Originally published in ISL Magazine, May 1, 2025
International school leaders must balance the global vision of their educational community with a deep responsiveness to local needs. Andrew Sherman and Zakaria Laaraj explain why agility is not just an organisational asset, but a critical component of sustainable success in the dynamic education landscape.
In the dynamic educational landscape, agility is not just an organisational asset but a critical component of sustainable success. International school leaders face the challenge of navigating the global vision of their educational community while being responsive to the unique needs of their local environment. Agility is a key component in designing responses to this international-local dynamic. To remain competitive and relevant, school leaders must maintain this flexible approach, balancing global integration with local responsiveness.
Consider a school leadership team developing strategies to increase student enrolment in a highly competitive market. The school promises a world-class education built on globally recognised curricula and international accreditation, and a carefully structured learning experience proven to function well in multiple and diverse locations. However, the school leaders quickly realise that global standards are not enough: the school needs to demonstrate agility through its ability to adapt to local demands and achieve operational success.
As international schools grow, the leadership team learns that a one-size-fits-all approach is not sufficient. Instead, schools must customise their operations and educational offerings to meet local contexts (e.g. ministry requirements, parents’ interest in local culture, etc.) while maintaining global standards (e.g. accreditation and family interest in external higher education opportunities).