12 Countries in 3 Years: How THINK Global School Is Redefining Education

NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- THINK Global School (TGS), the world's first traveling high school, marked a significant milestone recently by celebrating the 10th anniversary of its first graduating class. Since its founding in 2010, TGS has been on a mission to redefine the landscape of education by replacing the traditional classroom with the real world. Each year, its students live and learn in four different countries, with graduates calling up to 12 countries home. Traveling the world has proven essential for student success, as each country provides irreplaceable experiences that foster critical thinking, collaboration, and a deeper understanding of global challenges.

"My time at TGS has fundamentally shaped my worldview, by exposing me to a range of highly variable and intellectually stimulating experiences. In an increasingly globalized landscape, I feel grateful to have understood at an early age the value of humility, open-mindedness, and the ability to think astutely and creatively through challenges," said Bella Engalla, TGS 2020 graduate.

Over the past decade, THINK Global School's educational approach has evolved from the traditional International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum to the Changemaker Curriculum. Through the Changemaker Curriculum, THINK Global School leverages its locations as a catalyst for project-based learning, enabling students to engage with local communities and apply their knowledge towards tackling relevant and pressing global challenges. The switch from IB to a self-designed curriculum wasn't an easy decision, but with IB students fixated on test scores rather than the locations they were meant to immerse themselves in, it proved correct. Now, seven years on, the Changemaker Curriculum closely interweaves each country's unique social, economic, and environmental aspects into the projects students participate in during their time abroad.

Key features of the Changemakers Curriculum include:

• Experiential Project-Based Learning: Each term, students tackle projects that are directly tied to the unique cultural and environmental contexts of the countries they study in. This immersive approach fosters a deep connection between academic learning and real-world application.
• Cultural Appreciation and Immersion: By living and learning in countries across the globe, TGS students develop a nuanced understanding of different cultures, fostering empathy and a sense of global citizenship.
• 21st-Century Skills: The curriculum focuses on preparing students for the challenges of the modern world, equipping them with critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and adaptability — skills that are increasingly vital in today's uncertain global landscape. Despite this evolution, the core of THINK Global School's mission remains unchanged: to provide students with a global education that rigorously tests their assumptions and pushes them to grow — physically, socially, emotionally, and psychologically.

Reflecting on their time at TGS, Anat Al Mzayyen, a TGS graduate from 2014 and currently a Communications and Advocacy Professional at the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX) shared, "At TGS, I learnt the value of seeing the world from a different perspective and what resilience really meant. A huge part of my personality was carved by learning from stories of cultures and traditions from my classmates and the citizens of the countries we have lived in. I learnt that being a better person comes from having empathy for each other and empathy stems from the ability to put yourself in the other person's shoes. Being part of TGS came with a rollercoaster of emotions, with change being the only constant in our lives, being outside of our comfort zone became our comfort zone. This is where I learnt the value of resilience, understanding that change makes room for better things to happen and leaving your comfort zone will allow you to rely on your past experiences with the excitement of the unknown."

Bridging Two Worlds: A Shared Global Perspective

Although students from the Class of 2014 and the Class of 2024 graduated under different curriculums, both groups share a common experience: a global education that prepared them for an increasingly interconnected and unpredictable world. TGS graduates, whether they studied under the IB or Changemakers Curriculum, have developed the adaptability, resilience, and critical thinking skills necessary to navigate an ever-changing global environment.

"TGS gave me the tools I needed to overcome challenges, whether in my personal life or career. As a communications and advocacy professional, my work relies a lot on my perspective of things; in order to build messages that resonate with the audience and to amplify the impact we are trying to make. I had to understand that every story could be turned into a success if you look at it from a different perspective. It's been ten years since I graduated from TGS and there hasn't been a day that I don't reflect on my experience and mobilize the many values I learnt in my everyday life," said Al Mzayyen.

Looking Ahead: Leading the Future of Education

As THINK Global School celebrates the tenth anniversary of its first graduating class, the institution is already looking toward the future. The school remains committed to its mission of cultivating global changemakers and plans to continue expanding its curriculum, incorporating emerging disciplines like artificial intelligence, genomics, climate science, and digital innovation. With its pioneering approach, TGS is not only redefining education today but also preparing the next generation of students to lead in the world of tomorrow.

Inquiries for the 2025-26 TGS school year are open through January 1st, 2025.

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SOURCE THINK Global School