Navigating a Complex Educational Landscape: Professional and Personal Challenges Facing School Leaders around the World in 2025

School leaders around the world are navigating educational challenges that test their resilience, adaptability, and leadership skills. 471 international school leaders working in 103 countries shared their experiences with us, responding to a confidential survey which asked for their open-ended responses. (There was no pre-determined list of challenges.)

 

Professional Challenges

Board Governance and Corporate Ownership

One of the most significant professional challenges identified by school leaders is navigating board governance and corporate ownership. This includes dealing with board turnover, unfamiliarity with educational practices among board members, and managing the expectations of demanding parents. One leader highlighted an unexpected difficulty:

Discovering wide-scale corruption in a school that I was new to leading.

 

Financial Management

Financial management remains a top concern, especially in the face of high inflation, budgetary constraints, and economic crises. Leaders are often tasked with balancing budgets in for-profit schools while maintaining high standards. One leader recounted this challenge at the start of their tenure:

The board letting me know two days before school starts that the school had an 8.5 million euro debt and the school account in the bank had only 4000 euros and we did not have salaries for teachers and that was how I started my first day.

 

Managing Change

Adapting to rapid changes in international education is another major challenge. Leaders must stay at the forefront of educational innovations, manage resistance to change, and lead through high-stakes decisions in unforeseen situations. One leader described his experience:

Leading the transformation of an international school to meet globally recognized standards while navigating cultural, regulatory, and institutional expectations. Balancing academic excellence with national education priorities, while ensuring buy-in from stakeholders including educators, parents, and policymakers has required a strategic, adaptive, and collaborative approach.

 

Adapting to a Leadership Role

For many, the transition to a leadership role brings multiple challenges. This includes finding a school aligned with their vision, getting accustomed to new cultural contexts, and inheriting decisions made by predecessors. One leader shared the struggle of stepping into a headship position for the first time:

In my first year as Head of School I came into an environment with a toxic principal, bullying of teachers and staff, major bullying between students, inappropriate involvement of alumni in school affairs, an economic crisis, and a major earthquake.

 

Discrimination

Discrimination remains a pervasive issue, particularly for women and ethnic minorities in leadership positions. Leaders reported facing bias for being women, coming from the local community, or being younger than their male counterparts. Advocating for equal benefits and dealing with discriminatory attitudes among staff were also highlighted as significant challenges:

Bias towards being a woman in a leadership position; bias for being a local.

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Personal Challenges

Work/Life Balance

Balancing professional responsibilities with personal life is a common struggle for international school leaders who take positions far away from their homes. The demands of the job often lead to family separation, stress, and a negative impact on personal relationships. Leaders reported difficulties in disconnecting from work, even during holidays, and the pressure of managing high expectations while ensuring personal well-being:

Being able to disconnect. Even on holidays, I'm constantly monitoring emails, messages, etc.

 

Mental Health and Illness

Mental health issues, including stress-related health problems, depression, and anxiety, were frequently cited by school leaders. The high-stress nature of the job, coupled with long working hours and the pressure to meet community expectations, exacerbates these issues. Leaders also reported feeling isolated and unsupported during health crises:

Sometimes it scares me how stressed I am, and I wonder if I am going to be seriously ill.

 

Family Separation

The nature of international school leadership often leads to family separation, with leaders working far from home and missing significant family events. This separation can have a profound emotional impact, as leaders struggle with being away from their children and loved ones during critical moments:

Not being with my children when they left for university. Not being with members of my family when they died.

 

Adapting to a Leadership Role

The personal challenges of adapting to a leadership role mirror the professional ones. Leaders must navigate the complexities of new environments, manage the balance between professional and personal friendships, and deal with the uncertainties of senior management decisions:

Finding the balance between professional friendships and personal friendships in an international setting.