2019 Diversity Collaborative Survey Results Released
ISS Contact: Dana Watts +1-609-452-0900
PRINCETON NJ, USA (September 20, 2019) – Survey results from the inaugural Diversity Collaborative Survey (DCS) have been released, creating one of the first baselines of information on international school leadership and diversity. The research study was initiated in spring 2019 by the Diversity Collaborative, which partnered with ISC Research and the Center for International Education at George Mason University to design and administer the survey and analyze the responses. The survey was sent to 2,676 accredited international schools around the world.
According to Maddy Hewitt, Executive Director of the Near East South Asian (NESA) Council of Overseas Schools and a co-chair of the Diversity Collaborative, “This survey is significant because our International School community may now use concrete findings to drive positive change.”
The research summary includes eight key findings and presents an Integrated Organizational Framework to help international schools and organizations serving them become more intercultural. In addition, the report provides both school-level and global recommendations to increase DEI-J leadership in international schools. The study defined DEI-J as:
Diversity: the presence of difference
Equity: ensuring everyone has access to the same opportunities
Inclusion: embracing and valuing differences
Justice: systems, policies, and practices that ensure DEI
Dr. Beth Pfannl, Vice President, Administrative Searches and Governance Services for International Schools Services and a co-chair of the Diversity Collaborative, said, “Over the years I have seen more attention given to diversity in leadership positions around the world; however, there continues to be a lot of room for growth in this area Beverly Shaklee, Director of the Center for International Education and Professor of Curriculum and Instruction at George Mason University, helped to lead the survey development and analysis and expects this work to continue. “The study of diversity of leadership in international schools is not a ‘one and done’ report,” said Dr. Shaklee. “It is a continuous commitment to elevating the conversation around issues of equity, diversity and justice, first at the leadership level and then throughout the entire community.”
Dr. Shaklee continued, “International schools have the opportunity to mirror the best of world-wide practices. My hope is that we will continue to gather information, inform practice and provide support for those who make this life- long commitment to the students, families, teachers and community that we serve.”
View the video and download the report resources here. Download the full report here.
For more information about joining the Diversity Collaborative, contact infodiversitycollaborative@iss.edu.
About the Diversity Collaborative
The Diversity Collaborative is a sector-wide initiative designed to utilize the talents of leaders in international education to create lasting changes in the way we engage, support and promote educators who encompass a broad range of identities. The Collaborative aims to reinforce, magnify and standardize best practices, ensuring that progress persists through the inevitable leadership transitions experienced by international schools. For more information, visit www.iss.edu/Diversity-Collaborative.
About the Center for International Education at George Mason University
George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls 37,000 students from 130 countries and 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity, and commitment to accessibility. The mission of the Center for International Education is to explore the nature of international education, advance international and intercultural understanding, and promote equity worldwide. Learn more at https://cehd.gmu.edu/centers/cie.
About ISC Research
ISC Research is the leading provider of English-medium K-12 international school data, trends and intelligence. It has been collecting market intelligence and data on international schools throughout the world since 1994. Much of our data is gathered from primary sources (governments, established international schools, and market experts) by a team of skilled researchers, including a team of field researchers based in key locations of the world where international education is in most demand. To learn more, please visit: http://www.iscresearch.com.
About International Schools Services (ISS)
As a nonprofit organization, International Schools Services (ISS) works with more than 500 international schools and thousands of educators each year across its suite of services, creating the largest global footprint in international education support. ISS’s core services include founding and managing student-centered, future-oriented schools; recruiting world-class educators; providing cutting-edge professional learning opportunities; sourcing essential school supplies; and stewarding school foundations. ISS staff has extensive experience in all aspects of international education, with most senior leaders having served as Heads of Schools across a variety of continents. To learn more, please visit: www.iss.edu.