ISS EDU Expo

The 2024 ISS EDU Expo

The Shekou International School campus in Shenzhen, Southern China came alive to more than 1000 energized participants in the second ISS EDU Expo on Saturday November 2nd. A number attending reinforced the understanding that career development and professional growth is highly appealing to educators. The structure of the Expo provides for teachers to explore several professional development streams with workshops and keynotes offering a variety of deep dives into topics that are relevant to all. Presenters from the region received great feedback on the workshops from audiences that included teachers from across the Greater Bay Area (Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and everywhere in between).

The long history and deep connections of ISS brought together a stellar group of providers in this in-person event and audiences were often standing room only. The high turn-out and interest in PD meant that ISS also provided rooms where our quality asynchronous courses could be accessed. The ISS EDUlearn^® Passport contains more than 150 packaged workshops and courses, and fill a need in schools for continuous access to staff development.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

“We always knew that ISS had a great reputation in the region for recruitment and professional learning, so were confident that we’d have good attendance, but the response was overwhelming. It just goes to show that a great product, a balance of innovation and tested expertise, and opportunity to connect is still what people want.”

Greg Smith

ISS Vice President

Also fundamental to the Expo was the chance for teachers to meet with schools in a high impact/low stress environment. With 60 great schools from the Asian region in attendance, there were hundreds of vacancies discussed, but schools and teachers were also encouraged to talk about ‘building the pipeline’ so that future opportunities were at the forefront. This changes the conversations and approach from a pressured situation to one where both parties deepen understanding and think about career development. Schools with access to the extensive ISS teacher database also had comprehensive background data including references and experience at their fingertips.

The campus at Shekou International School was filled throughout the day with great conversations. A range of true partners in education provided sponsorship and support for the event – and these companies were among the most popular workshop leaders as they showcased innovative programs and products. Basing the ISS EDU Expo at Shekou International School also ensured that participants could see the innovation and collaboration that is fundamental to the teaching at SIS. The facility was a showcase of quality international education.