From Good Intentions to Informed Practice: Transforming International Mindedness into Effective DEIB Strategy to Foster Inclusive NESA Schools

International school leaders have largely evolved beyond making the business case for diversity and inclusion to now grappling with design and implementation of inclusive practices, policies, and strategy to foster belonging for all school constituents – students, faculty and staff, and parents.

Notwithstanding, the context for DEIB efforts has shifted in meaningful ways over the past three years ranging from navigation of a global pandemic; acknowledgment of inclusion issues in international schools; increases in mental health issues among students; ongoing challenges for students navigating technology and social media ; and a politicization of belonging efforts around the world. Moreover, we have also changed, so inclusion efforts resonate in different ways relative to three years ago.

During this interactive keynote, Dr. Derrick Gay will leverage over 13 years serving as a global intercultural competency and belonging strategist leading efforts in over 800 organizations to provide research-based and pragmatic strategies to frame belonging conversations and efforts in NESA schools.

The session will synthesize global and regional trends; provide a framework to explore the ways in which personal and collective identity informs engagement and design of intercultural competency efforts; and provide NESA-region best practices, pitfalls, and strategies to design and implement effective DEIB efforts.

Courageous Conversations: Developing Skills to Resolve Conflict and Foster Belonging in International Schools

International Schools rightfully pride themselves on the diversity of their students, faculty and staff, and families. Conflicts, however, are inevitable in all communities. International schools are no exception.

Research finds that effective conflict resolution around issues of inclusion and belonging is more challenging in international communities, given the need to reconcile multiple national, linguistic, religious, and other identity norms, expectations, and assumptions to cultivate a shared framework that supports common language and fosters belonging.

This interactive workshop will provide international schools specific evidence-based strategies, meaningful case studies, and a pragmatic framework to move the needle around belonging at your school.

Workshop Objectives:

• Learn the latest international school inclusion and belonging trends;
• Deepen insights regarding ways that you personally process conflict around inclusion and belonging;
• Learn a new conflict resolution framework;
• Apply conflict resolution tools to process an international school case study/problem of practice around inclusion and belonging.