As a platform for high-end international education resources and services, and a promoter of international school ranking evaluation, brand media, and technology education, KingLead conducts continuous and in-depth research and analysis on international schools in China, digs deep into the characteristics of international schools, optimizes evaluation standards, further Industry upgrades, and help the cultivation of international innovative talents. 

KingLead begins to release international school rankings series since 2018. At present, a systematic and professional international school evaluation system has been formed. The Its professionalism of the four ranking systems from multiple dimensions--brand, innovation, characteristics, and competitiveness, is widely recognized by universities at home and abroad, international school principals, overseas certification agencies, and industry professionals. It has become an effective reference for parents, and has been widely reported by many well-known overseas media from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Singapore.

On January 30, 2023, KingLead China International School Brand Value Top 100 · 2023 is officially released. This year is the fifth consecutive year that KingLead released international schools rankings, aiming to discover international schools with profound brand accumulation, stable school performance, and outstanding brand building, to further school brand building and development, and to help the cultivation of international innovative talents!

Nobel Laureate Witnesses · Brand Value Top 100

Witnessed by the Nobel Laureate, KingLead China International School Brand Value Top 100 · 2023 is officially released. Professor Maskin, the Nobel Laureate in economics and the University Professor at Harvard University, congratulated the important carrier of cultivating innovative talents—the international schools, affirmed the hard work of the schools on the list, and gave a speech on  "New Trends in Cultivating Innovative Talents". Professor talked about the impact of innovation on social prosperity and people’s prosperity, and the importance of investment in education and the vital role of schools in inspiring innovation for the next generation. Finally, the professor wished the international schools to continue to make good work and cultivate more innovative talents in the future!

 Keynote Speaker 

Prof. Maskin

Nobel Laureate in Economics

University Professor, Harvard University

Fellow, National Academy of Sciences

Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Hello everyone. I'm Eric Maskin, Professor of economics and mathematics at Harvard University, and 2007 Nobel Laureate in Economics. And I would like to offer my congratulations to all the students and to all the schools whose hard work led to their being recognized on the international school rankings that have just recently been announced. And I'd like to spend a few minutes today explaining why all that hard work that your students and your schools have put in is so important. The first thing I want to say is that the main source of economic growth and prosperity is innovation...So if you want your country to be innovative, what sort of investment should you be making to promote this innovation? I would argue that the most important investment you can make is in education. 

Background

International schools emerged in the late 1990s. According to the data from KingLead Research Institute in 2022, after 20 years of development, China international schools have grown from less than 100 to more than 1,180 now. The families with international education needs have more elegant choices, and international schools are facing increasingly fierce competition. International schools have entered the era of branding, and the effect of top brand international schools has become increasingly prominent. Brand building has become a strategic choice for the development of international schools.

The building of a brand requires the precipitation of time and the inheritance of culture. KingLead China International School Brand Value Top 100 conducts research on international schools from a brand perspective, aiming to discover international schools with profound brand accumulation, stable school performance, and outstanding brand building, and provide experience and reference for more international schools in brand building, help the school brand building and development, and promote the cultivation of international innovative talents!

Research Objects

The private international schools in China (except Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) that apply international high school courses and whose students aim to study in overseas higher  education institutions.

Evaluation Methods

Based on the KingLead big database of international schools, KingLead China International School Brand Value Top 100 comprehensively evaluates international school brands in terms of certification, teachers, industry influence, and social influence combined with KingLead Research Institute experts’ opinions in the field of international education and through field research, interviews with principals, parents' comments and quantitative evaluation.

Rankings

Evaluation System

KingLead China International School Brand Value Top 100 includes four core indicators: International Certification Competitiveness, Faculty Competitiveness, Social Influence, and Industry Influence. The following is the brand value evaluation system of Chinese international schools:

1 Certification Competitiveness

International Certification contains two sub-indicators: Certification Institutions Authorized by Mainstream Exam Committees and Certification of Mainstream International Certification Organizations.

1.1 Certification Institutions Authorized by Mainstream Exam Committees

If IB course has been certificated by IBO

If AP course has been certificated by College Board

If IGCSE/A-Level Course has been certificated by CIE

If IGCSE/A-Level Course has been certificated by Edexcel

If IGCSE/A-Level Course has been certificated by AQA

1.2 Certification of Mainstream International Certification Organizations

NCCT: The National Center for Competency Testing

NEASC: New England Association of Schools and Colleges

CIS: The Council of International Schools

WASC: The Western Association of Schools and Colleges

ACAMIS: The Association of China and Mongolia International Schools

EARCOS: The East Asia Regional Council of Schools

FOBISIA: The Federation of British International Schools in Asia

2 Faculty Competitiveness

Faculty-Student Ratio

Proportion of Highly Educated Faculties (With master’s degree or above)

3 Social Influence

Parents' Comments

4 Industry Influence

Industry Influence contains two sub-indicators: Industry Experts Evaluation and Academic Experts and Scholars Evaluation.

