried-and-tested tips to help you stay focused and get the most out of remote learning.
Taking your conference online
Considering taking the event or conference you have been planning online, given the current situation? Brianna Beehler and Devin Griffiths from Inside Higher Ed recently had firsthand experience doing so and provide advice for others considering that option.
Explore the planet from your couch
With the world as it is right now, we can’t be out on expedition, exploring the planet. Linkblad Expeditions are bringing you the ‘tonic of wildness’ from the world’s pristine places. Don’t miss out—check their program daily!
Read national and international press through IE Library
IE Library offers Premium access to the most relevant national and international press, including Financial Times, The Economist, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The New York Times, Washington Post, among others. The latest news is just a click away!
Your coronavirus reading list
From Terry Pratchett’s Discworld to Robert Macfarlane’s nature rambles, here are just some recommeded reads for when things get tough, brought to you by readers of The Guardian.
History, art, culture, and the sciences through inquiry and analysis
The Smithsonian Learning Lab puts the treasures of the world's largest museum, education, and research complex within reach. The Lab is a free, interactive platform for discovering millions of authentic digital resources, creating content with online tools, and sharing in the Smithsonian's expansive community of knowledge and learning.
IE Library offers free access to Entrepreneur magazine
To help us cope with the lockdown, IE Library has acquired a subscription to Entrepreneur magazine, a fun, inspiring, and informative resource for those who are launching their businesses or own startups and small businesses. Log in with your IE username and password and follow the instructions to have access.
Should companies invest in reading?
Recent research in neuroscience suggests that reading literary fiction helps people develop empathy, theory of mind, and critical thinking. Recommended by Kerry Parke, Associate Director of Communications, IE
Brain Pickings: an inventory of the meaningful life
Brain pickings is an inventory of the meaningful life. Every week for more than 13 years, American-Bulgarian Maria Popova features her writing on books, ideas from the arts, philosophy, culture, and other subjects. Delve in and get inspired!
Free language lessons for kids with Busuu
Busuu, the world’s largest community for language learning, founded by an IE International MBA alumni, Bernhard Niesner, is providing kids with access to free live language lessons, taught by their qualified language teachers.

BEAUTIFUL MOMENTS

Do Think Share
Whether you’re looking for things to do at home, in your workplace, school, care home or local café, there’s something in this platform to inspire you. Dive into the Creative Activities section and take a look.
Resilience in troubled times
New York Times has launched a new series on resilience in troubled times — what we can learn about it from history and personal experiences – and you shouldn’t miss it.
What coronavirus sounds like
There may be a song in our hearts and music we feel in our bones. In fact, the tunes are at the cellular level. Scientists are translating genes into melodies, by creating a musical scale based on the amino acids of proteins generated by DNA. Even a lethal virus has provided scientists something to hum. (Visit library.ie.edu for access to full articles on WSJ)
Barcelona opera performed for more than 2000 potted plants
Barcelona's El Liceu opera house reopened with a concert to an audience of 2,292 potted plants the day after Spain's three-month state of emergency came to an end. It was the work of Spanish conceptual artist Eugenio Ampudia, who said the inspiration came from a connection he built with nature during the pandemic.
Spice up the scenery behind you
While we continue to adapt to the new normal of spending more time indoors, people are opting to stay connected virtually. And what better way to start a conversation than to change up your day-to-day scenery behind you.
“La distancia” by Felix Valdivieso
“I don't remember when I wrote La distancia. It must have been between March and June 2019. Back then, not even the wise men knew what was coming. As Constantine Cavafy wrote, the mystical clamor of approaching events was never heard. I can’t help feeling that everything has taken on another meaning and that distances have grown longer,” says Félix Valdivieso, Chairman of IE China Center and IE University President Chief of Staff, about the poem from his latest book La Geografía de la distancia.
IE Library recommends: eFilm
Did you know that a membership card of public libraries in Spain allow you to access eFilm streaming audiovisual lending platform? Indeed, you just need a public library card to access thousands of movies, series, shorts and more. It has a catalog with the best selection of Spanish, European, independent and classic cinema. In addition, it will also have concerts and language courses soon.
Patio Festival of Córdoba
They say that the patios of Cordoba are the most beautiful in all Spain. Indeed, since 2012, the patios of Cordoba are considered as world cultural heritage by UNESCO. This year, you have a unique opportunity to visit the most beautiful patios of Cordoba online during the Patio Festival that takes place every year.
Opera at home with La Caixa Foundation
A lot of us miss the magical experience of opera. La Caixa Foundation has come to rescue and is releasing one opera recording a week. This week it’s La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi. Use the code OperaEnCasaLaCaixa to sign up and let the magic begin!
Listen to St Martin’s Voices
In these challenging times, as they can’t join together at St Martin’s to create music, they are bringing us a daily recording, sung by St Martin’s Voices, a flagship professional vocal ensemble. Each is introduced by a different member of their team, recorded at home.
In Other Words arts podcast
As In Other Words podcast creators say, listen to them to discover verything you ever wanted to know about the art market but didn't know who to ask.
