Elite Education

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Early Days

My journey started almost 40 years ago, as a young engineer, then a consultant and a manager. I began teaching 20 years ago, sharing my experience in purchasing, supply chain, and operations, and more recently in digital transformation technologies, at HEC Paris, Kedge, EM Lyon, Grenoble School of Management, and finally, program director at EDHEC. I hold a DBA from Paris Dauphine (2016), an MBA from Kellogg Graduate School of Management (1989) as well as a metallurgical engineering degree from the University of Liège (1983).

I have also co-authored two books on Strategic Supplier Management and Value Creation: Collaborative Sourcing (Presses Universitaires de Louvain 2005) and Les Achats Collaboratifs (De Boeck 2012), and written multiple articles for academic and professional publications. It is this three-pronged expertise in the industry, consulting, and education that convinced Glion to ask me to become the Director of the GIHE Switzerland and UK campuses, to lead academic, operational, and student experience initiatives.

Revolutionary Contribution

I have become a thought leader in B2B collaborative relations and Purchasing Leadership for sustainable competitive advantages. I worked for the operations practices of Booz Allen (Chicago, Paris) and McKinsey (Brussels, Geneva), helping large clients transform their approach to the supply chain. At PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay (Dallas, London, Bern) I developed and implemented an international purchasing strategy focusing on securing privileged access to key supplier resources, and enhancing competitive advantages. During my last corporate position, as head of global purchasing with GSK Biologicals (Brussels), I transformed purchasing from a tactical and administrative function to powerful support of strategic initiatives.

Over the last five years, as a Professor at EDHEC, I applied the concepts of Purchasing Leadership to digital transformation. Alongside my responsibilities as Director of the Master in Strategy Consulting and Digital Transformation, I explored the business challenges presented by the digital transformation of Operations to capture sustainable competitive advantages, looking at transformative technologies like artificial intelligence, the blockchain, the internet of things, and virtual reality. 

Learning with Technology

Online education is fundamental in overcoming spatial, temporal, and personal barriers to deliver to very diverse audiences. In an ever-changing world, led by digitalization, sustainability, and innovation, we develop a digitized curriculum of the Swiss model of hospitality education backed by modern classrooms and unique learning environment facilities. Facilities are operated by students under the supervision of professionals, each best in their domain of expertise, and provide a real-life experience with real customers. The latest virtual experience technologies offer a hybrid approach to combine traditional classroom experiences and observational learning with virtual classrooms.

We are also a partner of the UNWTO online Academy whose strongest priority is to digitize education, to become more accessible and useful for everyone. This high-quality learning experience is available for everyone at an affordable price and caters to those who are looking to improve or supplement their current skill set in order to adapt to this fast-growing and evolving sector.

To adhere to the fast-evolving world of the hospitality industry, we tailored a portfolio of Executive programs such as the new Executive Master’s in Luxury Management & Guest Experience by Glion as well as a free online course ‘The Luxury Sector: Customers and Premium Experiences.

About Glion

We were founded as a hotel school 60 years ago this year. Since its foundation, Glion has been a byword for excellence in hospitality business education. The institute follows a curriculum of the Swiss model of hospitality education, combining practical instruction in the kitchen, service, and room operations with theoretical and general management courses. Glion Institute of Higher Education provides a unique learning environment to a diverse student body, with modern classrooms and learning facilities, gastronomic restaurants, and furnished accommodation available on every campus.

And while we have maintained our strong commitment to the hospitality industry throughout this time, in recent years we have also developed a specific focus on the luxury sector. In response, Glion was the first hospitality business school to create a Luxury Brand Management specialization for Bachelor students and more recently a Master of Science in Luxury Management and Guest Experience. By doing this, we aim to prepare students for roles not just in luxury hotels but also in luxury goods, private banking, real estate, retail, and all other bespoke services aimed at high-net-worth individuals expecting excellence in guest experience.

