Dili International School

Science Week 2026 was full of curiosity, creativity and fun across the whole school. Students enjoyed daily activities including Teabag Rockets, Microscope Alley, the Helicopter Challenge, the Artemis II House Challenge, quizzes, dress-up day and our whole-school Science Assembly led by our Grade 12 students.

A special thank you to our teachers, led by our expert Science Team, and to our wonderful Facilities and Maintenance Team for creating the amazing giant lever machine featured in the assembly. It was fantastic to see students across all year levels learning together, supported by our Big Buddies and House Captains, with plenty of house points up for grabs throughout the week.

Congratulations to all of our winners and participants for making Science Week such a success at Dili International School.

The DIS Student Representative Council (SRC), in collaboration with Centro Audiovisual Max Stahl Timor-Leste (CAMSTL), invites the DIS and wider Timor-Leste community to a special evening commemorating the 24th Anniversary of the Restoration of Independence through film, reflection and discussion.

“To Resist Is To Win: Timor-Leste’s Struggle for Independence through Film”
Saturday 23 May 2026
5:30 PM
Dili International School, Pantai Kelapa
Ages 12+

Featuring two films by Max Stahl.

Tickets on sale during lunch time and after school this week at DIS.
Pre-purchased: $3
At the door: $5

All proceeds donated to BSF Wheelchair Rugby Timor-Leste.

A proud moment for our school community as School Principal Mr Tim Blackman attended the graduation ceremony of DIS alumni Jason and Micia at Charles Darwin University (CDU), where they graduated with Bachelor of Computer Science degrees.

Jason and Micia are the first graduates under the DIS–CDU Scholarship Program, a special partnership agreement established in 2022 to support Timorese students in accessing international university pathways.

The growth of this partnership continues to be wonderful to see. From our graduating class of 2025 alone, 7 DIS students are now studying at CDU, alongside other DIS graduates studying under the scholarship agreement and through independent enrolment pathways.

As part of this trip, Mr Tim also travelled to Melbourne, where he met with DIS alumni currently studying at universities across Melbourne. He also attended meetings with Haileybury College, our partner in delivering the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), as well as the CEO of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, reaffirming DIS’s strong ongoing commitment to delivering a high-quality and inclusive VCE program for students in Timor-Leste.

We are incredibly proud of Jason and Micia and all of our alumni continuing their studies internationally while representing both Timor-Leste and the DIS community with pride.

Grade 5/6 students are learning about chemical change as part of their Unit of Inquiry. In the science laboratory with our senior chemistry teacher, Mr Peter; students investigated how carbon dioxide changes water by blowing bubbles into water mixed with universal indicator.

These hands-on learning experiences are one of the many ways we work together as one school at DIS, with students benefiting from the expertise of teachers across different year levels and subject areas.

A great artistic opportunity from DIFF hosted at DIS!

Our Grade 3/4 students have launched their Farm to Plate unit with a hands-on planting session alongside Fernando from DaTerra Baucau Agroecological Farm stay. Students planted mulberry, rosella, cat’s whisker, papaya, tree spinach, tomato, moringa, citronella, curry leaf, butterfly pea and passion fruit.

This Transdisciplinary Unit covers Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Health within the Australian Curriculum, with a focus on biological sciences, sustainability, food production and healthy choices.

Students will now take responsibility for maintaining the garden, with produce harvested and used in the school canteen, completing the journey from farm to plate.

Dili International School's accreditation with the Ministry of Education has been renewed!

We’ve already reached Week 7 of the school year! Apologies for the quiet start on our page — the team has been busy focusing on what matters most: high-quality teaching and learning at DIS.

So, here’s a quick catch-up on just some of the wonderful things that have been happening around the school alongside our academic programs:

• Our Early Years students beginning the “Emmy and Friends” Protective Behaviours program
• Our Inclusion Team and new Learning Assistants supporting individualised learning in classrooms
• Students making great use of our well-equipped science laboratory
• The Perceptual Motor Program building coordination and confidence in our younger learners
• A farm excursion as part of the Farm to Plate Unit of Inquiry
• Students representing DIS in the National Cricket Competition
• And of course, everyone’s favourite visitor — Sunny the therapy dog 🐶

It’s been a busy and exciting start to the year, and we’re looking forward to sharing more of the learning happening across the school in the weeks ahead!

Dili International School extends its heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Pat Walsh. Pat’s deep commitment to Timor-Leste and its people was reflected in a life of advocacy and service. His writing captures who he was and what he stood for, ensuring that his story will continue to inform and inspire young people for generations to come.

Dili International School (DIS) celebrates the achievements of the Grade 12 Class of 2025 in the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)

Dili International School (DIS) proudly celebrates the achievements of the Grade 12 Class of 2025 in the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), with this year’s graduates delivering some of the strongest results in the school’s 12 years of the programme. Their academic performance reflects the dedication, resilience and maturity of the cohort, as well as the school’s firm commitment to providing internationally recognised, world-class education in Timor-Leste.

Key Highlights – Class of 2025
Our highest ATAR was achieved by Lisa Icyeza, whose result of 91.50 is both the highest achieved by a DIS graduate and places her in the top 9% of students completing the VCE.
Neydra Lelotar achieved raw scores above 40 in both English and Indonesian Second Language, placing her within the top 8% of VCE students in those subjects.
The School’s median ATAR for 2025 is 74.20, the second highest in the 12 years of VCE at DIS.
35% of Grade 12 students achieved an ATAR placing them in the top 20% of the 67,000 students completing the VCE in 2025.
82% of DIS graduates placed within the top 50% of all VCE students.

School Principal Mr. Tim Blackman praised the cohort, stating: “This group has shown exceptional dedication and maturity. Their results reflect not only their individual efforts but the strength of our teaching team, and the support of families. We are extremely proud of every one of our graduates for all that they have achieved both academically and beyond.”

The success of the Class of 2025 contributes to the school’s growing alumni network, now totalling 180 graduates who have pursued university study and career pathways across Australia, Asia, Europe and beyond.

The VCE is a globally-recognised Australian qualification that opens doors to universities and career pathways worldwide. Dili International School has offered the VCE since 2013 through its long-standing partnership with Haileybury College, one of Australia’s leading educational institutions. This collaboration connects DIS students and teachers to a wide network of expert educators and ensures a rigorous, high-quality senior secondary programme.

Our annual art exhibition was a wonderful celebration of the importance of arts in Education. Ms Sharon, Ms Alison, and Mr Celes certainly showed us just how busy and creative our art room is!

A huge thank you and well done to all our students for the imagination, skill and enthusiasm they poured into their work this year. With more than 500 incredible pieces on display, and considering that for nearly 15 weeks the whole school paused to bring The Lion King to life, the level of creativity on show was truly remarkable. We are so proud of every young artist who contributed to this vibrant celebration of the arts at DIS.