4.1 Industry Experts Evaluation

Brand History

Brand Investment

Brand Communication

4.2 Academic Experts and Scholars Evaluation

Educational Philosophy

School Culture

Characteristics of the School

Rating System

KingLead China International School Brand Value Top 100 rates the brand value of international schools in China based on rankings. The top 1-10 are rated as "5A", the top 11-30 are rated as "4A", the top 31-100 are rated as "3A".

Ranking Analysis

Nationwide Distribution

Judging from the national city distribution of the international schools on the KingLead China International School Brand Value Top 100 · 2023, Beijing has the largest number of international schools on the list with 23 schools, followed by Shanghai with 21 schools. Suzhou has 10 schools on the list. Followed by Shenzhen and Guangzhou, respectively 7 and 6 schools. Chengdu is second only to Guangzhou in terms of quantity, with 4 schools on the list. Tianjin, Chongqing, Wuhan, and Qingdao each have 3 schools on the list; Hangzhou, Foshan, and Wuxi each have two schools on the list; Zhuhai, Xiamen, Nanning, Haikou, Ningbo, Zhuji, Changzhou, Nantong, Changsha, Hefei, and Dalian each have one school on the list.

Judging from the national urban agglomeration distribution of the international schools on the KingLead China International School Brand Value Top 100 · 2023, the Yangtze River Delta region ranks first with a total of 38 schools on the list, mainly located in Shanghai and Suzhou. In addition, Hangzhou and Wuxi each have two schools on the list, and Nantong, Zhuji, Changzhou, and Ningbo each have one school on the list;

A total of 29 international schools in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region are on the list. In addition to 23 schools in Beijing, Tianjin and Qingdao each have 3 schools on the list;

A total of 16 international schools in Guangdong are on the list, of which Shenzhen and Guangzhou are the most on the list, with 7 and 6 schools respectively, Foshan has two schools on the list, and Zhuhai has one school on the list. In addition to Guangdong in the Pearl River Delta region, Xiamen, Haikou, and Nanning each have one on the list;

There are a total of 12 schools on the list in the central region, among which Chengdu and Chongqing are the most on the list, each with 4 schools on the list; Wuhan is next, with 3 schools on the list; Hefei and Changsha each have one school on the list;

In Northeast China, one school in Dalian is on the list.

City Distribution

1 Beijing

A total of 23 international schools in Beijing are on the list. Among them, 3 schools have been awarded 5A rating--Keystone Academy, Beijing Huijia Private School, BIBS Shunyi Campus.

6 schools have been awarded 4A rating--Harrow International School Beijing, Dehong Beijing International Chinese School, RCF Experimental School, HD Beijing School, Beijing New Talent Academy, Beijing Haidian International School.

14 schools have been awarded 3A rating--Beijing City International School, Beijing Royal School, BIBS Haidian Campus, Beijing 21st Century International School, Beijing World Youth Academy, Beijing SMIC Private School High School, Nord Anglia School Beijing, Shunyi, BIBS Huairou Campus, Beijing Concord College of Sino-Canada, Beijing Qinghua Zhiqing School, Chaoyang KaiWen Academy, Xicheng Academy Bejing China, Beijing Haidian Daoxianghu School, Beijing Haidian Kaiwen Academy.

2 Shanghai

A total of 21 international schools in Shanghai are on the list. Two of the schools have been awarded 5A rating--Shanghai Pinghe School, Shanghai Qibao Dwight High School.

6 schools have been awarded 4A rating--Shanghai United International School, Gubei, Secondary Campus, Shanghai Shangde Experimental School, Shanghai SMIC Private School International Division, Nord Anglia Chinese International School Shanghai, Shanghai Wenlai International School, Shanghai United International School Wanyuan Campus.

13 schools have been awarded 3A rating--Living Word Shanghai, Shanghai United, International School Qingpu Campus, Shanghai United International School Jiaoke Campus, Shanghai Southwest Weiyu Middle School International Division, Shanghai Qingpu World Foreign Language School, Shanghai Jinshan World Foreign Language School, Shanghai HD Bilingual School, Shanghai Tianjiabing High School, East China Normal University Affiliated Bilingual School, SISU Xiwai International School, Shanghai MacDuffie Bilingual High School, Shanghai Gold Apple Bilingual School, Shanghai Liaoyuan Bilingual School.