Solution to the Problem

Challenges are best overcome by cooperation. This is what I developed in collaborative purchasing, addressing the challenges of competition by combining the strengths of clients and suppliers within an extended enterprise pooling resources to grow, and besting more rigid competitors that kept a short-term focus. Likewise, when organizations face challenges, they must unite their resources to increase their capacity to deliver. First, listen for a grounded diagnostic, then develop a solution as a team, convince the organization of its validity, and finally implement overcoming natural resistance to change. Those abilities must be encouraged by the culture of the organization, a “Savoir Etre” at the heart of the Glion experience.

Source of Motivation

Students at the world’s best hospitality schools have high expectations. And rightly so. They hold ambitions to be leaders, entrepreneurs, and change agents, and they expect those same schools to help deliver that future. My responsibility as an education leader to ensure we equip our students with the expertise and ability to elevate them above the competition and enable them to achieve these lofty goals is what motivates me. In the case of Glion, an enduring commitment to teaching excellence in hospitality and luxury business, that combine to necessitate an unrivaled learning experience, one that prepares students to excel in the most demanding roles, right from graduation day is what gets me going.

Rather than who, it is what: the disconnect between what academic research was proposing, and the everyday practices in enterprises. I wanted to help those universes get closer.

Education Today

The education sector today is progressively focusing on the student experience because the one-size-fits-all paradigm is no longer regarded as the best method to study. With the next generation of global citizens having great aspirations for autonomy, adaptability, and globalization in the education system, it is critical for institutions to deliver tailored learning, which can only be imagined by combining technology-enhanced education with traditional “hands-on” collaborative learning grounded in practical cases.

Message for Future Leaders

My message is to look toward the future with optimism. But also, to open your eyes to the changes that will if anything, accelerate as travel, tourism, and hospitality bounce back from the pandemic. If you can stay one step ahead of these changes – be they technological, behavioral, or just fashionable, you will prosper in your career or in your entrepreneurial ambitions. The core skills of hospitality – particularly soft skills – are highly transferable. The age of the linear career is largely over, and the key to successfully negotiating a non-linear career is to acquire the breadth of knowledge that will enable you to pivot more easily to a different path when the time comes. One of the keys to achieving this is through a commitment to lifelong learning as a means of self-development.

Developing a leader’s mindset, confidence and outlook is an invaluable asset to draw on in both covering letters and interviews when applying for dream jobs. I believe that a good manager needs to experiment in practice, with all the professions of hospitality to get a full understanding of how hospitality organizations work. The hospitality industry today is a territory of opportunity and among the most dynamic in the world. Education is the key to transforming this sector to capture the opportunities of a world facing profound mutations.

Future Plan of Action

In the coming years, I aim to leverage my extensive professional experience in the academic, consulting, and business world to further position Glion at the forefront of Hospitality digitalization and innovation overseeing around 1,600 students and a team of 250 employees and fulfilling my responsibility of leading the GIHE Switzerland and UK campuses, driving and delivering further innovative strategies related to academics, operations, and student experience. 

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Educational leaders are pivotal in affecting their institutions’ climate, attitude, and reputation. Under successful leadership, universities become places where students are not only educated but challenged, nurtured, and encouraged.

Kamila Ghazali has spent most of her career in education and is currently the Vice-Chancellor of the International University of Malaya-Wales (IUMW), Malaysia. With a wealth of experience in academia and leadership, she has set out a clear vision for the University and strives to provide students with a holistic educational experience, nurturing leaders of the future.

Career at a Glance

I have worked in education for most of my career; it has always been my passion. I spent most of those years building my career at Universiti Malaya (UM), Malaysia’s oldest and number-one university. I spent over 20 years in senior positions at UM, at national and international levels, including roles as the Director of International & Corporate Relations, Deputy Dean of the Institute of Graduate Studies, and three years as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International). Then in January 2022, I took up the Vice-Chancellor role at the International University of Malaya Wales (IUMW).

I was part of the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics at UM, and my areas of expertise and interests lie in critical discourse analysis and sociolinguistics.

