I believe that it is hard to pin down the exact definition of international school. International schools come in different shapes, sizes, and flavors. Based on my reading and research, along with my own experiences with international schools where my wife has served as a teacher, my definition of an international school would be a school that promotes international mindedness and global citizenship through international curricula and delivers instruction in English in a country where English may not be the first or primary language (with a few exceptions, as noted by the following ISC definition). ISC (International Schools Consultancy) defines an international school as:
one that delivers a curriculum to any combination of infant, primary or secondary students, wholly or partly in English outside an English-speaking country. There are, of course, exceptions to this. American schools in the UK for example, British schools in America, and also schools in countries such as India, Pakistan and several in Africa where English is one of the official languages. Schools in these countries are only included if they offer an international curriculum.(International Education News, 2014)
I tend to agree with the definition of ISC as it aligns with what international education means, but ideally, I would like to believe that international schools strive to promote global citizenship ideals. Also, while I think it is possible to promote these ideals and develop global citizens in a school comprised mostly/wholly of host-country students, it would be much easier to develop these habits and thoughts in a school environment with diversity of country, culture, language, and/or religion in both the student body and the faculty.
The concept of international education is considered ancient, having been used in classical Greece, and the term was first used in early 1800s. International schools came into existence out of the necessity to educate the children of parents who are working away from their home country. According to 1964 Yearbook of Education, the demand of international schools was small and only children of politicians, diplomats, missionaries and volunteers with social welfare organisations who lived overseas for any period of time were seeking them (Hayden and Thompson, 1995). Since then, international schools grew exponentially driven by market requirements and the increasingly mobile global workforce: “testimony to the increasingly globally mobile environment in which many professionals now operate: diplomats, aid workers, employees of large multinational commercial organisations and international bodies such as the United Nations, are just some of those displaced from their home countries at frequent intervals whose families consequently take up and put down in different parts of the world their ‘portable roots’ (Gordon & Jones, 1988). Also, organizations that have worked to study and define international schools have constantly shifted their definitions of what constitutes an international school as the number of clientele and range of quality schools has continued to evolve. Current international schools have extended to serve students from the country where the school is set up and not just expatriate students: “What is more important to international educators is whether the school is developing international mindedness in its students, wherever they might be and whoever they are” (Hill, 2016). To many researchers, parents, and educators, the foundation of international schools is changing as their demographic makeup has become less important than their mission.
Within the history of international schools, Kurt Hahn stands as a figure who has made a significant impact. Known for so many accomplishments such as the development of Outward Bound, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, the United World College network of international schools, and many other institutions, he was seen as a key figure in the development of experiential education (KurtHahn.org, n.d.) His greatest legacy is probably the idea that education has transformative power over individuals, and those educated individuals have the power to change the world into a better place. Essentially, he believed that each of has ‘more in us’ (courage, strength, compassion) that we can imagine and that education can be used to help people realize this and create an open and caring society (KurtHahn.org, n.d.) A key part of the schools he designed and supervised, including the United World College organization, is that they provide outdoor experiences and challenges, not just academic rigor. Hahn believed that by providing and rewarding completion of difficult physical tasks, schools could develop skills in their students that would serve them, and society as whole, much later: “…it is possible…to introduce greater balance and compassion into human lives by impelling people into experiences which show them they can rise above adversity and overcome their own defeatism. They can make more of their lives than they thought they could, and learn to serve others with their strength.” (James, 2000) This legacy can be seen directly in the outdoor education programs, ‘Week without Walls’ journeys, and service learning projects that are an integral part of many international schools. Another core belief that Hahn integrated into his schools was that by bringing people of different countries, faiths, and even economic levels together in schools, these collaborations would create a more peaceful society in the long-term. Nowhere is this more clear than in the UWC organization: “…the United World Colleges appear in the desire to build institutions that will offer a living example of what it means to be at peace…these colleges bring together boys and girls from all over the world, from competing social and economic systems, from rival cultures and religions. The program fosters world citizenship, an interconnected leadership of people who have experienced a collective life of active dialogue and peacemaking service.” (James, 2000) His vision for these types of schools could be written as the classic definition of purpose for international schools around the world, many of which have Kurt Hahn to thank for their vision and direction.
As of January, 2019, ISC research has accounted for 10,282 international schools worldwide (ISC Research, 2019). The growth has been exponential especially when you compare to 50 schools in 1964 and about 1000 schools in 1988. As per ISC research Asia and the Middle East lead the growth both in number of international schools and in student enrollment numbers. The majority of the students enrolled in international schools today are from local communities (ISC Research, 2018). Parents of local communities believe that international schools offer the best possible education that is close to home while preparing the children for university education overseas. Due to globalization, middle class families in Asia have become strong enough to be able to seek international school education for their children. This is one of the main reasons for the explosive growth rate of international schools in Asia. Internationalization of businesses and rapid economic growth in these regions are some of the other reasons for rapid growth in international schools.
As the international schools have grown so did the groups and organizations that support these schools. Being part of these organizations provided mutual support and visibility for individual international schools. While these organizations provided support for international schools, there was lot of overlap in the purpose of these organizations. It made sense to form a forum for all these organizations, who have interest in international education, to come together and respond to the needs of international schools and provide support more efficiently (Hayden, 2016). One such organization is AIE. In addition to AIE, other organizations such as ECIS, CIS, and ISA have come into existence. Many of these organizations were formed to support the needs of international schools in different areas, such as ISS (International Schools Services) which was created to help recruit staff for these international schools, but has since expanded into school management, school supply, and even some professional development. Many schools belong to organizations with other like-minded, similar region/demographic schools in order to provide convenient and quality professional development (conferences, online courses, and even digital/print newsletters and magazines) to staff who might find it difficult otherwise to find continuing education in English in the local community. Other organizations were formed to help member schools with standards and accreditation: “being part of such organisations and associations provided not only mutual support but also a set of external indicators against which stakeholders and other parties could form judgements” (Hayden, 2016). Because many international schools need to demonstrate their comparative effectiveness to ‘clients’ whose children may be returning to home countries or universities in the future, organizations such as ECIS and CIS can provide a necessary benchmark and a stamp of credibility.
References
Annual survey finds continued growth in international schools. (2018, September 05). Retrieved from http://monitor.icef.com/2018/09/annual-survey-finds-continued-growth-in-international-schools/
Hayden, M. (2016). Historical Vignette: The Alliance for International Education: Retrospective and Prospective. International Schools Journal, XXXV(2).
Hayden, M., & Thompson, J. (1995). International Schools and International Education: a relationship reviewed. Oxford Review Of Education, 21(3), 327-345. doi: 10.1080/0305498950210306
Hill, I. (2016). What is an International School: Part Two. International Schools Journal, XXXV(2).
International Education News l The PIE News l Nick Brummitt, ISC Group. (2014). Retrieved from https://thepienews.com/pie-chat/nick-brummitt-isc-group-uk/
James, T. (2000). Kurt Hahn and the Aims of Education [pdf]. http://www.kurthahn.org. Retrieved from http://www.kurthahn.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/james_final.pdf
KurtHahn.org | Devoted to the Education Philosophy of Kurt Hahn. Retrieved from http://www.kurthahn.org/
Research, I. (2019). Home – ISC Research. Retrieved from https://www.iscresearch.com/
My Journey to EDU world 