International schools: A clear trend

Across Mumbai, you can find an international school these days within a short commute from your residence. Almost every suburb has at least one, if not several.

According to a survey by ISC Research, in year 2000, there were 2,584 international schools teaching close to 1 million students, mainly expatriates. Now there are 5,676 teaching over 2.5 million students, and by 2020 the prediction is for over 11,000 international schools with over 5 million students.
Future growth should be focused in Southern Asia, particularly India.

When considering international schools it is important to consider the curriculum, the location, the quality of education, the price and the key features that match your student’s personality. 
International schools are focusing less on a wholly UK or US curriculum and instead delivering a more international curriculum; noticeable is the increased use of the IB and IGCSE.

Therefore, there is a greater emphasis and focus on the strategies necessary for successful replication of existing schools, choosing viable locations for establishing new schools, finding local partners, branding and general management.

At the International and Private Schools Education Forum held in London during November 2011, there appeared to be consensus that growth in international schools continues to exceed 5% per year, with currently over 6,000 international schools worldwide.

There are strong indications that growth will continue in the short to medium term.