Creating a Technology-Enabled University

Technology has become integral to academic life, and IUMW has invested in new solutions to ensure that technology helps give students the best learning experience. This year, we formed the University’s first EdTech Centre. The Centre oversees all technological education advancements to ensure our success in implementing educational technology initiatives.

To complement video lectures and engage students in the virtual classroom, IUMW has adopted technologies that enable more interactivity such as interactive blog learning, engaging online activities, and even a virtual lab for our science subjects.

We are integrating smart classrooms into our campus, which are technology-enhanced classrooms that foster unique teaching and learning opportunities by integrating technology with specialized software and audio/visual capabilities.

We are also currently investing to scale up our online program offerings including Open and Distance Learning degrees and micro-credentials. The education landscape is shifting and we have to move with it, so we are designing courses that will better meet the needs of non-traditional learners.

A Global Outlook

One thing we have looked at this year at IUMW is how we can continue to grow our international strategy. We already offer transnational education in collaboration with our UK partner, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, and have a significant international student population. In just the last few months we have brought IUMW to an even wider global platform, forming collaborative partnerships with institutions in both Indonesia and Japan.

We want to produce graduates and faculty who are confident and sensitive when working in any cultural setting and who understand different perspectives beyond that of their home culture. Bringing high-quality international partnerships into our strategy helps to create that mix. We’re always looking for new academic, research, and industry partners who share our ambition to develop global graduates, global leaders, global citizens, and global researchers.

A University Set in Malaysia’s Thriving Capital

IUMW comes from a long and rich history; owned by Universiti Malaya and the University of Wales, the two oldest universities in their respective countries. It was established in 2013 and since then has experienced tremendous growth; now a community of almost 2000 students from across the globe. We’re located right in the heart of the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, famed for its melting pot of cultures and many tourist attractions including the world-famous Petronas Twin Towers.

Students come to IUMW because the programs we provide are unique. We offer UK degrees in collaboration with UWTSD, and students can also study at their UK campus – so they truly get the best of both worlds. They benefit from meaningful global learning opportunities that will help them when they begin their career. An international perspective is important in today’s global workforce, and that is something we believe we offer here at IUMW.

Leadership Challenges

The lack of clear communication in any organization can be detrimental to the efficient running of its operations, and that can affect productivity and desired outcomes. Communication is key in risk management; all stakeholders must be kept up to date on relevant aspects of the organization as well as challenges that may arise. When communication is clear, there is a level of transparency and trust among staff, and a sense of inclusivity is built.

Challenges, as they arise, are best dealt with together as a team. I firmly believe that a leader is only as strong as the team she builds. When kept up to speed with clear communication, a team will have little or no hesitation in pulling together to solve challenges together. 

Source of Motivation

Students motivate me. We have a responsibility to mold these young minds into responsible, knowledgeable, respectful adults who care about the community and the environment. They put enormous trust in us to help them with their professional and personal development. The experience they gain, both in and out of the classroom while at university, at the most vulnerable age of their lives, will in large part shape the person they will become, making their years at university arguably the most important period of their lives. So, as much as possible, the university has to evolve and develop programs that lend themselves to producing graduates who will be useful citizens of the world.

Education is a field where you can help young people directly and in a personal way; potentially changing their lives for the better. Teaching is more than just a job. I make it about them and not me, and that’s really motivating.

Current Climate in Malaysia’s Education Sector

The last 2 years were perhaps some of the most challenging for educators and students in not just our nation’s history, but right across the globe. The pandemic exposed the vulnerabilities of an education system that was not equipped for remote learning. As difficult as it was, the pandemic served as a catalyst for innovation in our sector, which might have otherwise taken years or even decades to take place, to the extent that it has. It has given teachers and academic institutions opportunities to innovate and improve their teaching methods. Many institutions have built on existing teaching and communication skills and developed new technical skills to integrate digital tools into their student engagement methods.

It is up to us to use this momentum to build a more resilient digital infrastructure for our education system, so we can generate even greater potential in this era.

