GSE’s Voice
Insight on international school development, investment, and leadership. More than 500 articles, written from inside the projects.
Featured
Private Equity in Education: What Investors Need to Know
How institutional capital moves through an education investment, which segments attract it, what returns are realistic, and what serious investors do differently.
Latest Thinking
The newest analysis across every category, updated as it publishes.
The 360-Degree School Review: Why Education and Financial Reviews Fail Separately
An education review and a financial review each miss what the other would find. What a 360-degree school review examines, what it uncovers, and how the action plan is sequenced.
International School M&A: Verified Transactions, Prices and EBITDA Multiples (2021 to 2026)
The open, source-graded directory of international school sale prices, EBITDA and EV/EBITDA multiples, 2021 to 2026 with benchmarks back to 2011. Every figure labelled: party-published, strong estimate, reported or GSE derived.
Vision and Mission Integrity: Closing the Gap Between What Schools Say and What They Do
Most schools have a vision and mission worth reading. Fewer have one worth watching. Walk the corridors of any school and you can test this in an afternoon. The statement on the wall promises global citizenship, innovation, or wellbeing. The timetable, the budget, and...
School Investment
Valuation, returns, deal structures and what serious capital looks for in schools.
International School M&A: Verified Transactions, Prices and EBITDA Multiples (2021 to 2026)
The open, source-graded directory of international school sale prices, EBITDA and EV/EBITDA multiples, 2021 to 2026 with benchmarks back to 2011. Every figure labelled: party-published, strong estimate, reported or GSE derived.
What Happens When Private Equity Buys a School
The three to five year hold has stopped being true in schools. What the deal record shows about hold periods, multiples, the first year under new ownership, and what kills school transactions in diligence.
Why There Is No Market Rent for a School
A developer once offered a school two years at no rent at all. Not as a concession. Not because the negotiation had gone badly for them. They offered it because the school was worth more to their development than the rent they would have collected from it, and they...
School Development
Feasibility to opening day. How new schools get built, and why some fail.
How to Open an International School in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and the GCC
Most articles about GCC education investment say the market is large, growing, and government-supported. They describe the regulatory bodies, list the curricula in demand, and conclude that the opportunity is compelling. They are not wrong. But they are also not...
The PropCo / OpCo Model in School Development Explained
A school is really two businesses sharing one uniform. One owns the land and buildings and wants steady, secured returns. The other runs the classrooms and lives on enrolment, fees, and results. The PropCo/OpCo model takes those two businesses, which pull in different...
How to Conduct a Feasibility Study for a New School
A school feasibility study has one job. It tells an investor whether a project should proceed before serious capital is committed. Many studies are written to justify a decision that has already been made, and they treat enrolment growth as a planning assumption...
School Management
Operations, accreditation and the disciplines that keep schools performing.
The 360-Degree School Review: Why Education and Financial Reviews Fail Separately
An education review and a financial review each miss what the other would find. What a 360-degree school review examines, what it uncovers, and how the action plan is sequenced.
The Leadership Governance Dilemma – Leadership Case Study
This story is part of GSE's Leadership Case Study Series, inspired by the 20-Point Checklist for Effective School Leadership in an International School. While fictional, it is designed for educational purposes and does not depict real individuals or organisations....
The Good School Governance Gap – Leadership Case Study
This story is part of GSE's Leadership Case Study Series, inspired by the 20-Point Checklist for Effective School Leadership in an International School. While fictional, it is designed for educational purposes and does not depict real individuals or organisations....
Leadership and Governance
Boards, heads and the leadership decisions that shape institutions.
Vision and Mission Integrity: Closing the Gap Between What Schools Say and What They Do
Most schools have a vision and mission worth reading. Fewer have one worth watching. Walk the corridors of any school and you can test this in an afternoon. The statement on the wall promises global citizenship, innovation, or wellbeing. The timetable, the budget, and...
Catch Me If You Can
"A first, this. I usually keep myself to a line or two on a Friday, delivered from the back of whatever boardroom will have me. This one needed more room. Three decades building schools and the businesses behind them leaves a kangaroo with opinions on most things and...
Leadership in International Schools: 16 Articles for School Leaders
Leadership in international schools requires vision, calm decision-making, and the ability to build strong organisational cultures. This page brings together 16 leadership articles exploring the most important ideas shaping leadership in international schools....
Facilities and Design
Campus planning and learning environments, from classrooms to sports fields.
Articles on International School Design
School design articles: School design requires specialist knowledge about how to create key areas such as science labs, art rooms, cafeterias, sports fields, and drop-off and pick-up areas, to name just a few. To make things easier for you, here are our Most Popular...
Guide to School Swimming Pool Design and Dimensions: Is a Pool Right for Your School?
School swimming pools are popular but decisions about design should be reviewed carefully. Swimming pools are valuable assets for schools, offering benefits that range from physical education to life-saving skills, water sports, and recreational activities. However,...
Sports field and court sizes for international schools – the complete reference guide
Sports field and court dimensions: the complete guide for international schools In international schools, physical education and sports facilities play a crucial role in students' development and wellbeing. However, due to varying age groups, space limitations, and...
The Games We Play: Power, Insecurity, and Leadership in Schools
Insecurity often hides behind confidence in schools. The Power Games Model exposes the subtle power dynamics that shape leadership culture, from “Gatekeeping” to “Compliance Theatre”. Drawing on Glasser, Karpman, and Edmondson, this article explains why people play...
Invisible from the Start: How Gender Bias in Children’s Literature Shapes Identity and Opportunity
Inspired by conversations with Shanna Parry and her ongoing research into how curriculum, history, and storytelling have contributed to the erasure of women and the reinforcement of inequality. "Her Hidden History" The stories we share with children are never just...
10 Most Popular Debunked Learning Myths in 2024
In the world of education, one obstacle that persists is the influence of Learning Myths and misconceptions that shape how we perceive and approach the learning process. These myths, often rooted in outdated ideas or oversimplified science, can hinder both students...
GSE News and Projects
School models, partnerships and project updates from GSE teams worldwide.
GSE Appointed to Manage GFH Alia School in Bahrain
Global Services in Education has been appointed to manage GFH Alia School, formerly Alia National School, in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The engagement began earlier this year and moves into full operation from the start of the 2026/27 academic year in August. GFH Alia...
GSE CONNECT School Model
Local Heart. Global Standards. The GSE Connect School Model is a cost-effective global school partnership that brings the expertise, credibility, and proven systems of Global Services in Education (GSE) to schools in developing or mid-market contexts.It is built for...
Planning an International School: A GSE TELOS Feasibility Framework
Planning an International School: A TELOS Feasibility Framework When launching an international school, it’s not enough to have a vision. 2026 Update: Why Feasibility Planning Is More Critical Than Ever In recent years, feasibility planning for international schools...
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