Many international schools worldwide share a common challenge: ensuring their unique educational offerings gain recognition from top universities worldwide. At Misk Schools, we tackled this by pioneering a diploma programme that has not only bridged local and international education standards, but has also achieved formal validation from one of the world’s most respected educational institutions.
The challenge
For schools that integrate local curricular requirements, it can be particularly difficult to convey the full value of their educational programmes to global universities. Traditional transcripts often fail to capture the richness of students’ achievements, especially when they combine local qualifications with international elements. Universities may understand standard international qualifications like the IB Diploma or A-levels, but rarely appreciate the depth and value of local educational requirements or complementary programmes.
Our solution: A validated holistic diploma
We developed a comprehensive diploma framework that has been validated by Cambridge University Press & Assessment, setting a new standard for how local and international qualifications can be meaningfully combined and globally validated. The diploma encompasses four key components:
1. International Academic Qualifications
- Cambridge International Education curriculum
- Internationally recognised public examinations – IGCSEs and A-levels/BTECs
- IELTS certification for English proficiency
2. National Academic Studies
- Arabic-medium instruction for cultural subjects
- Saudi Ministry of Education requirements – National Identity Subjects
- IGCSE in Arabic
- Saudi national university entrance examinations: Tahsili and Qudrat
3. Leadership Development
- Professional Level 3 certification in team management
- Structured coaching programmes
- Leadership bootcamps
- Documented competency development
4. Internship
- Structured, personalised internships with leading institutions (Grade 11)
- Formal reflective theses – leading to Pearson HPQ/EPQ
- Workplace competency certification
The delivery of these four focus areas is underpinned by High Performance Learning (HPL), which is our framework for all teaching and learning practices. HPL is an educational philosophy based on over 30 years of research into how the highest performing students think and learn. Grounded in neuroscientific and psychological evidence, it challenges the antiquated notion that only a minority of children can excel at high levels. Consequently, its driving purpose is to facilitate high performance for the many, not just for a select few.
“Across the world, a more holistic approach to education is vital to equip the next generation with the knowledge, skills and mindset to contribute to a brighter future.”
Jane Mann, Managing Director, Partnership for Education, Cambridge University Press & Assessment.
Source: Misk Schools
Our implementation journey
Our three-year implementation process focused on building credibility and recognition not only on the international stage, but also with our national accreditation body: Saudi Arabia’s Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC). We also secured accreditation from HPL, becoming the first Saudi school to do so.
Year One: Framework Development
- Internal work on developing the assessment framework
- Partnership establishment with Cambridge
- Scoping visit and needs analysis from Cambridge
- Alignment of local and international standards
- Development of formal assessment frameworks
- University recognition strategy development
- Introduction of the HPL teaching and learning philosophy
Year Two: Validation Process
- Identification of threshold criteria in partnership with Cambridge
- External review of assessment criteria
- Documentation of quality assurance processes
- Development of credential verification systems
- University admissions officer consultations
- Membership of respected professional bodies: The Council of International Schools (CIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
- Buy-in of stakeholders at all levels of the organisation
Year Three: Building Recognition
- Formal validation by Cambridge University Press & Assessment
- The first international Saudi school to be accredited under ETEC’s national standards and accreditation framework
- The first accredited High Performance Learning school in the Kingdom
- University partnership development
- Production of documentation to clearly communicate the programme
- Socialisation event led by Cambridge University and Misk Schools (to become an annual event)
While the first Grade 12 cohort will not graduate until 2025, our approach is already yielding very positive results. There is a growing recognition of our integrated approach by university admissions offices, and we have received positive feedback from higher education partners. In addition, students who submitted early international university applications for 2025/26 have already received offers.
Source: Misk Schools
Practical tips for school leaders
There are six recommended steps for schools seeking to enhance the recognition of their qualifications:
- Start by mapping your current offerings against university admissions requirements in your target countries.
- Build formal partnerships with recognised international education providers and professional bodies who can endorse and validate your programmes.
- Create robust documentation that clearly communicates the value of your unique educational offerings to all key stakeholders – parents, students, staff and the Board of Governors.
- Invest in relationships with university admissions offices to help them understand your programme’s distinctive features.
- Develop clear equivalency documentation that helps universities understand how your qualifications compare to those they know well.
- Track and document graduate success to build evidence of the value of your qualifications.
We believe that it is possible to create a qualification framework that maintains high local and international standards while gaining recognition from leading universities worldwide. The key is to build formal validation processes and clear documentation so that universities can easily understand the value of your unique educational approach.
The partnership with Cambridge University Press & Assessment has been crucial in this process for us, providing external validation that helps universities understand and trust our qualifications. This model shows how international schools can maintain their distinctive character while ensuring their graduates have access to, and are prepared for, global opportunities.
By Dr Steffen Sommer
Dr Steffen Sommer is the Director General of Misk Schools in Saudi Arabia and Vice Chair of the Council of British International Schools (COBIS). You can connect with him on LinkedIn.
