The British Council, the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities, hosted the International School Award (ISA) ceremony at The Leela, New Delhi on Wednesday, 05 December 2018.

The British Council International School Award (ISA), which has a presence in 31 countries, is a benchmarking scheme that accredits schools with an outstanding level of support for nurturing global citizenship in young people and enriching teaching and learning. The ISA supports this purpose by encouraging opportunities for international learning and recognizing and celebrating the achievements of educational institutions that create them.

The awards ceremony is the culmination of the ISA journey. ISA awards are a recognition and celebration of exemplary practices of internationalism in schools – in both the curriculum and values held by students and teachers. The ISA network allows schools, teachers and students to network with likeminded schools across country and exchange new ideas and effective practices. Students learn to develop a global outlook, preparing them for life and work in a global economy. Teachers, who can also be nominated for and win ISA awards at an individual level, also have the benefit of global recognition through ISA.

This year, 135 schools in North India and more than 44 schools in East India were given the accreditation. Out of the 135 North Indian schools, 70 were from Delhi.  The ceremony was attended by more than 300 teachers, educationists, school leaders and heads of organizations. The other schools from North India were from Agra, Bulandsheher, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Greater Noida, Gurgaon, Kanpur and Lucknow.  The range of participating schools varied from large private schools to government schools from rural areas and schools for students from marginalized communities.

In addition, a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) workshop for school leaders was conducted for leaders from over 70 schools across North and East India. Designed for all professionals who have leadership responsibilities and aspiring seniors, this two-hour workshop aimed at creating sustainable solutions for school leaders.

Duncan Wilson, Director, Schools English and Skills, British Council said, “The world is becoming a more connected place. Students and teachers who are going to succeed in this world need to have a cosmopolitan, broad minded outlook. As we celebrate the presentation of the International School Award to over 200 schools in north and east India, it’s inspiring to see the hard work and creative ideas of teachers and students led by school leaders to create internationalism and collaboration in their schools. Through this globally recognised accreditation, the British Council demonstrates our commitment for preparing students to become contributing global citizens and leaders. We need to shift focus on value-oriented experiential learning, from the traditional emphasis on academics and one way communication in schools. I am very pleased to see so many participants and hope to see more in the future.”

Priti Ojha, Principal, Delhi International School, Dwarka said, “The ISA was a positive learning experience for the students and teachers of my school and for me personally, as well. The activities encouraged us to build internationalism in our students and thereby supporting policy in our work. We observed students taking an interest in global issues and that was really heartening to watch. The collaboration with partner schools has enabled us to look beyond ourselves and create a community of likeminded schools. We hope to continue this partnership into the future, with the British Council and ISA.”