Supporting Members

The Association for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE) began as a sprouting leaf from the Agency for International Development (AID) more than 50 years ago. Soon enough, AAIE grew into the innovative and international organization enjoyed today around the world by the hundreds of member schools, educational organizations, resource providers and the thousands of individuals within these organizations who actively participate with our global leadership community.

AAIE Mission

As a global community that connects diverse people, ideas, and resources, AAIE helps international educators lead with vision, wisdom, and integrity.

Key Contact

Executive Director: Mark E. Ulfers, Princeton, New Jersey, United States
www.aaie.org

AASSA's mission is to provide and promote programs and services to member schools whose primary language of instruction is English in order to enhance the quality of American and international education in the Americas.

Please refer to the AASSA website for further information and event dates.

Key Contact

Executive Director: Dereck Rhoads

Website: www.aassa.com
Twitter: @AASSA_SA
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AssociationAmericanSchoolsSouthAmerica

The Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA) is a membership community committed to professional learning that transforms student learning.

Established in 1969, AISA offers a professional learning programme specifically designed to meet the unique needs of our diverse international-school body. In addition to our annual Leadership Conference in March and the annual Educators Conference in October, AISA also sponsors a wide variety of differentiated Professional Learning Institutes across the continent to foster greater professionalism and to improve teacher and leadership effectiveness.

AISA currently has a membership of 74 schools across 34 countries. Together, these schools serve approximately 27,000 students supported by over 3,000 teachers.

Our Mission

AISA is dedicated to transforming student learning by leading and supporting strategic thinking, professional growth and school effectiveness. 

Our Identity

AISA is a collaborative learning community of accredited, internationally-minded schools in Africa, which provides targeted services and relevant resources, facilitates innovative programmes, and connects people. 

Our Core Values

AISA believes that:

• Being open to differences leads to knowledge and understanding
• All individuals have intrinsic worth
• Nurturing is necessary for growth and change
• Personal fulfilment derives from defining a sense of purpose and making connections through service to others
• A sense of belonging enables people and communities to thrive
• All people want to learn, and people learn differently
• When people work together better outcomes are more likely
• The development of international-mindedness and cultural competence are fundamental to being successful in an interconnected world

Our Objectives

The strategic objectives of AISA specify that all AISA programmes, services, resources and networks exist to:

• Support professional growth
• Develop and implement strategic thinking and planning
• Increase school effectiveness

To find out more about membership with AISA, or anything else we can help you with, email info@aisa.or.ke

Key Contact

Executive Director: Peter Bateman, Nairobi, Kenya

www.aisa.or.ke

Connect

Website: www.bridge2rwanda.org
Twitter: @Bridge2Rwanda
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Bridge2Rwanda

British Schools in the Middle East (BSME) is the largest dedicated network of British International Schools in the Middle East. We serve more than 125 Member Schools and 100 Associate Members (business partners).

BSME runs the largest inter-school and inter-country Student programme in the Middle East. The Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme supports the career progression of staff at all levels through face-to-face and online learning with some courses accredited. Principals and other Senior Leaders are also supported through a variety of Conferences, Country Representative meetings, and professional support through the Headship Induction Partner Programme. Schools also have access to biannual newsletters on the BSME website which features our members’ developments and successes.

To ensure that BSME schools maintain the highest standards in British education, the organisation has established links with the Department of Education in the UK, Ofsted and accredited inspection bodies. All BSME schools are required to undertake accreditation ensuring that our Member Schools always provide the highest quality education. BSME supports schools in achieving success in these inspections, where required. 

Key Contact

Chief Executive Officer: Olivia Roth

Kingdom of Bahrain
www.bsme.org.uk

Cambridge Assessment International Education prepares school students for life, helping them develop an informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning. We are part of the University of Cambridge.

Our international qualifications are recognised by the world’s best universities and employers, giving students a wide range of options in their education and career. As a not-for-profit organisation, we devote our resources to delivering high-quality educational programmes that can unlock learners’ potential.

Our programmes and qualifications set the global standard for international education. They are created by subject experts, rooted in academic rigour and reflect the latest educational research. They provide a strong platform for learners to progress from one stage to the next, and are well supported by teaching and learning resources.

Our mission is to provide educational benefit through provision of international programmes and qualifications for school education and to be the world leader in this field. Together with schools, we develop Cambridge learners who are confident, responsible, reflective, innovative and engaged – equipped for success in the modern world.

Every year, nearly a million Cambridge learners from 10,000 schools in 160 countries prepare for their future with an international education from Cambridge.

Key Contacts

Chief Executive: Christine Özden 
Senior Co-ordinator – Global Recognitions: Amanda Cator

Cambridge, United Kingdom
www.cambridgeinternational.org

The College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connects students to college success and opportunity.

Founded in 1900, the College Board was created to expand access to higher education. Today, the membership association is made up of over 6,000 of the world’s leading educational institutions and is dedicated to promoting excellence and equity in education.

Each year, the College Board helps more than seven million students prepare for a successful transition to college through programs and services in college readiness and college success — including the SAT and the Advanced Placement Program. The organization also serves the education community through research and advocacy on behalf of students, educators and schools.