3 Suzhou

A total of 10 international schools in Suzhou are on the list. One school has been awarded 5A rating--United World Colleges of Changshu China.

Two schools have been awarded 4A rating--Dulwich International High School Suzhou, Suzhou Foreign Language School.

7 schools have been awarded 3A rating--Suzhou International Academy, Suzhou North, America High School, Suzhou Foreign Language School Wuzhong Campus, Nord Anglia School Suzhou, Xiangcheng, Mountain Kingston Bilingual School, Suzhou Foreign Language School Kunshan Campus, Living Word Suzhou.

4 Shenzhen

A total of 7 international schools in Shenzhen are on the list. One school has been awarded 5A rating--Shenzhen College of International Education. One school has been awarded 4A rating--Shenzhen Vanke Meisha Academy.

5 schools have been awarded 3A rating--Shenzhen (Nanshan) Concord College of Sino-Canada, Shenzhen Academy of International Education, Maple Leaf International Academy Shenzhen, Nord Anglia School Shenzhen, Shenzhen Mingde Experimental School (Group).

5 Guangzhou

A total of 6 international schools in Guangzhou are on the list. One school has been awarded 5A rating--Huafu International. One school has been awarded 4A rating--Huamei International School.

4 schools have been awarded 3A rating--Nansha College Preparatory Academy, Weiming School Guangzhou Campus International Department, Nord Anglia School Guangzhou, Panyu, Guangzhou Xiangjiang Zhongxue International Division.

6 Chengdu

A total of 4 international schools in Chengdu are on the list. One school has been awarded 4A rating--Chengdu Foreign Language School.

3 schools have been awarded 3A rating--Chengdu Experimental Foreign Languages School, BIBS Chengdu Campus, Chengdu Meishi International School.

7 Tianjin

A total of 3 international schools in Chengdu are on the list. One school has been awarded 5A rating--Tianjin Yinghua International School. One school has been awarded 4A rating--Tianjin Haileybury School. One school has been awarded 3A rating--The MacDuffie School Tianjin.

8 Chongqing

A total of 3 international schools in Chongqing are on the list and have been awarded 3A rating--Harrow Innovation Leadership Academy Chongqing, Chongqing Depu Foreign Language School, Chongqing Bashu Ivy Academy.

9 Wuhan

A total of 3 international schools in Wuhan are on the list and have been awarded 3A rating--ISA Wuhan International School, Wuhan Haidian Foreign Language Shi Yan School, Cogdel Cranleigh School Wuhan.

10 Qingdao

A total of 3 international schools in Qingdao are on the list and have been awarded 3A rating--Qingdao Mingde School, HD Qingdao Wanda School, The International Department of Qingdao Weiming School.

11 Hangzhou

A total of 2 international schools in Hangzhou are on the list and have been awarded 3A rating--Huili School Hangzhou, Shanghai Foreign Language School Affiliated to SISU Hangzhou.

12 Foshan

A total of 2 international schools in Foshan are on the list. One school has been awarded 5A rating--Guangdong Shunde Desheng School (International). One school has been awarded 4A rating--Nord Anglia School Foshan.

13 Wuxi

A total of 2 international schools in Wuxi are on the list and have been awarded 3A rating--Wuxi Foreign Language School, Wuxi Big Bridge Academy.

14 Zhuhai

One international school in Zhuhai is on the list and has been awarded 4A rating--Zhuhai Yifu Experimental Secondary School.

15 Xiamen

One international school in Xiamen is on the list and has been awarded 3A rating--Maple Glory Education.

16 Nanning

One international school in Nanning is on the list and has been awarded 4A rating--Harrow Innovation Leadership Academy Nanning.

17 Haikou

One international school in Nanning is on the list and has been awarded 3A rating--Harrow International School Haikou.

18 Ningbo

One international school in Ningbo is on the list and has been awarded 3A rating--HD Ningbo School.

19 Zhuji

One international school in Zhuji are on the list and has been awarded 3A rating--Zhuji Private High School.

20 Changzhou

One international school in Changzhou is on the list and has been awarded 3A rating--Wycombe Abbey International School.

21 Nantong

One international school in Nantong is on the list and has been awarded 3A rating--Nord Anglia School Nantong.

22 Changsha

One international school in Nantong is on the list and has been awarded 3A rating--Cogdel Cranleigh School Changsha.

23 Hefei

One international school in Hefei is on the list and has been awarded 3A rating--Canadian International School of Hefei.

24 Dalian

One international school in Dalian is on the list and has been awarded 4A rating--Dalian Huamei School.