Where to stream live concerts
As more festivals, performances and concerts are canceled due to the coronavirus shutdown, musicians are taking to social and streaming platforms to play live for their fans. NPR Music has compiled a list of live audio and video streams from around the world, which you can find here.
Take a break with IE Humanities in @ Minute
At IE Humanities in @ minute you’ll find short stories, essays, poetry, and other writing from a wide range of authors, chosen and read by members of the IE community, which is to say people from all over the world.
We=Link: Ten Easy Pieces
We=Link is a special online exhibition, conceived and curated by ZHANG Ga of Chronus Art Cente, featuring new commissions by the artists aaajiao, Tega Brain & Sam Lavigne, JODI, LI Weiyi, Slime Engine and YE Funa in conjunction with works by Evan Roth, Helmut Smits, Yangachi and Raphaël Bastide.
Make a paper skyscraper
Foster+partners are sharing new activities for children whilst at home, away from school. They include drawing, making, playing, thinking, reading, watching and other activities to keep them entertained - for at least a few hours! This time you can learn how to create your own paper skyscraper.
Ideas for all of us with birthdays during a global pandemic
Just because we’re practicing social distancing or quarantining ourselves at home doesn’t mean we can’t also have a little fun, right? In fact, celebrating a birthday can be a bright spot in a time of dismal news stories and economic uncertainty.
The History of Literature podcast
Hosted by Jacke Wilson, an amateur scholar with a lifelong passion for literature, THE HISTORY OF LITERATURE takes a fresh look at some of the most compelling examples of creative genius the world has ever known.
MTV Unplugged at Home
Music's biggest stars are sharing special acoustic performances from the comfort of their own homes. Get a glimpse inside the lives of today's music icons with these original performances.
5 minutes that will make you love opera
The New York Times has asked their favorite artists to choose the five minutes or so they’d play to make their friends fall in love with opera, that most passionate of art forms. Listen to their choices.
The Universe in Verse
The Universe in Verse is a charitable celebration of science and nature through poetry. An astronaut reads Neruda’s Love Letter to Earth’s forests, an Ode to Stephen Hawking, and much more - click the link to find the highlights of the 2020 Universe in Verse celebration. Recommended by Kerry Parke, Associate Director of Communications, IE
Travel to the depths of the ocean
Experience one of the richest marine environments in the world with a virtual visit to the Ocean Webcam. This webcam captures your attention with views of the majestic amber-colored kelp forest and the nearly one thousand different marine species found there.
Color along with Adobe Coloring Book
Color along with new illustrations that you can print or finish with your favorite Adobe apps. Each week this spring, the Adobe Coloring Book will feature coloring pages created by some of their favorite artists.
Indoor photography can be fun!
Craving to use your camera again? Fix The Photo comes to help with a selection of nice indoor photo ideas that you can try at home. Start taking unusual images of ordinary things indoors. Follow one of these indoor photography ideas and get inspired for unusual photo projects.
Wildlife safaris
Twice a day, WildEarth is offering us an amazing opportunity to participate in wildlife safaris that will be streamed in real-time from two renowned South African game reserves, &BEYOND Ngala Private Game Reserve and Djuma Private Game Reserve.
A virtual exquisite corpse with IE Arts Club Segovia Chapter
Take a break from your daily routines and immerse yourself in something surreal and beautiful! IE Arts Club Segovia Chapter invites us to participate in a virtual exquisite corpse experience. You only need to pick your partner-in-crime and join it.
Observe Northern Lights from the warmth of your home
Welcome to nature's most amazing light show. Located at the Churchill Northern Studies Center in Churchill, Manitoba, this live cam is located directly underneath the aurora oval--one of the best places on earth to watch the aurora borealis, the spectacular atmospheric phenomenon better known as the Northern Lights. Early spring is one of the best times for the aurora, so be sure to stop in!
Five books to keep young people happy during lockdown
When we read fiction, we inhabit other bodies and feel the concerns of other people. This helps young people to develop empathy – but has another profound effect. Reading stories makes us feel experienced and increases resilience. Children writer Mimi Thebo has chosen some wonderful books that all function both as mirrors and windows for children as the world faces the effects of Coronavirus.
Free Kids’ TV shows on Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime is now offering free access to a selected group of kid shows, that includes more than 40 free titles, and you don’t need an Amazon Prime account to watch them (a free Amazon account is still needed).
Hamstead Theatre at Home
In the wake of coronavirus situation, London’s Hampstead Theatre has announced an extension of its free, digital streaming series in partnership with The Guardian. Visit their “Hamstead Theatre at Home” section to find the plays available.
Museum moments of zen
Amid the coronavirus pandemic many museums and cultural institutions have shut their doors. But many museums are getting creative by sharing their collections via virtual tours and exhibits, and most recently, through "moments of zen" on social media.
Explore street art around the world
Explore over 5000 iconic street art images from around the world with Google Street Art, a project by Google that aims to document and preserve the often transient nature of street art.
Live Pop Up Poems with Billy Collins
Billy Collins, who has been called “the most popular poet in America” by the New York Times, has been talking poetry and doing daily live readings on Facebook during lockdown.