Journey into Education

My mother was my motivation for a career in education. She lived in an era when it was not common for girls to go to school beyond a certain level. She was top of her class when she had the opportunity to go to school. Her ambition was to be an educator. In part, I feel like I was able to fulfill that ambition for her.

Looking Towards the Future

We have grand ambitions at IUMW. Over the last 10 years, we have seen incredible growth, and we plan to keep building on that. We see the value of higher education as great today as it was when our parent universities were founded, over 100 years ago, so we want to see our university grow and develop within the niche that we have already built for ourselves.

We are looking to become an even more collaborative and impactful university; doing more than ever to produce the workforce, research, partnerships, and innovation needed to impact society for the better. Some of our priorities include academic quality; student success; and strategic growth.

Advice for Students

My message to students would be to use university as a platform to grow and expand their thinking skills, far beyond academics. They must take advantage of positive social interactions and develop friendships for life. University opens doors like no other time in your life. It’s a freeing journey, a time to experiment, discover what you love and decide who you want to become. We are all responsible for our development, so use the special years in university wisely. Also, remember that succeeding at university does not mean never making mistakes. We all make mistakes. That’s how we learn and grow. It’s learning from your mistakes that get you closer to your goals. Only you can write your story, so take charge and write a good one!

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Beginning of the Journey

Zoe: I’ve had a long and adventurous journey getting to where I am today. I always knew that I wanted to work with children, support and help them on their individual paths of discovery. After receiving my degrees in both Early Childhood and Education in Vienna and New Zealand, I worked with children around the globe. As a former Montessori student, I not only wanted to learn more but also knew that to open a school founded on strong values, codes, and principles, I needed to return to school myself, so I ended up studying Leadership and Management at Oxford University. Having a solid background in both areas has guided and supported me in my decision-making ever since. 

Katharina: Inspired by the world’s diversity, I have had the honor of building various companies over the years. An understanding of human beings, guiding individuals, supporting them, and helping them become their best versions has continually inspired me to keep going. My leadership style is backed by my degree in psychology, courses at the Hochschule of St. Gallen, and my knowledge of the fluidity of intelligence, including abilities such as problem-solving, learning, and the discovery of patterns. Working with children, making a difference in this world, and giving children the opportunity to grow and learn based on the current neurological research, wrapped in an environment based truly on their developmental needs, is where I find myself most at peace.

Technology Application in the Classroom

Our students are currently between the age of 0-6 years old and not using technology in the classroom but basing their research on real-life experiences and sensorial materials such as books, nature, and microscopes. In our elementary program, which is opening in the summer of 2023, however, we will slowly incorporate technology, focusing on learning to use and purposefully work with technology as well as healthy habits. 

Contribution to the Organization

For us, it has been the focus of holistic education. In addition to being an AMI Montessori school, the children are gaining knowledge via cooking and baking, learning about measurements, sequence of activities, and completing tasks, they are learning about life cycles by growing their own vegetables and fruit in the garden, creating timelines, and research books about the processes they are observing and supporting. The children have animals they are looking after; we currently have three dogs, rabbits, tortoises, ducks, quails, mice, and fish. These animals are not present under a Christmas tree that one forgets about after the excitement wears off, but are part of our community. The children care for the animals, feed them, clean their habitats and learn an immeasurable amount about care, responsibility, interpersonal skills, and being a friend. Another aspect of holistic induction we are proud of is the connection to nature; we enjoy our very large garden every day, which includes a sensory path, a vegetable garden, space to roam and explore, and even a bamboo forest but also frequently walk to lake Zurich which is right next to us. A highlight for the children is also our weekly day in the forest, where we cook food over the open fire, climb trees and take ropes to climb and walk up close to waterfalls. 

