Page 6 - FIS World

From A Brit on
The silver linings of an economic shift
In the post-Brexit economy, FIS is well positioned to cater to those seeking a world-class education
AAs your Board Chairperson, and a British citizen, I suppose it is time for me to weigh in on Brexit. While I am tempted to use this article to share my own views on this rather interesting situation (I’ll allow you to speculate on what my opinion might be), I wish instead to address how it is likely to impact our school.
Firstly, we are now beyond the stage of asking “if ” Brexit will have an impact. Our school’s discussions with numerous corporations, as well as news reported in the media, make it clear that Frankfurt will see an impact from those companies who will increase their presence in our region. What has also been clear is that a key reason Frankfurt has been chosen by these companies is because Frankfurt International School o ers a world- class education.
The question that has been posed to our Head of School by numerous international news publications is whether or not FIS can support this in ow of expatriates, who generally have high expectations for their
4 FIS World October 2017
children’s schooling. The answer is a de nite “maybe.” The FIS Articles of Association make clear that our school was created to support such a need
– but there are limitations.
If FIS was a for-pro t school, as are others in our area, this surge in demand would suggest that we seize the moment to improve our “market share.” Instead, our remit is to continue o ering the nest international education found anywhere, and an increase in our size will not necessarily accomplish this goal. However, what Brexit does provide is an opportunity for FIS to re ect on how it compares to competitive British schools. Many incoming “Brexit families” will be comparing our school to exemplary educational programs in London, and we have every intention of exceeding their expectations.
Our Board is already challenging the administration to nd ways to accelerate the depth and breadth of our programs. For our existing students, I think the impact will only be positive. I expect we will expand
our class o erings, which are already among the most extensive of any international school. And I see this occurring not only in our Upper School, but with new opportunities for our youngest students as well. The only downside I envision is for those not yet admitted to the school, as I expect our waiting lists to grow even longer in the coming years.
Change is not something to be feared. It forces individuals and institutions to re-evaluate the present and envision a future that may not have previously been seen as attainable. Whatever we may think of Brexit and its wider implications, I have no doubt that it will strengthen our school and its international reputation.
Jonathan Clenshaw Chair, Board