Key Contacts

Vice President: Linda Liu
Senior Director, International Strategy & Outreach: Clay Hensley

New York, United States
www.collegeboard.org

Representing more than 450 member schools and organisations, COBIS is a responsive, innovative and growing global association for international British schools overseas. High-quality COBIS schools, which educate over 135,000 students and employ more than 30,000 teachers, can be found in 77 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas. COBIS Supporting Members provide a wide range of services and resources to the international schools sector. COBIS provides high-quality professional development and networking opportunities for staff and last year launched The Patron’s Accreditation – a new quality assurance scheme for international British schools overseas. COBIS represents all members with the British Government, Ministries of Education and educational bodies worldwide.

For 40 years Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) has been ensuring that foreign-educated people are respected and recognized for their educational achievements. We primarily review academic achievements by individuals from other countries and convert them to the U.S. system for purposes of studying or working in the United States or elsewhere. In addition to preparing evaluation reports, we offer various training programs for strategic enrollment managers, international admissions officers, university recruiters, and other individuals or organizations who are interested in applied comparative education. Our professional evaluation staff have a combined 300 years of experience and are frequent presenters at international education conferences. Our 95% customer service rate ensures that our clients--whether individuals, secondary schools, institutions of higher learning, or licensing boards receive top-notch care with each product we offer. 

Mission Statement:

• Our mission is to promote the betterment of individuals' lives and society by ensuring that educational qualifications are fairly and accurately recognized across borders.

Core Values:

• Operate with kindness, respect, and empathy
• Commitment to ongoing review and improvement in products, services, policies, and processes
• Service to the global community
• Fairness and integrity in everything we do

Purpose:

• Promote the personal fulfillment and contributions to society of people educated in other countries

Key Contacts

For information concerning evaluation reports:  Jack Nelson, Director of Market Development  jnelson@ece.org

For information concerning training, resources, and partnerships: Marybeth Gruenewald, Director of Global Initiatives marybeth@ece.org

For information concerning applied comparative education research:  Margaret Wenger, Senior Director of Evaluation, mwenger@ece.org

Website: www.ece.org
Twitter: @ECEConnection
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ECEreports

At ETS^®, we advance quality and equity in education for people worldwide by creating assessments based on rigorous research. ETS serves individuals, educational institutions and government agencies by providing customized solutions for teacher certification, English language learning, and elementary, secondary and post-secondary education, as well as conducting education research, analysis and policy studies. Founded as a nonprofit in 1947, ETS develops, administers and scores more than 50 million tests annually in more than 180 countries, at over 9,000 locations worldwide.

The TOEFL® test is the most widely respected English-language test in the world, recognized by more than 10,000 colleges, universities and agencies in more than 130 countries, including Australia, Canada, the U.K. and the United States. More than 30 million people from all over the world have taken the TOEFL^® test to demonstrate their English-language proficiency.

The International Association for College Admission Counseling (International ACAC) is a global organization of over 3,200 members whose mission is "To facilitate global interaction among counselors and institutions in support of secondary students transitioning to higher education, while promoting professional standards that foster ethical and social responsibility." International ACAC is an affiliate of NACAC, and its headquarters is located in Arlington, VA (US).

Key Contacts

Executive Director: Theresa Schweser, tschweser@internationalacac.org
President: Aaron Anderson, president@internationalacac.org

Arlington, Virginia, United States
www.internationalacac.org

The mission of the LAHC is to bring together centres of educational excellence reflecting the best of British and international educational practice in order to share expertise for school improvement in a spirit of reciprocal altruism that benefits all parties.

The Annual Conference brings together heads, senior leaders and teachers from across the region to discuss fundamental educational issues and share successful initiatives in member schools in an intimate and friendly atmosphere that allows us to build the very special relationship of trust and confidence that is the key to the rest of LAHC activity.

The LAHC Review is offered on a voluntary basis to schools that are members of LAHC. Its starting point is the school's own assessment of itself and its performance in the areas in which it desires to be submitted to scrutiny. It is a peer review, with teams being made up of teachers and leaders of member schools, trained specifically for the purpose. The flexibility of the Review allows it to be applied in as complete or as partial a manner as is desired, with each application being tailored to the specific needs of the school. The decision is the school’s, and at all times the review team and its leader respond to the needs and requests of the school. This is not an inspection that judges schools against some predetermined criteria but rather a critical friend who gives an outsider's perspective on what the school thinks of itself.

Key Contacts

Executive Officer – Alan Downie, alandownie@lahc.net

Administrative Manager – Sita Taylor, sitataylor@lahc.net

Review Coordinator – Maureen Fleming, maureenfleming@lahc.net

Treasurer – Donald Jones, donaldjones@lahc.net

Website: www.lahc.net

Twitter: @LAHCschools

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LAHCschools

The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), founded in 1937, is an organization of more than 15,000 professionals from around the world dedicated to serving students as they make choices about pursuing postsecondary education. NACAC is committed to maintaining high standards that foster ethical and social responsibility among those involved in the transition process, as outlined in NACAC's Code of Ethics and Professional Practices. In recognition of the increasingly global landscape of college admission counseling, NACAC conducts research and develops resources related to international student mobility to support members. 