About Serendipity Montessori

Serendipity Montessori is an English/ German bilingual Montessori school in Zollikon/ Switzerland which caters to children from around the world between the ages of three months and six years. In our rich community, we are proud the celebrate and include everyone’s individual story, culture, and beliefs. We follow the AMI (Association Montessori International) principles, creating a rich and holistic learning environment, individualizing programs based on interests, strengths, and learning ability, and following each child’s needs. In the summer of 2023, we are opening elementary classes giving our students the opportunity to continue their education up until the age of 12 years.

Overcoming Challenges

The children are so open and loving; they love to learn and be present. Most of the challenges we have faced are funnily not the daily work with the children but the families. Good communication and knowing that the relationship with the family needs to work in the form of a partnership is crucial. We are looking after these families’ most precious beings, and as educators and leaders, we need to understand that this takes an immense amount of trust and strength. We have been very lucky with our families and when confusion or questions arise, we always take the time to sit down with families and listen and discuss reasons, boundaries, opportunities, and other perspectives with them. Everything can be resolved when one takes the time to listen and walk a mile in the other person’s shoes. 

Motivation for Motivators

Knowing that we as educators can help a child on their path to discovery, helping shape a growing mind and our future generation is incredibly fulfilling. It is so important for children to realize that learning is fun, life is beautiful, and being able to trust, feel empowered, capable, and strong while being kind and humble. It is astonishing to see that children in authentic Montessori schools love learning so much that by the time they are six years old most of them can read and write as well as do advanced mathematics in the thousands, and the best part of all this is that in their eyes these challenges are the most fun activities.

Education Scenario of the Country

One of the beautiful things about living in a melting pot and welcoming all cultures in our environment is that we don’t necessarily have to follow one country’s philosophy of education. The most inspiring educators observe their classroom and find exciting ways to learn not only with each other but from each other and take it from there. The education sector needs to change, it needs diversity, movement, fluidity, and a healthy dose of curiosity and humor. There is nothing worse than a cookie-cutter environment with a head of school demanding every one to have the same projects, lessons, or classroom dynamics. We need to live life to the fullest, incorporate everyone, ditch tokenism, and live happily together. Rather than putting in the extra effort to focus on individuality and global learning, the traditional educational system in Switzerland is stale and outdated and quite honestly uses the same formula for everyone, disregarding the individual, which only makes it simpler for the educator but does not benefit the learning child. for rather than putting in the extra effort to focus on individuality and global learning. Things are slowly changing though, and we are excited to see more schools join a more modern educational philosophy that is founded on current studies on brain development, social and emotional development, and multicultural learning.

Inspiration Behind the Journey

Zoe: I have met many educators that I adored and am truly thankful for their creative and hard work, one, in particular, was Mrs. Steiff, she helped pick me up after some of the most challenging years of my life. Her devotion, kindness, and belief in me helped me start every day positively. Mrs. Steiff was no push though, you had to work hard to reach goals but she was always there with a smile and a ladder if needed. I have learned a lot from Mrs. Steiff, see a lot of similarities between us, and can honestly say that I would be honored to be compared to her one day. After being taught by other teachers, however, I will always remember my father’s words “I am so glad you met this educator, now you know who you never want to turn into”. 

Katharina: During my education at the Institut auf dem Rosenberg I have over and over again been confronted with the idea of becoming a leader and the best version of myself. I have had the privilege of meeting teachers that supported, inspired, and guided me to take charge, make changes happen that I wanted to see in the world, and try the different systems of learning. I didn’t know it back then, but retrospectively I acknowledge that having had the opportunity to try, fail, try again, and succeed was a truly wonderful way of learning, very much comparable with the Montessori method. 

Future Goals

Taking the next step by opening the higher grades in the summer of 2023 we look forward to growing our authentic Montessori school with a modern twist, including nature, animals and providing children with a unique experience by learning in freedom within limits, discovery, and fulfilling their potential all the way up to adolescence.

Message For Students

Dear students, we would like to empower each and every one of you to acquire the essential knowledge, thinking skills, and strength of character, fundamental to flourish as joyous children and future successful adults.

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Education is the practice of the mind’s ability to think, not the acquisition of knowledge. When life begins, education provides the young person with the resources and equipment needed to fight in the wars of the world. Despite being separated by borders, the world is getting smaller and smaller until it is a single global community.

