those seeking lower financial outlay than that expected in New York. “Tennessee and Georgia, including Atlanta, which is
another centre for ‘tech innovation, has attracted a new demographic of families.” She says there are a lot of affluent parents in the US
who are looking for alternatives to what is being offered by American private schools,” she adds. “There is a perception, although it does not apply to
every school, that there is a certain lack of academic rigor and a lack of innovation in the American curriculum, compared with a qualification like the International Baccalaureate for example. American universities are always going to be popular destination targets, and the likes of MIT and Harvard are desirable for international as well as home students.” Before moving into a new area, it is important to
look at market research and data. It is also essential to understand the lived experience of the people who are already domiciled and working there, she says.
THE ROLE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) IN TEACHING & LEARNING Advances in technology and global connectivity are now enabling school groups to maintain consistent educational standards across multiple campuses while sharing expertise, curriculum resources, and leadership talent. Alejandro Delso Segovia, Head of Strategy and
Development at SEK Education Group, says AI is also now being integrated into the curriculum both in terms of teaching, and in the wider context. “We know our students are going to be using AI,
and not only for coursework, but in their daily life, so we need to teach them how to use it properly and how to think critically,” he explains. “It is about making sure our students can really be prepared for the world they are going to live and work in and helping them be ready to adapt to a world that is going to change very fast.” SEK’s online school, which offers the International
Baccalaureate, has had students graduating who are international sports athletes, models, Formula One drivers and footballers, for whom regular school would not be possible. Mark Steed, founder of Steed Education, says online
schooling is following the pattern of other disruptive technologies, starting at the margins before moving into the mainstream. He says that while online schools were initially set up for students who were unable to cope with mainstream school, as well as elite athletes and performance artists, the demographic is changing. “It started at the margins but is growing ever faster,”
he explains. “That is partly because the margins themselves are getting wider. There are more children with SEND, more children with mental health issues, and it is moving from being outside the mainstream to gradually being acknowledged.” He says it is also popular with students who cannot be in school because they are performing at an elite level in sport or the arts. Hybrid learning will also open up cost effective teaching of low demand subjects in schools, he believes.
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL TRENDS IN EUROPE Across Europe, families are moving for work, for political reasons, or because they want to experience different opportunities, and as a result the international school landscape is appealing to a very wide range of students. “There is a lot of movement within Europe right now,
with international students wanting to come to Europe, and particular Spain, in order to study,” says Alejandro Delso Segovia of SEK. “Madrid has an amazing pool of international communities moving to the city, and we are very lucky to have three schools in Madrid. Barcelona is also popular and we are seeing a big demand for school places right across Spain. Ireland has been a big hub for technological companies lately, so that has been popular too with families moving there.” He says the injection of private equity funding into
schools has professionalised the offering, but that it is still important to ensure that students and their families are still at the centre of the school experience. “We are a family-owned business and so our vision
is to ensure students are the centre, and to provide academic excellence and quality,” he says.
WHAT ARE THE TRENDS FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GOING FORWARD? Looking ahead, the international education market is expected to continue growing as demand for globally recognised qualifications increases. School brands that successfully combine educational quality, strong governance, and local market understanding are likely to benefit most from this trend. As new campuses open across emerging regions, international schools will continue to play an important role in contributing to the economy of that region. “There are some really interesting new territories
where schools are opening up,” says Pam Mundy. She cites expansion into Turkey, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan as examples, as well as Morocco, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica and Peru. Meanwhile, Thailand, Vietnam and Japan are leading the way in Asia. Nigeria has recently seen interest, as have other parts of West and East Africa. However, she says that for all new territories, it is
important for schools not to head ‘where everyone else is going’, without considering in depth, why that territory is attractive and whether the context, culture and ‘climate’ is an appropriate match and will be supported at governance level. “Any school that is planning to establish a new campus
overseas should be doing so with the understanding of taking the quality of the base school to enhance the quality that already exists in the chosen location,” she says. “Some schools carry the misconception that the existing quality of education in many overseas locations is not comparable to British or American schools. That is simply not true – and something that international regulators are quick to note. “We all need to remember and respect the fact that
the drive should be to enhance the quality that is already on offer and by doing so, to add the growth and status of the home base,” she says.
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GUIDE TO INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION & SCHOOLS INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION MARKETS
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