The Council of International Schools (CIS) is a non-profit association of international schools and post-secondary institutions which aims to improve international education. It provides services such as: educational accreditation

Educational accreditation

Educational accreditation is a type of quality assurance process under which services and operations of educational institutions or programs are evaluated by an external body to determine if applicable standards are met...

, teacher and leadership recruitment services, links to higher education

Higher education

Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...

, governance assistance and help with founding new schools.

CIS works with its member schools around the world, most of which are co-educational and independent

Independent school

An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...

, catering for students between the ages of 3 to 19 years. These schools serve the expatriate community, although many also have a substantial enrolment of local nationals. They vary in size from an enrolment of 50 to over 2,000. In the majority of schools the language of instruction is English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

, although not all students are native English speakers. About a quarter of the member schools offer part of their curriculum in a second language. Some schools offer a standard U.S. college preparatory program of studies, others a traditional British curriculum, while others combine elements from these and other systems. An increasing number offers an international curriculum culminating in the International Baccalaureate Diploma.

Accreditation service

The accreditation service transferred from European Council of International Schools

European Council of International Schools

The European Council of International Schools - ECIS is an association of international schools founded in 1965. ECIS is a collaborative network promoting the ideals and best practice of international education....

 (ECIS) to CIS in July 2003 with all schools in the process retaining their status as accredited or candidate schools. Currently there are some 335 accredited or candidate schools. The accreditation service offers: an internationally-based evaluation for schools operating at elementary and/or middle and/or secondary levels, an evaluation instrument designed specifically for international schools, a sympathetic but rigorous evaluation of the highest professional standard, a cost-effective program, a seal of accreditation which can be retained subject to regular monitoring. The CIS Accreditation Service is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools

National Association of Independent Schools

The National Association of Independent Schools is a U.S.-based membership organization for private, nonprofit, K-12 schools. Founded in 1963, NAIS represents independent schools and associations in the United States, including day, boarding, and day/boarding schools; elementary and secondary...

 (NAIS) Commission on Accreditation. Dual accreditation is possible with some regional accreditation

Regional accreditation

Regional accreditation is a term used in the United States to refer to educational accreditation conducted by any of several accreditation bodies established to serve six defined geographic areas of the country for accreditation of schools, colleges, and universities...

 agencies in the United States. CIS collaborates with a number of other educational and government agencies around the world.

Teacher placement service

The Teacher Placement service maintains a database of around 3,000 qualified teachers. Once registered, teachers will have a CIS placement file which will be maintained if updated annually. CIS also organizes four teacher recruitment fairs annually, two in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 and two in North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

.

Higher education service

The Higher Education service provides links between CIS secondary schools and institutions of higher education. There are currently some 460 accredited post-secondary higher education institutions that support international education and the goals of the Council. Each year graduates from CIS schools matriculate at CIS member colleges/universities worldwide, including institutions in the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Continental Europe. Services for Higher Education members are designed to facilitate and optimize the linkage between institutions of higher education and secondary schools to increase visibility with school leavers and the school guidance community. Historically, services focused on recruitment tours that visit international and national schools throughout the world. The value of membership and the range of services offered today are ever more far reaching—and include a series of college fairs and workshops for college admissions and school guidance counselors.

Effective Governance program

The Effective Governance program involves two components: the Partnership Development Program and the On-Site Board Development Program specifically for international schools around the globe. The Partnership Development Program develops the relationship between the board chair and the head of school. The thrust of the On-Site Board Development Program focuses on the partnership between the governing board and the school head and his/her staff.

Staff

CIS maintains a professional staff of some 25 people located in different parts of the world.

External links

• Council of International Schools