On 21 April, 2021, The Enrollment Management Association (EMA) and the Educational Collaborative for International Schools (ECIS), noting a great need for professional development programming among internationally minded independent schools, announced a formal collaboration. This agreement is the first time EMA, a U.S.-based nonprofit, has agreed to extend its exhaustive range of professional development services and resources to another organization. 

This partnership comes at a pivotal time for international independent schools faced with challenges, which were exacerbated by the COVID pandemic, and in great need of professional support, education, and training. Under the agreement, ECIS’s 400+ international member schools can access EMA’s diverse offerings such as webinars, podcasts, discussion groups, and courses, as well as participate in EMA’s highly regarded annual conference.  

EMA will also deliver a wealth of research to ECIS members, as well as offer an exhaustive collection of personalized learning, each targeting unique skills and goals. Likewise, the facilitation of a comprehensive member survey, complete with industry benchmarking, will allow ECIS to reflect inwardly alongside its members while expanding both its knowledge base and understanding of their strengths, needs, and vulnerabilities.

“This agreement is an important step for both our organizations, allowing two of the most important professional secondary school groups to evolve through knowledgeable discussions, training, and shared insights,” said Executive Director and CEO Heather Hoerle. “Schools will be able to create and build rewarding networks while training and learning through EMA’s purposeful programs.”