Leadership challenges in international schools in the Asia Pacific region: evidence from programme implementation of the International Baccalaureate

Over the last four decades, International Baccalaureate (IB) schools have become increasingly important in the global market of international education. This is especially evident in Asia Pacific, which has evidenced the fastest growth in IB schools, as well as international schools more generally, across the world over the last decade. Despite this dramatic growth of international education in Asia Pacific, empirical research examining leadership in this context is scarce. This paper addresses this gap through the analysis of case study data collected in five International Baccalaureate Schools in East Asia. The purposes of the report are to explore key challenges facing IB school leaders in the region, and identify implications for researchers and IB school leaders.