NACAC’s Code of Ethics and Professional Practices
NACAC’s International Knowledge Center

NACAC’s National Conference is the preeminent annual gathering of over 6,000 counseling and admission professionals. Come to network, learn the latest admission news and research in cutting-edge education sessions, and hear from inspiring speakers. NACAC's 75th National Conference heads to Louisville in September 2019. Registration opens in March 2019. 

Key Contacts

Executive Director for Educational Content and Policy: David Hawkins
Associate Director of International Initiatives: Lindsay Mathers Addington, EdD

Arlington, Virginia, United States
www.nacacnet.org

The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) is a nonprofit membership association that provides services to more than 1,800 schools and associations of schools in the United States and abroad, including more than 1,500 independent private K-12 schools in the U.S.

Independent schools are non-profit private schools that are independent in philosophy: each is driven by a unique mission. They are also independent in the way they are managed and financed: each is governed by an independent board of trustees and each is primarily supported through tuition payments and charitable contributions. They are accountable to their communities and are accredited by state-approved accrediting bodies.

NAIS empowers independent schools and the students they serve. The association offers research and trend analysis, leadership and governance guidance, and professional development opportunities for school and board leaders.

Read more about NAIS membership.

Key Contacts

President: Donna Orem
Senior Vice President: Jefferson Burnett

Washington, DC
www.nais.org

The Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools is a non-profit association of private, independent American/international schools serving students and their families in North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. For 50 years we have focused on promoting exemplary professional learning opportunities for educators working in our schools -- in service of improved student learning.

Formerly incorporated in November 1968, NESA currently consists of 40+ 'member' schools plus over 130 'affiliate' schools and organizations. NESA's adult learning program addresses every domain of a school and offers diverse forms of support for our learning community.

Annual professional learning opportunities: Fall Leadership Conference, Fall Training Institute, Winter Training Institute and Spring Educators Conference. (See ‘Events’ on the NESA website)

Contacts

Executive Director: Madeleine Hewitt
Director of Professional Learning: Bridget Doogan

Athens, Greece
nesa@nesacenter.org
www.nesacenter.org 

TAICEP is the only professional association established to meet the unique goals of International Credential Evaluation Professionals. Our members are individuals, academic institutions, independent agencies, government bodies, and organizations who share a common interest in international credential evaluation (ICE), directly or indirectly.

TAICEP’s primary goals are to 1) serve international credential evaluation professionals around the world by providing research, training, resources, and routes to professionalization; 2) identify and develop theories, methodologies, and best practices used in ICE; and 3) advocate for the profession by raising public awareness of the field and by showcasing ICE’s crucial role in areas such as education, licensure, and employment.

Annual conference

At each TAICEP annual conference, credential evaluators from around the world, both those new to the field as well as those with years of experience, come together to learn, to share knowledge, to network, and to promote the interests of our unique industry.

Best Practices: Electronic Transcripts And Verification Portals

The Best Practices: Electronic Transcript and Verification Portals guideline has been prepared by the TAICEP Digital Student Data (DSD) Task Force. It was created to examine DSD practices from the credential evaluator perspective, provide usage guidelines for the credential evaluation community, and advance professional standards. In this Guideline the Task Force has developed brief descriptions of and general best practices for three current models to access or verify documents. Task Force members will continue to review and revise this Guideline as methods for issuing, verifying, and retrieving educational documents electronically and digitally evolve. Ultimately, this document is intended to be used in conjunction with a mapping tool, currently in development, to assist evaluators with identification of key information and trusted verification sources at the country level.

Certificate Programs

TAICEP’s Foundation Certificate in International Credential Evaluation attests that the holder has a foundational knowledge of credential evaluation and assessment. It is based on the core competencies of evaluation, research, communication, and professional responsibility.

There are many benefits to being or hiring a TAICEP certificated evaluator, including to the professional evaluator him or herself, to the evaluator’s employer and place of employment, and to the consumer or recipient of the evaluation report, which is thorough, detailed, impartial, well-researched, and clear to the reader of the report.

TAICEP also currently offers two other certificates: the Secondary School Certificate and the Bologna Process Certificate.

The Common Application is a not-for-profit membership association committed to the pursuit of access, equity, and integrity in the college admission process.

What began in 1975 as an experiment among fifteen US liberal arts colleges is today a robust and diverse organization of more than 750 colleges and universities in the US and overseas. In 2016-2017, over 1 million students used Common App to learn about higher education and apply to college. One One-third of these students were the first in their family to attend college, and over 100,000 applied from outside the US. Global use of the Common Application continues to grow, both among international applicants seeking to study in the US and also among international universities--currently more than 50--wishing to expand their recruitment footprint.

As a Supporting Member of the Council of International Schools, The Common Application seeks to better understand the needs of international applicants, advisors, and universities so we can continue to serve these important and growing constituent groups.