Issues of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion are becoming better understood in many national school systems. There may well still be a long way to go to but EDI is on the agenda and the discussion is continually evolving. 

In the world of international schools, things feel very different. We are often met with blank looks or puzzlement, and occasionally by defiance. “Aren’t international schools already diverse?” “Oh, we couldn’t do that, it’s not allowed/it wouldn’t work in this culture.” “It’s a western, colonial approach to change the Middle East.” We have heard all these assertions, and more.  

We want to reframe the discussion to show that these concepts are just as valid in international schools in all parts of the world. We will try to move the conversation away from the idea that this is a box-ticking exercise or a means of imposing external ideas on societies with different values and expectations.   

To do this, the starting point must be that EDI is not an end in itself but a way for schools to be even better at what they do and want to do. And one way to demonstrate this is to focus on a more universal concept: the transformation that can come to a community with a strong sense of belonging.  

It cannot be denied that equity, diversity and inclusion require a different way of thinking internationally, including when the construct and composition of schools vary so much. The schools that have always been at least internationally diverse are an ever-smaller part of the sector, far less numerous than international schools that serve a national, often (apparently) mono-cultural audience. And then there are the implications of taking one system of education to a different part of the world. In leadership recruitment, we are frequently confounded by the school owner or operator who is certain that their new British curriculum school must have a British Head and it quickly becomes clear that they already have an image of that Head, perhaps even down to the suit that he will be wearing. 

At the same time, many more international schools now seem to have inclusion as a central part of their identity. In the first instance, that may well be a commitment to ‘all abilities’, with the structures and culture needed to support that commitment. Schools are by their very nature exclusionary, whether because of fees or curriculum or language requirements or the section of society they seek to serve, and this increasingly common commitment to inclusion is significant. 

This all may suggest that to develop EDI thinking internationally requires a more complex and nuanced narrative. A single way of thinking will not suit a sector that is so broad and diverse in its scope and hosted in such disparate cultural settings. But, almost paradoxically, focusing on belonging can simplify matters and give a clue to an approach that can quickly become meaningful and deeply-rooted. 

Identity and Belonging 

EDI should in any case never be viewed as a campaign or a movement with an agenda. It is a way of reflecting and further shaping the identity of a school and building a sense of belonging within the school. Viewed through this lens, it can be a more universal view of improvement. A strong sense of belonging can be an aspiration in a school regardless of its cultural context and student and staff composition.  

A school is a community of people and it should be a perfectly reasonably aspiration for every member of that community – students, teachers, admin and support staff, leaders – to feel that they belong. Almost all contemporary thinking on pedagogy and learning relies on the idea of each individual student being able to perform and flourish to the best of their ability, and the same surely must apply to the ability and commitment of teachers and others on the staff. If an individual does not feel that they belong – if there is an element of their identity that makes them feel different or an outsider – how much less likely are they to thrive. There is now wealth of evidence from across the global economy and society that a strong culture of belonging is vital to productivity, success and high performance (two compelling reports are Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters, McKinsey&Co, 2019 and Inclusion=Income: the business case for inclusive advertising, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford et al, 2024).  

Some international schools are undertaking inspirational work on inclusive practice in terms of different abilities; some of them have become among the most thriving and exciting places of learning. Sometimes schools are doing this with their own structures and programmes, sometimes they are drawing on global programmes like High Performance Learning. How much more powerful could this be if that sense of inclusion extended beyond academic ability to embrace the identity of every member of the school community. Very many international schools are in societies where not every aspect of an individual’s identity will be able to be freely expressed. But that does not mean that a school cannot still strive to be a place of belonging as part of its desire constantly to improve.  

It Doesn’t Just happen 

The argument for a strong sense of belonging is clear – the evidence is that it has a powerful impact on student outcomes, staff recruitment & retention and fostering a healthy, happy and high-performing organisational culture.  

However, belonging doesn’t just happen. It needs direction – values, policies, processes, curriculum design, behaviours and, of course, leadership all have important roles to play. It requires an understanding of the current state of belonging to recognise where work is needed. Sense of belonging surveys are one means to do this. These surveys can throw up surprising results. On the one hand, they can shock because their whole point is to view belonging from the perspective of members of the community whose identities and views may previously have gone unseen and unheard. But at the same time, they can show that some of the solutions can be relatively simple. Small steps can take a school a long way. This was illustrated by some recent work we undertook with a school in Singapore that wanted to communicate its EDI intentions in new ways and reach those who had reported that they felt less valued by the school. Some of the steps identified included better signposting to external resources and articles, storytelling about the lived experience of students and staff, and hosting talks that exposed students to concept of difference in its broadest sense.  

RSAcademics and All-In Education have formed a partnership that aims to integrate equity, diversity and inclusion – and belonging – into all aspects of RSAcademics’ work, whether that is leadership appointments, strategy consultancy, governance development or support with marketing and admissions. In leadership appointments, for example, we have learnt more about how to be more inclusive and equitable as well as to attract more diverse talent, and we also now feel better equipped to talk intelligently with candidates about their own approaches to inclusion and belonging. 

All-In Education can offer a range of services to schools, many of them with tailored approaches for international schools that can apply regardless of the cultural context in which they operate. The starting point is often a Sense of Belonging survey, but there are a range of other services that can support schools to create a stronger sense of belonging and to become more inclusive communities, including recruitment and curriculum audits, training, EDI strategy development and more bespoke consultancy support. 

About the authors

Keith Clark is Head of International Appointments at RSAcademics. As former Executive Director of UWC (United World Colleges) International, a post which he held for 12 years, Keith led the transformation of the overall UWC movement, providing leadership and strategic direction to the global organisation. He worked closely with the 15 UWC schools and colleges, particularly the boards and heads of each, as well as with volunteer national committees in almost 150 countries. This work led him to an intimate understanding of the functioning of schools operating in very different national and cultural contexts and under Keith’s leadership there was a 50% growth in the number of UWC colleges.

Before UWC, Keith worked at Royal Holloway, University of London, where he was responsible for UK and international student recruitment, communications and publications.

Since leaving UWC, Keith has continued to work with schools and international organisations, focusing on governance, management, organisational development, strategy and structure.

Keith can be contacted at keithclark@rsacademics.com 

Johan Jensen is a seasoned Equity, Diversity and Inclusion expert, with a wealth of experience across various global sectors, including finance and pharmaceuticals, but most significantly in the education sector. His expertise encompasses EDI change management, inclusive leadership development, strategic communications and stakeholder management. In 2018 he founded All-in Education to support schools globally to create more inclusive work and learning places – making recruitment more effective, ensuring talent stays for longer, helping staff fulfil their potential and ensuring the curriculum and learning environment is inclusive.

Johan holds a first-class honours degree in International Relations and Political Science from the University of Birmingham, complemented by an MA in Research Methods. Born and brought up in Sweden, he arrived in Britain on a scholarship to study at UWC Atlantic College, where his commitment to equality and human rights issues flourished.

Johan can be contacted at johan@allineducation.co.uk