The following is a partial transcript of an interview with Relocate Global's Fiona Murchie at the 36th annual COBIS conference, held in London in May 2017. Click on the image above to watch a video of the full interview.

International assignments: every company is international

"Every company is international in some respect, and is global, no matter where they are based. They are either employing people from overseas, or they’re developing in different markets. They need to know how they set up in a new dominion."

Demystifying school choice

"Finding out as much as possible about good quality schools, particularly if they are perceived as challenging locations is really, really important."

What should international schools be doing to connect with employers and parents?

"A lot of international schools don’t realise that they need to project their messages specifically to employers and relocating employees. They do a very, very good job of communicating with websites and with video to meet the needs of the parent, but for employers there are a lot of boxes to tick, such as safety and security, compliance. For the employees they need to make sure that the schools they’re recommending or pointing them in the direction of are fully accredited."

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"Also there is knowledge about this huge growth in international education. I think the figures are about 8,900 schools and the sector has doubled in ten years. For a lot of employers that is a bit mystifying. They don’t understand. They hear the news about this huge growth in international schools. Then it’s a rather difficult message because they understand that they can’t actually get to their employee into the schools that they choose."

International schools can help plan for the future

"If they also saw these schools as an opportunity for their localised talent ,and also as a way of feeding the pipeline in skills shortages in those regions in the future, I think it would really help them to engage with education issues down the road. Let’s face it, every single country and employer is facing skills shortages, so there is a huge amount of work to be done in that area."Relocate have come to this conference today because employers are concerned that they may lose talent unless they are able to find the right schools to fit their schools choices. So, nurturing talent is a priority. There is also the opportunity for employers to connect with international schools which have fantastic talent for the future, and young people with a global mindset that will lead those companies into future development around the world."

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The 2017 edition of Relocate Global’s Guide to International Education & Schools is available now, in print and online. Packed with information and expert advice, it’s essential reading for employers, relocation professionals and relocating parents.
• Employers: Access the free digital guide here, or request a free print copy here
• Relocation professionals: Access the free digital guide here 

• Parents: Access the free digital guide here, or purchase a print copy here

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