According to the International School Consultancy (ISC) “A school is included on our database (as an "International School") if it teaches wholly or partly in English outside an English-speaking country. Language schools are therefore completely different and are excluded.” (Nagrath, 2011). It is as though only English language schools can be "International schools" - and no other schools could be. This seems a somewhat silly, and completely contradictory definition. It is not a very international perspective - but a very mono-cultural perspective. Language, one language in particular, English, is the criteria used to both include some and exclude other schools from being designated an "International School."
It is easy to jump into a narrow-sighted working definition, like the one above, because it works in certain contexts. There surely must be several contexts where that definition works… in fact, according to the database there are 5,857 contexts where it works. However, using this definition, there would not be a single International school located in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia or a slew of other English speaking countries. On the same note, an International school could only offer instruction in English; a school in Zimbabwe teaching in, say, Chinese - would not qualify as an International school under that thin definition.
Fortunately, there are more international ways to define an International School. One way that wouldn't be based on language, could be to look at the demographics of the student body and the faculty/staff. A school would need to have more than one nationality represented. One would have to come up with a certain quantity to tip the scale to suit their own taste. Would one foreigner be enough to make a school "International"? Technically, it would meet the qualifications of the word - but it wouldn't really catch the Spirit of the term. Would it need to be made up of a majority of foreigners? What if it was a school of 100% foreigners - but all homogenous? Would a school of entirely Korean students in Malaysia qualify as an International school or would it simply be a Korean school in a different context. Robert Leach did a pretty good job of defining this type of school as unilateral back in 1969… and under that sub-category, let it skate by as an International School (Leach, 1969).
Probably the best way would be to consider the curriculum. An International School could be designated so if it offered instruction using a curriculum foreign to the location of the school. Does that satisfy the definition of International Schools? Better than most of the above I think - but even this definition has some leaky points. For example, what if a school in Canada adopted a foreign curriculum, and yet was made up 100% of Canadians - how would that be considered International? Perhaps - but this easy example brings up the point that outward definitions, even one as overarching as this, often fall short and even well built mechanisms can be broken in the wrong context. Ian Hill points out that there are many other definitions and subcategories available, mostly based on external factors like their affiliations, or place in the market, their curriculum or demographics - ultimately resorting to describing the term on a gradient from national to international (Hill, 2015). There was one factor that went beyond shere numbers and mechanics: ideology. Perhaps there is something beyond the hard data and policy of a school that makes it work as an international school - perhaps there is an ethos.
Kurt Hahn had a remarkable history in founding several International schools globally, such as the Atlantic College, the first United World College, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Gordonstoun, Outward Bound, and Salem (KurtHahn.org, N/A) - something that grew out of his Christian calling for training up a generation in compassion. Though many of the schools he founded do not explicitly state or even recognize the Christian origins of their founders values, Kurt Hahn made no qualms about it. In a sermon, speaking of service-learning as key to building character and compassion, he said, "Such services must never fade out of the lives of the young. They must have their place of importance in the plan of Christian education. Through Christian worship and through Christian teaching, the young may well receive the inspiration. They will not retain it unless their power of compassion is kept alive." (Hahn, 1943).
Compassion is an ethos that can resonate deeply with anyone - because it is something that is for everyone. Compassion sees others and loves them. This vision of compassion for others is a core element in what makes an international school work well, regardless of how explicitly religious or secular it may appear. The goal, and in many cases the ability, to care deeply for others is what we are all designed for. For international schools, or healthy international relationships of any kind for that matter, to work - compassion must be in the center. This is, of course, not only for international students and teachers - it is for every context - but it is especially important in a context like an International school - where others are markedly different, with vast ranges of life experience, training, culture and worldview. Kurt Hahn made compassion a distinctive of his work and ministry, and that ideology has been a strength and goal of many schools, many of which he founded or inspired.
Internationalism is not a sufficient goal on it's own - because it is a goal without ethos. It is an empty goal. It has no muscle nor warmth to being or hold people together. It has been found that when you put a diverse group of heterogenous students together on a campus and call it international, they split is and settle into homogenous groups about as quickly as a bottle of oil and vinegar salad dressing once shaken (Brown, 2009). It makes sense - opposites only attract when it comes to refrigerator magnets - not social groups. Most people only feel comfortable around "most people" - and seldom around "those people". Compassion is a skill that needs to be nurtured and taught. International schools are really fertile ground for doing that, because they are brimming with opportunities! I have seen this in nearly 2 decades of teaching - and I have been blessed to grow in that context alongside my students and colleagues.
We are seeing a continuing rise in the number of International Schools around the world (ISC, 2022). As we see affluence expanding globally, we are seeing more and more different kinds of expats all over the world, and this is changing the types of International Schools that we see popping up. In Singapore, for example, we have seen a 19% increase in Asian language immersion International Schools over the past 15 years (Moore, et al. 2022). They certainly aren't just schools that teach English outside of English language nations! We see new opportunities to grow in teaching and learning compassion for others. We can no longer define or describe an International School based merely its curriculum, language, location or demographic data, but also on its ideology and ethos - compassion being foremost! May we all grow in compassion - and may we, through compassion, grow closer to its source!
It is easy to jump into a narrow-sighted working definition, like the one above, because it works in certain contexts. There surely must be several contexts where that definition works… in fact, according to the database there are 5,857 contexts where it works. However, using this definition, there would not be a single International school located in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia or a slew of other English speaking countries. On the same note, an International school could only offer instruction in English; a school in Zimbabwe teaching in, say, Chinese - would not qualify as an International school under that thin definition.
