Leading for DEIJB in the International School

Diversity. Equity. Inclusion. Justice. Belonging.

Lisbon
10 - 16 July 2025

Listen to Joel Llaban Jr. answer the question “Why should you take this course?”

Hear what our participants have to say about the course: Aldaine Wynter

Educators around the world strive to create the best possible conditions to maximize learning for all learners in our care. Ensuring that all learners feel they ‘belong’ is fundamental to realizing that goal. In this week-long learning experience, we take the bold step of grappling with the critical work of defining the actual practices that need to be eliminated, added or modified to transform our schools into learning communities fully reflective of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and belonging. Facilitators and participants together will push the envelope on the personal commitment and the professional roles skills, and responsibility of school leaders to define and implement those systemic improvements which are mission critical- to move from intent to impact. And we approach it with a sense of urgency. It’s time.

This course is open to all leaders and educators who are committed to reflect, challenge assumptions, learn, and take action.

What will we learn?

Through analysis exercises, case studies, study of practical examples, design opportunities, you will learn how international school leaders:

  • Identify and challenge personal values, mindsets and biases as starting points for DEIJB leadership?

  • Explore and even confront leadership characteristics, mindsets and frameworks to support systemic improvement?

  • Establish shared understanding of foundational concepts including diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, belonging, identity, power, privilege, oppression, intersectionalities, anti-racism, anti-bias and historical and systemic racism?

  • Analyze current school practices supporting diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and belonging in relation to your school’s foundational statements and current discourse on these issues?

  • Identify and confirm the components of the system in your school which could potentially require deep modification (finance, facilities, human resources, learning structures, marketing)?

  • Address the dilemma that many international schools are, by virtue of the fact many are fee-paying and independent, ‘exclusive’ yet want to be inclusive?

  • Contribute to establishing ‘metrics’ that are indicators of progress on matters of DEIJB?

  • Create inclusive learning environments that support students of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities?

  • Support and mentor faculty and staff to develop their own DEIJB competencies?

  • Establish models for staffing which result in greater diversity that supports student learning?

  • Lead the process of auditing and modifying curriculum to ensure all students have equitable access and can ‘see’  themselves?

  • Design organizational structures and practices in the school that more fully support equity and diversity?

  • Positively influence DEIJB-driven decisions when not in a role of authority?

  • Follow the research on DEI and make adjustments in practice to reflect it?

  • Identify and mitigate the traps and pitfalls in DEIJB initiatives?

    The curriculum for all PTC courses is rooted in the ‘Standards of Practice for International School Principals’ and created using our design principles. We offer here an annotated version of those standards suggested some indicators of each through the lens of DEIJB.