Rettore (Head of College) – UWC Adriatic

This is an outstanding opportunity for an inspirational educationalist and school leader to become head of an exceptional, residential UWC college, beautifully located on Italy’s Adriatic coast.

Preferred Starting Date From August 2026

UWC Adriatic is home to almost 200 students aged 16-19 and representing 78 nationalities.

UWC (United World Colleges) is a global educational movement of 18 schools and colleges joined by a common mission to make education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future. UWC Adriatic was founded in 1982 and has a proud history as the first United World College in mainland Europe.

UWC Adriatic forms an integral part of the picturesque village of Duino, a short distance from the historic port city of Trieste. It is a private, non-profit institution but receives a significant proportion of its funding from public sources, reflecting the esteem in which the College is held regionally and nationally, and opening opportunities to make an impact. UWC Adriatic is committed to the idea of a holistic education that brings together the academic rigour of the IB Diploma, an extensive extracurricular programme and a strong emphasis on service, compassion and personal responsibility. More than 70% of the College’s students are on full scholarships, resulting in a truly diverse school community both culturally and socio-economically, in line with UWC’s approach of placing deliberate diversity at the heart of its transformative educational model. Since its foundation, the College has taken many students from Central, Eastern and South-eastern Europe and now has a wider Mediterranean and Middle Eastern emphasis; a significant number of students are refugees or from crisis-affected communities.

The UWC Adriatic President and Board now seek a talented and highly motivated Rettore (Head) to succeed Dr. Khalid El-Metaal, who has successfully led and served for four years, leading the College out of the Covid-19 pandemic and building foundations for exciting future initiatives.

The new Rettore will have a track record of effective senior leadership and a sound understanding of the nature of leadership in a residential school context. They will be able to manage complexity and understand the balance of leading with authority whilst also genuinely seeking consensus as a UWC community expects. In challenging times globally, their headship will be marked by empathy, composure, vision and courage. They will be a compelling ambassador for the College, able to work with a wide range of stakeholders and supporters. An authentic and demonstrable commitment to UWC’s mission and values is essential and a knowledge of Italian is desirable.

For an initial, confidential conversation about the role, please contact Jean Sullivan (jeansullivan@rsacademics.com) including a copy of your CV/resume.

The closing date for applications is Thursday 2nd April 2026 at 10:00 UK / 11.00 Italy

Preliminary interviews with RSAcademics may commence before the applications deadline; early applications are therefore encouraged.

To apply, candidates should complete an application form electronically and submit it to RSAcademics, together with a letter of application and CV/résumé. Your covering letter, preferably of no more than two pages, addressed to Roberto Antonione, President, UWC Adriatic. The letter should explain your reasons for applying, the relevance of your experience, and how you relate your personal educational philosophy to your understanding of the College and the role. Please click the Apply Now link on the right side of this page to complete your application. 

Should you have any queries relating to uploading your application documents, please contact Amy Murphy, Operations Administrator, at applications@rsacademics.com. Amy can also be reached by calling +44 (0) 204 6269 791.

UWC Adriatic is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All staff and volunteers are expected to share this commitment and to uphold the highest standards of professional and personal conduct in line with our safeguarding policies.

The safeguarding responsibilities of the role are indicated in the candidate information.

RSAcademics is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and to promoting diversity and inclusion in schools.