Fortunately, there are more international ways to define an International School. One way that wouldn't be based on language, could be to look at the demographics of the student body and the faculty/staff. A school would need to have more than one nationality represented. One would have to come up with a certain quantity to tip the scale to suit their own taste. Would one foreigner be enough to make a school "International"? Technically, it would meet the qualifications of the word - but it wouldn't really catch the Spirit of the term. Would it need to be made up of a majority of foreigners? What if it was a school of 100% foreigners - but all homogenous? Would a school of entirely Korean students in Malaysia qualify as an International school or would it simply be a Korean school in a different context. Robert Leach did a pretty good job of defining this type of school as unilateral back in 1969… and under that sub-category, let it skate by as an International School (Leach, 1969).
Probably the best way would be to consider the curriculum. An International School could be designated so if it offered instruction using a curriculum foreign to the location of the school. Does that satisfy the definition of International Schools? Better than most of the above I think - but even this definition has some leaky points. For example, what if a school in Canada adopted a foreign curriculum, and yet was made up 100% of Canadians - how would that be considered International? Perhaps - but this easy example brings up the point that outward definitions, even one as overarching as this, often fall short and even well built mechanisms can be broken in the wrong context. Ian Hill points out that there are many other definitions and subcategories available, mostly based on external factors like their affiliations, or place in the market, their curriculum or demographics - ultimately resorting to describing the term on a gradient from national to international (Hill, 2015). There was one factor that went beyond shere numbers and mechanics: ideology. Perhaps there is something beyond the hard data and policy of a school that makes it work as an international school - perhaps there is an ethos.
Kurt Hahn had a remarkable history in founding several International schools globally, such as the Atlantic College, the first United World College, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Gordonstoun, Outward Bound, and Salem (KurtHahn.org, N/A) - something that grew out of his Christian calling for training up a generation in compassion. Though many of the schools he founded do not explicitly state or even recognize the Christian origins of their founders values, Kurt Hahn made no qualms about it. In a sermon, speaking of service-learning as key to building character and compassion, he said, "Such services must never fade out of the lives of the young. They must have their place of importance in the plan of Christian education. Through Christian worship and through Christian teaching, the young may well receive the inspiration. They will not retain it unless their power of compassion is kept alive." (Hahn, 1943).
Compassion is an ethos that can resonate deeply with anyone - because it is something that is for everyone. Compassion sees others and loves them. This vision of compassion for others is a core element in what makes an international school work well, regardless of how explicitly religious or secular it may appear. The goal, and in many cases the ability, to care deeply for others is what we are all designed for. For international schools, or healthy international relationships of any kind for that matter, to work - compassion must be in the center. This is, of course, not only for international students and teachers - it is for every context - but it is especially important in a context like an International school - where others are markedly different, with vast ranges of life experience, training, culture and worldview. Kurt Hahn made compassion a distinctive of his work and ministry, and that ideology has been a strength and goal of many schools, many of which he founded or inspired.
Internationalism is not a sufficient goal on it's own - because it is a goal without ethos. It is an empty goal. It has no muscle nor warmth to being or hold people together. It has been found that when you put a diverse group of heterogenous students together on a campus and call it international, they split is and settle into homogenous groups about as quickly as a bottle of oil and vinegar salad dressing once shaken (Brown, 2009). It makes sense - opposites only attract when it comes to refrigerator magnets - not social groups. Most people only feel comfortable around "most people" - and seldom around "those people". Compassion is a skill that needs to be nurtured and taught. International schools are really fertile ground for doing that, because they are brimming with opportunities! I have seen this in nearly 2 decades of teaching - and I have been blessed to grow in that context alongside my students and colleagues.
We are seeing a continuing rise in the number of International Schools around the world (ISC, 2022). As we see affluence expanding globally, we are seeing more and more different kinds of expats all over the world, and this is changing the types of International Schools that we see popping up. In Singapore, for example, we have seen a 19% increase in Asian language immersion International Schools over the past 15 years (Moore, et al. 2022). They certainly aren't just schools that teach English outside of English language nations! We see new opportunities to grow in teaching and learning compassion for others. We can no longer define or describe an International School based merely its curriculum, language, location or demographic data, but also on its ideology and ethos - compassion being foremost! May we all grow in compassion - and may we, through compassion, grow closer to its source!
- Leach, R. (1969) International schools and their role in the field of international education (Oxford, Pergamon Press).
- Hahn, K, 1943, Two Sermons, Gordunstoun School Elgin retrieved from https://www.kurthahn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2017-sermons.pdf
- Nagrath, C. (2011). “What makes a school international?” The International Educator (TIE Online). Available at: https://www.tieonline.com/article/87/what-makes-a-school-international-
- Brown, L., 2009. International education: a force for peace and cross-cultural understanding? Journal of Peace Education, 6 (2), 209-224.(Brown, 2009)
- ISC Research. (2022, February 24). Data. https://iscresearch.com/data/
- Hill, I. (2015). “What is an 'international school'?” International Schools Journal, XXXV(1), 60-70.
- Hill, I. (2016). “What is an International School? Part two”. International Schools Journal, XXXV(2), 9–21.
- Moore, S, Ma, J, Sonsin, K. 2022, Singapore Trends in International Education, reviewed at https://create.piktochart.com/output/57946623-my-visual