By Dr Fiona Rogers, Deputy CEO, COBIS

Teaching is a global profession, and the same is true for school leadership. There are more than 18,000 English-medium international schools operating around the world, of which nearly 10,000 have a UK national orientation (according to data from ISC Research). A UK-recognised teaching qualification, therefore, can be a passport to a world of opportunities. And there are comparable opportunities for school leaders.

But while there can sometimes be an assumption that international school roles take talented educators away from the UK system, the evidence suggests a different story. Studies in recent years, undertaken both by COBIS (Council of British International Schools) and ISC Research, have shown that teachers and leaders move in both directions between the international and domestic education systems, enabling the flow of knowledge, expertise and skills across the sectors.

International experience also plays a significant role in the retention of teachers within the profession. 43% of incoming teachers were thinking about leaving the profession before taking up an international school role (according to the last COBIS report on Teacher Supply in British International Schools). 

In the context of ongoing teacher and leader supply challenges, and with schools seeking to strengthen teaching, develop leadership capacity, and prepare young people for an increasingly interconnected world, the value of teachers and leaders with international experience should not be overlooked. 

Immersive development opportunities
Few professional development opportunities are as immersive as living and working in another country. Teachers and leaders in international schools are required to adapt quickly to new cultures, different educational contexts and diverse school communities. This experience develops qualities that are increasingly important in UK schools: adaptability, cultural intelligence, resilience. Educators working internationally also gain experience of teaching students from a wide range of linguistic, cultural and educational backgrounds, often requiring them to refine and broaden their pedagogical approach.

Working alongside global practitioners, with exposure to different curricula, educational philosophies, and classroom practices, encourages educators to question assumptions and consider alternative approaches to teaching and learning.

International experience helps educators to see education through a wider lens. And when skills and expertise developed internationally are brought back into domestic education systems, schools benefit from fresh thinking, new perspectives, a global mindset, and a greater awareness of how education can evolve to meet changing student needs.

At the leadership level, international experience can bring additional benefits.

Continuous learning
Leading in an international environment often requires navigating complexity on a daily basis. Leaders may be managing multicultural teams, supporting families from dozens of nationalities, balancing local and international expectations, navigating geo-political conflict or challenges, and delivering high-quality outcomes in rapidly changing contexts with high parental expectations.

These experiences cultivate strategic agility, strong communication skills and an ability to lead through uncertainty. They also foster a mindset of continuous learning, as leaders routinely encounter unfamiliar challenges that require innovation and adaptability.

When experienced leaders return to the UK, they often bring a broader perspective of what excellent education can look like and are well-equipped to deliver school improvement and support schools to remain globally minded and outward-looking. 

Diversity of ideas
A diversity of ideas and perspectives is beneficial to any school. In the same way that teachers who have worked across phases, sectors, or regions are welcomed for their breadth, there is significant value in educators who have developed personally and professionally in international school contexts and returned with new insights and renewed enthusiasm for the profession.

In a rapidly changing world, schools need professionals who can think broadly, adapt confidently, and lead effectively across complexity.

International experience can deepen professional expertise, broaden perspectives and cultivate leadership skills that are increasingly relevant to modern education. International experience supports teacher retention, provides opportunities for teachers and leaders to develop themselves personally and professionally, and can lead to a renewed enthusiasm for the profession. As they say, a change is a good as a rest.

For UK schools, there is real value in considering teachers and leaders with international experience – educators who have learned to see challenges differently, lead more effectively, and who bring a genuinely global perspective to improving outcomes for young people.