This edition of ACS International Schools' e-newsletter comes to you at the start of our new academic year, in partnership with Living Abroad. As usual our aim is to bring you expert opinion, commentary and news on international education and family relocation.

In this newsletter:

Accompanying spouses and partners: opportunities and strategies

By Susan Musich, Global HR & Mobility Consultant, Managing Director, Passport Career, LLC and
Anne Dean, Director of Editorial Services, Living Abroad LLC 

Professionals from around the world are regularly picking up their careers and moving them across borders - from accountants and architects to international aid workers and international business consultants to educators and entrepreneurs. Yet, ask any spouse/partner of an international assignee and you will hear similar comments: International career transitions are tough! Most spouses/partners don't expect to be job seekers, and most don't know how to seek a job in a different country. The unique challenges of a global job search continue to exhilarate and exhaust the spouse/partner as well as the international assignee. Read more...

ACS students excel in exams

ACS students have achieved a 99% pass rate in this year's International Baccalaureate exams, and an average score of 33 points across the three schools. The results compare favourably to the average points achieved by IB students worldwide, which is consistently around 30 points. Read more...

Research highlights benefits of IB study

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma is the fastest growing post-16 qualification in the world, nowhere more so than in the US, where over 40 new schools began offering the qualification between January and May this year alone.

What has led to this increase? And is its popularity an indication of how well it prepares students for Higher education, compared to other qualifications?

In the UK, students can now choose from a wealth of post-16 courses, including the IB, long-established A-levels, and two new introductions this year: the Cambridge Pre-U, and the government-backed Diplomas. To see how the IB compares with these other qualifications, ACS International Schools recently commissioned independent research to ask university admissions officers in the UK for their assessment of the growing number of paths to university. Read more...

ACS on the road

Throughout 2008-2009, ACS will again be presenting and exhibiting at the global mobility industry's leading international conferences. Please look for Director of Corporate Relations Andrew Kittell and ACS Hillingdon Dean of Admissions Rudianne Soltis at the Canadian Employee Relocation Council (CERC) Conference 21-23 September in Vancouver, BC. In a CERC break out session, Rudianne will join an expert panel exploring expat family schooling options around the world. You'll find ACS in the Exhibit Hall at booth 24.

ACS will also present and exhibit at the Worldwide Employee Relocation Council's Global Workforce Symposium (GWS), 28-31 October in Washington, DC. As member of the 2008 GWS's prestigious Planning Committee, ACS will act as a thought leader on educational issues and employee mobility, and present twice during the Symposium. Please look for ACS Head of Marketing and Communications Fergus Rose, ACS Egham Dean of Admissions Julia Love, and Andrew Kittell in the GWS Exhibit Hall at booth 215.

ACS hosts global event to promote internet safety

In July 2008, ACS hosted the first International Youth Advisory Congress (IYAC) at its Cobham campus. The congress brought together 148 students aged 14-17 from all over the world - including delegates from ACS International Schools - to discuss internet safety and propose ideas for how governments and global industry can make the internet a safer environment for children. Read more...

Boarding school: creating a home away from home

Established in 1988, ACS Cobham's boarding division provides separate wing accommodation for 100 boys and girls aged 12 to 18. Following this year's Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education) inspection, we are delighted to announce that the boarding facilities received a ‘Good' report overall, with 'Outstanding' provision in three of the six categories measured.

To find out what makes for a successful boarding experience at an international school, we interviewed Ryn Brandse, Head of Boarding at ACS Cobham, who - along with his wife Ann - has dedicated 20 years of service to running the dormitory at ACS. Read more... 

Outreach projects promote global citizenship

Participation in community outreach projects is an integral part of every student's education at ACS. Each of our schools is committed to supporting a huge range of local, national and international projects, and this summer two such projects took place in Tanzania and Namibia, while the annual British Studies Summer Programme (BSSP) brought American students to the UK. Read more...


Eddie Avila, Manager, Cathedral Scholars Programme; Omar Marroquin, 2008 BSSP scholar; British Ambassador to the US, Sir Nigel Sheinwald, Brittani Williams, 2008 BSSP scholar, and Director of Corporate Relations for ACS, Andrew Kittell.

Cost of living in international cities

By Scott Sutton, Director of Marketing, AIRINC

London is no longer in the top ten most expensive cities in the world for expatriate staff and families, having dropped 7 places to number 15 in the rankings. Moscow retains its position as the most expensive city for expatriates for the second year running, according to research conducted by AIRINC, a global cost-of-living consultancy headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Read more...

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