Grooming the younger generation in that environment is crucial for preparing the next generation of this global village in this highly technological world where holistic development and the core goal of education are maintained.

The Inception

ICS was opened in 1993, providing affordable, Christian university preparatory education. The school found a niche with non-missionary families who fueled demand for the school’s program. This draws into our vision as a school; ICS aims to honor Christ by modeling excellence and innovation in holistic Christian education.

From renting our campus back in 1993 and only having elementary students, we have grown into a much larger community, where our Shek Mun campus has 1200 students from P1 – 12 and has two indoor gyms with a fitness center, theatre, indoor swimming pool, Chapel, Art Gallery, outdoor play space, and more to help equip our students with what they need; and our kindergarten which houses 144 students from Reception 1-2 is situated in Ma On Shan.

Visionary Mission

International Christian School is a community of Learners recognizing the importance of the interpersonal dimension of the learning process. We believe that community grows out of shared commitments and that learning results from an interaction between people, ideas, and experience. As students’ accountability and responsibility to others are increased, they can better understand themselves, respect others, and serve as compassionate disciples of Christ and constructive members of society.

Integrated and Rich Curriculum

ICS curriculum is well-rounded, rigorous, flexible, personalized, and diverse, taught from a Biblical worldview perspective by subject specialists. High School requirements ensure students grow holistically by exposing them to various courses. Courses are grouped into the following departments: Bible, English Language Arts, Math, Social Science, Science, Physical Education, World Languages (Mandarin and Spanish), Fine and Performing Arts, and Information Technology Literacy. Students follow personalized pathways based on readiness, interest, and need. Curriculum options provide them with sufficient flexibility to pursue their unique areas of interest. ICS offers Advanced Placement (AP) courses for our High School students. AP courses give students the opportunity to access university-level coursework and earn university credit and placement. AP courses follow the curriculum framework and standards designed by the College Board; ICS currently offers 24 AP courses taught by our qualified teachers that have received specialized training to teach these courses. AP allows flexibility based on the students’ key strengths and preferred subjects.

Beyond Traditional Curriculum

ICS seeks to be centered upon Christ. We are committed to building God’s Kingdom and integrating faith, learning, and action. We are an evangelical Christian school that uses academic and extra-curricular programs to develop the whole student – intellectually, physically, socially, and spiritually. We are committed to “Service to the Community.” This integral part of the ICS mission forms the foundation of our robust Service-Learning program. With an objective to equip students to serve and transform communities, Service Learning is incorporated into the school curriculum from Reception 1 to Grade 12 to prepare students’ hearts, minds, and actions to make a difference in the local and global communities. Students are encouraged to reach out and engage with the community, both through a range of service-learning programs and clubs and through personalized service projects at a high school level.

Adapting to Contemporary Learning Methods

Service-learning and the development of the Expected School-wide Learning Results (ESLRs) are essential aspects of the curricular and co-curricular program. Technology is integrated into the curriculum with 1 to 1 devices and requires the senior students to Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) philosophy that allows for the choice of technology and the school provides Ipads for the elementary students.

With the curriculum, including a rich co-curricular program, ICS, in partnership with parents, seeks to equip students to serve and transform their communities, cultivate their character, nurture their God-given abilities, and prepare them in developmentally appropriate ways for life, including tertiary education.

Getting Students Ready for a Promising Future

Financial assistance is granted to families on a needs basis; families can approach our finance office directly to determine whether they are eligible for a discount on the debenture or tuition assistance.

Each year, over half our seniors receive offers to the World Top 50  universities and upon graduation they go on to pursue further education or achieve careers in a wide variety of industries and functions, from medicine, law, technology, consulting to music and stage performance, art and professional sports.

Tackling Covid-19

The school pivoted immediately to online learning when schools were closed in the Spring of 2020.  Teachers and students have both grown proficient in managing to teach and learn online when this is needed.  The school also even maintained some service-learning programs by shifting to online ways of serving others. There were a few students that struggle to adapt to online learning, but were supported by teachers and fellow students.

