Welcome to iGNIS

About iGNIS

Welcome to iGNIS, the membership network for anyone and everyone involved in the governance of an international school.

Whether you are an owner, Advisory Board member, governor, Director, Principal or CEO of a schools’ group…you will gain much from being part of iGNIS.

iGNIS is a place to learn, to share and to be inspired or reassured. It is a community in which you will make new connections and useful contacts across the globe.

iGNIS reflects and respects the many different forms of governance that exist among international schools and seeks to accommodate the values and cultures of different types of school. We DO promote and facilitate good governance but we want every member school to feel welcome, understood and supported as they seek to improve their governance at their own pace and in their own way.

You can express interest in joining iGNIS here.

Who is behind iGNIS?

iGNIS is powered by RSAcademics. Founded in 2002, RSAcademics now helps hundreds of schools every year with the appointment of senior leaders, with governance reviews and board training and by providing a range of specialist services to support strategy, marketing and student recruitment.

When we say that iGNIS is “powered by RSAcademics” we mean that the people who run iGNIS are experienced consultants and administrators from RSAcademics, a highly respected, global organisation. Russell Speirs, the Founder and Chairman of RSAcademics, is the Executive Director of iGNIS.

Why the world needs iGNIS

Time and again, in their advisory work or in the extensive research they undertook in 2016 and 2023, the team at RSAcademics have come to four conclusions:

Good governance is necessary for international schools to thrive
Too many international schools fall short of their potential because of poor governance
The governance of an international school is a complex and demanding responsibility
There is nowhere for international school Boards to access affordable and relevant support and to meet with peers

It is for these four reasons that in 2024 RSAcademics set up iGNIS, the first membership network specifically for people who carry out governance functions in international schools.

The benefits of iGNIS membership

iGNIS is a network, designed to share good practice and practical solutions, providing support, ideas and reassurance, much of it coming from other board members. When you join iGNIS, you will get access to our:

On-demand training videos and guides
Pre-recorded “Good to meet…” interviews with international school Board members talking about their approach to governance
“Good to know…” presentations from experts on topics relevant to Board members
Live training for new “governors” 3 times a year
Live training for Principals 3 times a year
Live Q&A forums and discussion threads
A confidential helpline
Regular articles and updates
Networking opportunities and live “round table” discussions
Subgroups and special interest communities (e.g. Chairs, safeguarding…)

Membership and fees

Schools or school groups are the members of iGNIS and membership services will be available to Board members and Principals, or other designated people, through a specific access code, issued after receipt of payment.

Annual membership is £1,000 GBP, which provides 10 access codes. Additional packs of 5 can be bought for £400 GBP. These access codes can be distributed to anyone who would benefit from having access: the Board members, Principal and a Secretary at one school or across several schools in a global group.

Currently, schools which are members of the following organisations are eligible for a discount:

COBIS
BSME
ECIS
FOBISIA

We are grateful to these partners for their support and for the excellent, ongoing work they do to support international schools.

How to join

There are three simple steps to becoming a member of iGNIS:

Step One – complete a simple “expression of interest” form. This should take about 30 seconds. You can express interest in joining iGNIS here.

Step Two – complete the more detailed application form (5 to 10 minutes) and confirm that you have read and agree to our terms of reference and code of conduct for members. We will send these to you once we receive your expression of interest.

Step Three – pay your invoice! We send this to you after we have received your application form and calculated your membership fee.

Any questions? Please contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.