Blog

The growth of the international school sector around the world is truly astonishing, and since I’ve been engaged with the work of ISC Research though Anne Keeling and Diane Glass I’ve learnt so much about what’s happening around the world.

The statistics in their recent article and the accompanying graphics and report, really do show what a huge opportunity there is for universities looking to connect with this growing sector to make use of ISC’s resources – particularly the portal – to connect with schools that might otherwise not be on your radar.

The full report (available here https://www.iscresearch.com/news-and-events/isc-news/isc-news-details/~post/more-parents-want-an-international-education-for-their-child-20190822) makes for fascinating reading, showing how changing socio-economic forces are reshaping the international school sector.

Students, increasingly globally connected and mobile, are being prepared for a global future within their local context, something which schools are responding to in a variety of ways.

Within the higher education context, this poses some fascinating challenges. Transnational education, multi-campus degrees, blended learning and remote delivery all offer great opportunities for new modes of delivery to reflect the changes seen in the secondary education sector. Even the traditional methods of recruitment will need refinement: is it truly possible for a visitor from a UK or US university to visit over 600 schools in what might, until now, have only been a two-day stop in the UAE?

This topic fascinates me, and has wider impact on another area of interest for me, namely the agenda for wellbeing and family life for those in higher education recruitment. The data from ISC Research in this report adds more to this issue, and I hope that international recruiters at universities around the world are able to share the information with their managers and leadership as we all face this complex landscape.