Virtual Music Lounge
Lindblad Expeditions ethnomusicologist, Jacob Edgar, has curated a series of exclusive live concerts featuring musicians from the world over. Discover new talent and fresh sounds, or perhaps, see familiar faces! Join us every Thursday in April at 10 PM Madrid time.
IEU Stork: What is happiness?
It is in moments like these, moments of deprivation, when everything and everyone we love is far from us, that we start to appreciate things that once made us happy.
Poets on Couches
In this Youtube video series from The Paris Review, poets read and discuss the poems getting them through these strange times...from their couches.
Virtual tours of Madrid
Missed your chance to visit some of Madrid’s most interesting attractions? Living Madrid offers a lockdown-compatible solution – Madrid 360º virtual tours, that allow you to visit Madrid’s most famous museums, art galleries, monuments, streets, squares and more.
IEU Stork: Let’s Netflix together
Netflix Party has come to substitute Netflix nights with your friends or at least to allow you to still enjoy them even when you are all in different corners of the world. And, as the author of the article Odila Assis says, it’s a genius invention.
Getting your art fix during lockdown
The world might be on lockdown, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get your art fix. Culture Trip provides you with range of ideas on how to appreciate the best art – without ever leaving the house.
Berlin nightlife in your living room
In response to the closure of all Berlin clubs and discos, and massive lockdowns around the world, Berlin declares its support and solidarity by bringing the biggest digital club to your home.
Opera and ballet from Russia’s Bolshoi Theater
Russia’s Bolshoi Theater has joined the ever-growing list of theaters that are offering their performances online and launched a streaming service with some of its most popular opera and ballet performances. Subscribe to their Youtube channel to not only get access to the performances, but also to participate in a live chat during the streaming.
Recreate famous paintings with anything you can find at home
As museums have been closed around the world, the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles decided to challenge people to post photos of themselves recreating their favorite works of art using things they can find at home. Check out the masterpieces.
Virtual Disney rides
Though Disneyland and Disney World have shut down due to the outbreak of coronavirus, you can still experience some of their magic rides virtually thanks to these videos shared by their previous guests.
Finding comfort and joy in the beauty of dance
As we can’t see the Ailey dancers perform in a theater right now, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater wanted to make sure you can still find comfort and joy in the beauty of dance by virtually connecting with their performances. For a limited time, Ailey is thrilled to share full length videos of the Company performing on stage!
Virtual tours of Europe’s famous castles
According to Travel+Leisure, these virtual tours of Europe's famous castles will make you feel like a royal, even in your pajamas. From Versailles to Buckingham Palace, here's your chance to see how royals actually live.
National Theatre at your doorstep
From April 2, National Theatre in London will release a new play – free to watch for one week – along with additional content Q&As and post-stream talks. The plays will be released on NT Youtube channel. Stay tuned!
Shorts by Pedro Collantes
Pedro Collantes, internationally acclaimed Spanish film director, gives us free access to watch three of his short films - Ato San Nen, Off Ice and Nothing Stranger - during the week of April 6 to 12. Sign up to get access to the films.
Lunch doodles
Children’s book author and illustrator, Mo Willems, has announced a brand new daily series on YouTube: LUNCH DOODLES. Mo invites you to virtually join him in his studio every day at 6 PM Madrid time! Mo will give fellow doodlers some tips, ideas, and even downloadable activities to do at home.
What is culture in the state of quarantine?
BBC pledges to support artists and institutions in this period of quarantine and will be offering guides to shuttered exhibitions in museums and galleries, performances from world-class musicians and comedians, new plays created especially for broadcast, the experience of book festivals with privileged access to authors and great ideas switched online, and more.
Safaris from your couch
Join Cincinnati Zoo for a Home Safari Facebook Live each day at 3pm EDT where they will highlight one of their amazing animals and include an activity you can do from home.
360º tours of collections
Did you know that Google Arts & Culture allows you to explore hundreds of collections, artworks and stories from around the world?
Broadway shows at your doorstep
Broadway has good news for musical lovers! You can watch your favorite broadway hits from the comfort of your home for free for seven days.
Take a pause with IE Humanities in a Minute
Patrice Juah, student of Master in International Relations at IE School of Global and Public Affairs and winner of Kistefos Young Talented Leader Scholarship, reads her poem Tell your Story from her debut book Under Ducor Skies (2008).
Opera in times of coronavirus
Great news for opera lovers! Metropolitan Opera has launched “Nightly Met Opera Streams,” a free series of their encore Live in HD presentations that are being streamed on their website during the coronavirus closure.
Create art with your kids
Sesame Street art tool allows kids to get creative drawing, painting, coloring, and using their imagination with Elmo and Cookie Monster!
Great literature in audio format
Great works of fiction, poetry and non-fiction in audiobook format, by authors like Twain, Tolstoy, Hemingway, Austen, Shakespeare, Woolf, Munro, and others.
Coloring isn’t just for kids
Libraries, archives, and other cultural institutions around the world have shared free coloring sheets and books based on materials in their collections.

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