International Professional Certificate in School Leadership (IPCSL)

with AISL Academy, in partnership with UCL.

Interested in enrolling in the International Professional Certificate in School Leadership (IPCSL) for June 2026?

Registration for the June 2026 International Professional Certificate in School Leadership (IPCSL) programme starts now.

Please let us know your interest by completing the IPCSL Interest Form, and we will take you through the journey step-by-step.

Why choose our IPCSL:

Prestigious Partnership: This programme is offered by AISL Academy in exclusive partnership with University College London Institute of Education (UCL IOE), consistently ranked No. 1 in the world for education.
Global Recognition: Earn globally recognised, prestigious qualification that elevates your professional standing and opens doors to senior leadership roles in schools worldwide.
Contextualised Content: Tailored specifically for leaders in international and independent schools, this programme is delivered by highly experienced AISL educators with decades of hands-on expertise running top-tier international schools in close collaboration with world-leading academics from UCL IOE.
Practical Impact: Directly apply research-based strategies to drive measurable improvements in your school.
Supportive Community: Build a global network of experienced educators and school leaders.

Who is it for:

IPCSL is most suitable for senior school leaders and aspiring senior leaders with cross-school responsibilities, for example:

What you will learn:

IPCSL is designed to equip senior school leaders with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to drive effective leadership and sustainable school improvement in diverse educational contexts.

Master Effective Leadership for Local Success
Analyse and adapt international best practices in school leadership to align with local educational policies, standards, and strategic priorities, fostering contextualised leadership approaches.
Drive Measurable School Improvement
Design and lead a powerful, research-based school improvement project that delivers sustainable, evidence-proven enhancements in school performance while dramatically advancing your own senior leadership capabilities.
Lead and Inspire Enduring Transformation
Lead and inspire impactful, sustainable school transformations by applying evidence-based change management strategies drawn from international research and real-world case studies, while strategically developing approaches to manage people and organizational resources to deliver enduring high-performance outcomes for students, staff, and the entire school community.
Build and Develop Team for School Success
Lead the creation of a dynamic, sustainable culture of professional learning that drives continuous growth for educators and delivers measurable improvements in teaching quality and student outcomes.
Ignite Inner Growth & Forge a Powerful Global Network
Engage in deep, reflective practices to rigorously evaluate your leadership style, pinpoint growth areas, and craft ambitious professional goals, while intensively collaborating with international peers, expert facilitators, and local partners to forge a global network to share practical, real-world solutions for today's complex school challenges.

Learning Experience:

IPCSL is a 12-month programme, consisting of four core modules delivered through dynamic blended experiences, including in-person workshops, online seminars, self-paced readings, and hands-on projects.

Programme Structure:

Assessment and Certification:

The final assessment will be based on a strategic leadership project undertaken within the participant’s own school. The project should be based on the learning from the programme and will require a brief report to be submitted, as well as a presentation during the final part of the programme.

Successful participants will receive a UCL IOE Certificate of Programme Completion.

Instructors:

Greg Ross

Greg is an Associate Professor (Teaching) at UCL Institute of Education in London. At the UCL Centre for Educational Leadership he leads the design and delivery of school leadership development programmes for ministries of education, non-governmental organisations, and international school groups as well as international consultancy projects focused on school leadership and school system improvement. Alongside this, Greg teaches on the centre’s postgraduate programmes. His research focuses on the organisational conditions that enable curriculum innovation in schools. Before joining UCL Institute of Education, Greg was a senior leader and English teacher in London secondary schools for ten years. Prior to teaching, he worked on education and child rights programmes in Cuba, Palestine, and Lebanon.

Elaine Long

Elaine is Programme Leader for the Early Career Programme at UCL Institute of Education in London. In this role she leads the provision of professional learning and development for more than 10,000 early career teachers every year, on behalf of the Department for Education in England. She has worked in education for over 20 years as a mentor, teacher, and leader in schools across the world. She began her career as an English teacher in Nottingham where her passion for education was ignited. Following this, she broadened her experience by undertaking a very successful international role at Dulwich College Shanghai and subsequently at the English Schools Foundation in Hong Kong where she developed an expertise in the IB curriculum. She also used her experience to help with the set-up of a new international school in Hong Kong. On her return to England, she worked for many years as an Assistant Principal at UCL Academy before moving on to her current role at UCL Centre For Educational Leadership. She is passionate about improving student outcomes through the translation of research into practice, leadership development and knowledge exchange.

Charles Ellison

Having enjoyed an extensive career in independent schooling both in the UK and within British international schools spanning 30 years, Charles is presently Director of Quality and Standards within the AISL Education Team. His leadership journey has included roles such as Head of Department, Director of Co-curricular Provision, Housemaster, Head of Sixth Form, Deputy Head and Headmaster of an all-through boarding and day school in England. Prior to his present Group role, Charles was Head Master of Harrow Shanghai. He holds post-graduate qualifications in Psychology (based primarily on leadership and team dynamics) and the NPQH (National Professional Qualification for Headship). For the past thirteen years, Charles has also been regularly involved in the inspection of day and boarding schools for the UK Department for Education with ISI, both in the UK and within British international schools through the BSO framework.

Ruth Whymark

Ruth is the Associate Director of Quality and Standards with AISL. She has been in headship for fifteen years. She has led in a variety of settings and contexts, giving her a very wide perspective on global education, from challenging inner-city to high performing state and international schools all of which informed her passion for social justice, leadership, wellbeing, equity, inclusion and diversity. She attributes the success of the schools she has led to having a team of talented staff who are focussed on delivering a curriculum which celebrates the uniqueness of each student and raises their self-esteem. Ruth is passionate about building professional learning communities that create the conditions for learners to achieve both personal and academic success. The belief that all pupils can achieve highly is at the heart of Ruth’s practice. Ruth enjoys building and developing strong teams; enabling capable and effective leadership to inspire and motivate whole communities through supportive relationships.

If you have any questions regarding our International Professional Certificate in School Leadership (IPCSL), please feel free to email us directly at support@aisl-academy.com

Interested in exploring other programmes?

Click on any of the programmes below to learn more.

National Professional Qualifications (NPQs)

Our NPQs build targeted expertise and practical skills you can apply immediately, delivered by experienced educators and supported by UCL IOE’s 30 years of NPQ leadership.

STEAM Leadership Programme

STEAM Leadership Programme is designed to equip STEAM leaders in schools with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to drive impactful change in diverse educational contexts.

Cost:

£ 1,500 (Regular Price)
Free for AISL Staff

AI Leadership Career Pathway

A structured, research-informed pathway equipping school leaders and teachers to integrate AI responsibly, enhance learning, safeguard students, and develop confident, evidence-based strategies.