Globeducate hosted its annual NextGEn School Leadership Conference 2025 in Madrid, welcoming more than 100 senior leaders and Heads of Schools from 11 countries, includiing James Wellings, the Head of Mougins British International School. 

The event focused on unlocking leadership potential, celebrating success, and exploring innovation in international education, bringing together inspiring keynote speakers, collaborative workshops, and opportunities to share best practice across the group. 

Inspiring Keynote Speakers

A highlight of the event was the line-up of keynote speakers – from award-winning authors and experts to Heads of Schools and members of the Globeducate Executive Committee.

• Amy Brann (above right), Founder and Director of Synaptic Potential, led a session on Unlocking the Whole Brain Potential™ of Your Organisation. Drawing on the latest neuroscience, she shared practical, bite-sized strategies for Globeducate leaders to embed into daily school life.
• Jenny Anderson (above left), award-winning journalist and contributor to The New York Times, TIME and The Atlantic, spoke on Re-Engaging Learners in an Age of AI. Based on three years of research and surveys with 65,000 students, she shared insights into moving learners from “passenger” mode to “explorer” mode to elevate student engagement and success.

Student Voice at the Heart of Leadership

For the first time, the conference featured a Student Voice session, welcoming four students to share what leadership means to them. Their contributions brought a valuable perspective, reinforcing Globeducate’s commitment to placing students at the centre of decision-making.
 

Sharing Best Practice

Throughout the event, school leaders presented on key themes such as Safeguarding, Engaging Learners, Marketing and Admissions, and Building Impactful Operations. Sustainability remained a central focus, with Eco-Committees driving meaningful change in schools and embedding sustainable practices across the curriculum. We thank all of the leaders who shared best practice at the conference, inspiring colleagues and igniting individual and collective debate and reflection. 

"The highlight of the GLC is the exchange of best practices and learning from initiatives across our schools, which is always inspiring. It is equally exciting to see Globeducate’s expansion, knowing that our reach continues to grow and our impact on shaping future leaders and global citizens is even greater."

Isabelle Leblanc, Head of School, Canadian School of Florence, Italy

The Role of AI in Education

Globeducate’s Head of AI, Richard Human, outlined the group’s AI strategy and shared success stories from schools including TIPS Globeducate in India, PASCAL International Education in Cyprus, and ICS London. With AI Champions appointed in every school, staff training, innovation hubs and collaborative projects are already transforming teaching and learning practices across the network.

A Shared Vision for the Future

After opportunities to learn together, discuss, inspire – and of course socialise – leaders met in team cluster groups and took forward plans for returning to their schools with renewed energy, motivation and a carefully selected book to share with their teams and use as a conversation starter.