CIS Professional Diploma cheat sheet

CIS is a global membership organisation, not an accrediting government body: it is a voluntary association of schools, higher education institutions and individuals across roughly 120+ countries.

Membership categories include School Membership (for K-12 schools), Higher Education Membership, and Individual/Associate membership; only School Members may pursue CIS International Accreditation.

CIS was founded in 1949 as the European Council of International Schools; it adopted the name Council of International Schools and now operates globally, with offices in the UK and the Netherlands.

CIS is a founding partner of the International Task Force on Child Protection and co-owner (with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, NEASC) of the International Certification for School Counsellors and related services.

CIS is recognised by the US Department of Education as a reliable authority on the quality of education and is a member of the Council of International Schools' partner networks including the International Baccalaureate and Cambridge.

Key CIS services for members: International Accreditation, the CIS/NEASC accreditation pathway, teacher and leader recruitment services (CIS Career & Recruitment Services), and professional learning.

The CIS Code of Ethics and the CIS Code of Conduct apply to all member schools and individuals; violation can result in suspension or termination of membership.

International education is defined by CIS as education that develops intercultural understanding, global citizenship and international-mindedness, not merely education delivered in a foreign country.

A school's CIS membership is institution-based and separate from accreditation status: a school can be a member without being accredited, and accreditation requires membership.

CIS International Accreditation is a voluntary, peer-review process based on a self-study followed by an external team visit, typically on a 5-year cycle with interim reports.

The accreditation process has distinct stages: eligibility/application, self-study (against CIS standards), preparatory visit, team visit, decision by the CIS Accreditation Committee, and ongoing monitoring.

CIS accreditation is built around the CIS Standards and Indicators, organised into domains covering school philosophy and objectives, governance, curriculum, teaching and learning, student well-being, and community.

Accreditation is awarded by the CIS Accreditation Committee; the team visit produces a report with commendations and recommendations, but the decision rests with the committee.

CIS offers a dual accreditation pathway with NEASC (the CIS/NEASC International Accreditation), allowing schools to meet the requirements of both bodies in a single process.

Schools must show evidence of a documented school improvement plan linked to the self-study findings; progress on recommendations is reviewed at subsequent visits.

The preparatory visit is conducted by a CIS-appointed visitor who advises the school on readiness and helps refine the self-study before the full team visit.

Team visits are staffed by trained peer visitors from other CIS member schools; visiting team members are volunteers and must declare conflicts of interest.

Accreditation is not a ranking: it certifies that a school meets CIS standards and is engaged in continuous improvement, and status is published in the CIS directory.

CIS frames socially responsible leadership as governance and leadership that serve the school's mission, the wider community and the planet, not only institutional self-interest.

Key elements include ethical decision-making, transparency, accountability to stakeholders, and stewardship of resources for future generations.

Boards of directors are responsible for policy and strategy; the Head of School is responsible for management and implementation - this separation is a core governance principle.

Social responsibility includes fair employment practices, environmental sustainability, community partnership, and equitable access to the school's programmes.

Leadership standards in the CIS framework expect leaders to model the school's values, build leadership capacity in others, and engage in reflective, evidence-based improvement.

Stakeholder engagement (students, parents, staff, local community) is a required dimension of socially responsible governance and should be documented in decision-making processes.

Conflict-of-interest policies, whistleblowing channels and financial transparency are practical expressions of socially responsible leadership in member schools.

Socially responsible leadership is assessed during accreditation through governance, leadership and community indicators in the CIS standards.

Global citizenship education develops learners who understand global issues, act responsibly, and engage with diverse perspectives; it is a defining outcome of CIS international education.

Intercultural learning requires more than exposure: it involves developing intercultural understanding, empathy, and the capacity to navigate cultural difference.

CIS defines international-mindedness as a disposition that includes curiosity about other cultures, openness, and commitment to global issues.

Global citizenship is embedded across the curriculum and school culture, not confined to a single subject; it should be visible in teaching, service learning and student voice.

Service learning and community engagement are common vehicles for global citizenship; effective programmes link action to reflection and curriculum outcomes.

Intercultural competence can be assessed through portfolios, reflection, student-led conferences and structured intercultural experiences rather than only knowledge tests.

Language learning, host-country engagement and international student exchanges are frequently used strategies to build intercultural learning in CIS schools.

Accreditation indicators for global citizenship ask schools to show how their mission, curriculum and community promote intercultural understanding and responsible action.

Safeguarding is broader than child protection: it covers all actions to promote children's welfare and prevent harm, including health, safety, well-being and a protective culture.

CIS requires member schools to have a written child protection policy, a designated safeguarding lead, and safe recruitment procedures including reference and background checks.

The International Task Force on Child Protection (ITFCP) produces guidance adopted by CIS and partner organisations; CIS accreditation includes safeguarding standards.

Safe recruitment includes verifying identity, qualifications, employment history, and police/background checks, plus a commitment to child protection in employment contracts.

All staff must receive regular safeguarding training, including recognising signs of abuse, responding to disclosures, and reporting through defined channels.

A school's safeguarding policy must include procedures for allegations against staff, whistleblowing, and referral to external authorities where required by law.

Student well-being encompasses physical and mental health, social-emotional learning, belonging and safety; CIS standards require schools to monitor and respond to well-being data.

Safeguarding applies to all adults in the school community, including volunteers, contractors, coaches and visiting adults, not only teachers.

A culture of safeguarding means students know how to report concerns and trust that adults will act; schools must provide age-appropriate student education on personal safety.

CIS membership is open to schools, higher education institutions and individuals; only School Members can apply for CIS International Accreditation.

CIS was founded in 1949 and now serves members in over 120 countries through accreditation, recruitment and professional learning services.

The CIS Code of Ethics governs member conduct; breaches can lead to suspension or termination of membership.

International education, in CIS terms, emphasises intercultural understanding and global citizenship rather than simply teaching abroad.

The accreditation cycle typically runs five years, with a self-study, a preparatory visit, a team visit, a committee decision, and interim monitoring.

CIS standards cover philosophy, governance, curriculum, teaching and learning, student well-being and community.

The CIS/NEASC dual pathway allows a school to satisfy two accrediting bodies in one process.

The Accreditation Committee, not the visiting team, makes the final accreditation decision.

Governance separates board policy-making from Head of School management; both are assessed in accreditation.

Social responsibility includes ethical decision-making, transparency, sustainability and community partnership.

Conflict-of-interest and whistleblowing policies are concrete expressions of responsible leadership.

Stakeholder engagement should be documented and inform school improvement decisions.

Global citizenship education combines knowledge of global issues with responsible action and intercultural understanding.

Intercultural learning requires reflection and structured experience, not mere exposure to diversity.

Service learning links student action to curriculum outcomes and reflection.

Accreditation indicators require schools to show how mission and curriculum promote intercultural understanding.

Safeguarding covers welfare promotion and harm prevention, broader than child protection alone.

Schools must have a designated safeguarding lead, written policy and safe recruitment checks.

All adults in the community, including volunteers and contractors, are subject to safeguarding expectations.

Well-being includes physical, mental, social-emotional health and belonging, monitored through school data.