Notable Achievements and Awards ICS has always had success with our students achieving high AP scores and being accepted into some of the top universities globally. Of our Graduating Class of 2022, 55% will be attending the top 50 universities globally, and 64% will be attending the top 100 universities globally.

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There are a few schools that give personal attention to each child, creating an atmosphere where young people of many faiths and cultures feel equally at home, and providing a high-caliber school whose graduates will have a positive influence in the world.

The present trend in the education system shows a rapid takeover of technology in all its functions. If looked at the right way, there is going to be a huge disruption in the education industry, which is evident even now. Then as leaders how this should be utilized as an effective change maker.

The leaders should take to upskill their talents to utilize such trends with technology to help the school culture, to take up different shades of becoming more engaging, meaningful, relevant, inspiring and more so very transparent. No doubt the new edtech trends will be disruptive.

Brief History

German Swiss International School Hong Kong was founded in 1969 and provides a through-train education from Kindergarten to Secondary. It offers a German International Stream and English International Stream. The school has around 1,250 students from around 30 countries and is located in an absolutely prestigious and well-connected location on Hong Kong Island.

Our mission is to provide a home of educational excellence within a vibrant, creative, and caring community.

Our vision is to cultivate passionate, resilient individuals and recruit, retain and empower outstanding teachers, inspire and empower students to explore their interests and passion for learning and seek to strengthen connections with our global family of alumni and leading educational institutions. Our campuses are fully equipped with state-of-the-art facilities such as but not limited to a swimming pool, gymnastic centers and outdoor playgrounds.

The Supporting Pillar

One of the primary missions of the Principal Dr. Dirk Bennhardt is to further enhance the German and Swiss identity of GSIS within its diverse community. For him language and communication is a key to understanding and building trust with people, hence he is keen to promote language and cultural education at GSIS.

Courses Offered

GSIS offers two streams – German International Stream and English International Stream. The German International Stream leads to the International Abitur whereas the English International Stream leads to the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBDP). Both streams offer access to renowned universities worldwide.

Beyond Traditional Curriculum

Here at GSIS, we encourage our students to discover and develop their unique talents. We want them to be ambitious, educated and responsible citizens in the future to be able to flourish in an ever-changing world. In addition, we offer a broad selection of co-curricular activities for our students to choose from.

Motivating Students

As part of the curriculum, GSIS emphasises critical thinking and 21^st-century skills among our students. We believe that meaningful relationships and a positive school climate can offer opportunities for our students. We also encourage our students to own and learn from their mistakes and become caring members of society.

Financial Aid

GSIS considers social aspects for students on a case-by-case basis. In particular German, Swiss and Austrian nationals can benefit since the German International Stream is the only way of receiving an education similar to their home countries. A reduction of the school fees is possible for those applicants who pass our means test successfully.

Career Opportunities

Our students have a variety of options after their graduation. Students of the German International Stream can graduate after Y10 and Y12 (International Abitur) and are able to continue their education via vocational training or attending universities. Our English International Stream students usually go to study at universities directly after their graduation, yet some of our students will opt for a gap year before they proceed with their formal education.

Tackling Covid-19

COVID-19 has led to extraordinary challenges for schools globally. Schools had to be closed and frequent online learning had to be conducted. One of the key factors for a successful outcome was the reinvention of the degree and nature of emotional well-being among our students and teachers. We put a lot of effort into building and maintaining positive relationships during the pandemic by promoting strategies to improve social connectedness.

Awards

GSIS has been constantly awarded as one of the top global IB schools worldwide. It is an accredited ‘International Baccalaureate World School’ and a PASCH school.

Future Plans GSIS plans to further enhance and develop the German and Swiss identity of GSIS inside the diverse international community. In addition, we will further enhance our campus facilities and the professional development of our staff to stay competitive in the current and future international education market in Hong Kong.