International Schools

An International school is loosely defined as a school that promotes international education, either by adopting an international curriculum such as that of the International Baccalaureate or Cambridge International Examinations, or by following a national curriculum different from that of the country the school is located in. These schools cater mainly to students who are not nationals of the host country, such as the children of the staff of international businesses, international organizations, foreign embassies, missions, or missionary programs. Many local students attend these schools to learn the language of the international school and to obtain qualifications for employment orhigher education in a foreign country.  The first International schools were founded in the latter half of the 19th century in countries such as Japan, Switzerland and Turkey.  Over time globalization has proven that education no longer can exist solely on a national level. "In a global economy, it is no longer improvement by national standards alone. The best performing education systems internationally provide the benchmark for success,” said OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría launching the annual ‘education at a glance’ report in Paris. Increased movement of people around the globe has created a generation of children growing up and residing in foreign countries, creating and expanding this market for international schools that can cater for their educational needs.