MAKING A DIFFERENCE

25 years tracking international schools

The company was founded in 1994 by its current owner and chairman, Nick Brummitt, who had been informally collecting information about the market since 1978. Nick’s aim for ISC Research was to gather data and intelligence, and identify trends on English-medium schools around the world that were offering an international curriculum; a market that was emerging at the time.

There had been some international schools in existence for many years before that, mostly small, isolated and meeting specific company or embassy needs, and Nick had worked with several of them. He could see that the sheer volume of data and information on the schools, coupled with the number of people interested in the market, meant that a single source of comprehensive information was required. And so, ISC Research was born.

Researching the marketIn 1994, ISC Research was the only independent organisation in the world producing research on the entire English-medium international K-12 schools market, and it remains so today.

Over the past 25 years, the company has built up an extensive team of skilled, field-based

researchers who visit international schools year-round to collect primary source data and intelligence. They also meet with government and education bodies in key countries to gather intelligence that informs development opportunities. Back in the UK, a team of desk-based researchers provide data collection support and verification before the data is analysed for market trends.

This vast collection of data, intelligence and understanding means that ISC Research can produce a wide range of different reports and resources about the world’s international schools market. These guide schools with their growth plans, advise investors for new school development, inform educators and suppliers in the market, and support universities with international recruitment and training provision.

In addition to the solutions for school business development, ISC Research also leads on an increasingly broad range of sector-specific research to support market understanding. It collaborates with experts to produce these reports, many of which are free for schools, on unique aspects of international school life; from higher education pathways to inclusion, and from well-being to governance.

BY Anne Keeling

This year, ISC Research celebrates 25 years producing research on the international schools market.

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25 years and countingThe international schools market has changed beyond recognition in the past 25 years and has experienced significant, sustained growth since 2000.

At the turn of the century, there were 2,584 international schools worldwide teaching 988,600 students and employing 90,000 full-time teaching staff. The countries dominating the market at that time were Spain (with a total of 99 international schools), United Arab Emirates (97 international schools), Hong Kong (70 international schools) and Thailand (55 international schools) but there was little evidence of any regional domination. Although still predominantly a provision for expatriates, by the year 2000 school places were also being sought by wealthier local families seeking an alternative to national education or international boarding.

Six years on (2006), Asia was beginning to dominate, and by 2008 the region had 49% of the total market (2,361 international schools). The countries fuelling the growth were the UAE, China and Japan. Europe was the other strong region with 1,205 international schools, equating to 25%

of the market, as a result of growing numbers in Spain, Germany and the Netherlands.

Today, Asia including Western Asia (the Middle East), continues to dominate the international schools market with the most notable growth now occurring in China and South East Asia.

Transforming demographicsPerhaps the biggest change in the international schools market over the past 25 years, other than the overall growth, is the demographic breakdown of the student population. While today’s market still caters for expatriate families - with the number of expatriate students continuing to grow year on year albeit from a much broader range of originating countries - demand for places is primarily fuelled by local families.

By the year 2000, as more international schools opened, so local parents became increasingly aware that their country’s state education, local private education, or a foreign boarding school hundreds of miles away from home, were not the only options available for their child during their years of compulsory education. The experience

The market has changed beyond recognition in the past 25 years

British School Muscat, 1978

International School Leader Magazine | 33 ISSUE 08 | JUNE 2019

Founded in 1994

1994 Few Schools 80% Expatriate Small and Isolated National Orientation

2000

2019 10,400 5.8 million (Dominated by Local Students) 540,000 $49.9 billion China, UAE, Saudi Arabia, India

ISC Research The future

By 2028 16,500

9.7 million 896,000

2,584 988,600

(Dominated by expatriate Students) $4.9 Billion

Spain, UAE, Hong Kong and Thailand

Celebrating 25 Years of International School Research

#ISC25

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of overseas boarding for a child at a young age, speaking a language and being part of a culture very different from their own, became recognised as very challenging. Personal experiences of this, plus negative stories in the press and, more recently via social media, raised awareness of these challenges amongst parents who then looked for other solutions for international education. As a result, admissions at international schools in many countries (where government legislation allowed) became increasingly dominated by the richest 5% of non-English-speaking parents looking for a place at a school in their own city or country, where their child could learn in the language of English and sit globally recognised exams as a route to English-medium higher education, optimising their career potential.

This education movement gained momentum as many economies improved, and now an English-medium, international school education is high on the list of priorities for many families. The result of this is that today, local children dominate international school enrolment.

The impact of demandAs a result of the continuing demand, today’s international schools market is a profitable one. ISC Research data from March 2019 indicates that the market is generating US $49.9 billion based on annual fee income alone.

The number of international schools globally has experienced a compound annual growth rate in the past five years of 5.6% to over 10,400 schools in March this year. And student enrolment has increased at an even higher rate; a compound annual growth rate in the past five years of 6.7% to more than 5.8 million children.

Dramatic growth nevertheless comes at a cost. The recruitment and retention of suitably qualified staff is challenging for many schools and likely to become more so. In 2000, ISC Research recorded just 90,000 staff employed by international schools around the world. That number has since increased to 540,000 (March 2019), the majority of whom are mostly qualified, experienced, English-speaking expatriate teachers. Within ten years an additional 400,000 teachers will be required to meet the projected demands of the market.

International School Leader Magazine | 35 ISSUE 08 | JUNE 2019

THE AUTHORAnne Keeling is the editor of International School Leader Magazine. You can contact her directly via LinkedIn You can learn more about ISC Research at www.iscresearch.com

The challenge that ISC Research is hearing from recruiters and school leaders everywhere is that internationally experienced, qualified teachers and leaders are in extremely high demand and the talent pool is not expanding quickly enough. Although more teachers are seeking out the opportunities of working internationally, the number of suitable candidates is barely keeping pace with demand. Meeting the need for skilled, experienced teachers who are trained in the teaching and learning approaches that international schools require, could well be the biggest challenge for the future of the international schools market.

Solutions are emerging. Kai Vacher talks about growing your own qualified staff in this issue. Ahmed Hussain described a solution that the Huili Institute is offering international schools in China in the February issue of ISL Magazine. More schools and some universities are preparing other options. Working towards solutions and raising awareness of the initiatives already having a positive impact is a responsibility for us all if the market is to thrive.

ISC Research remains focused on tracking the world’s English-medium international K-12 schools market, assessing its challenges and its opportunities. As a result, the company is recognised by government bodies, associations, schools, and the world’s media as the independent organisation for data, intelligence andunderstanding on international schools. Its reports continue to tell the tale.

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ISC Research: the futureBy 2028

#ISC25