BUSINESS & OPERATIONS CONFERENCE
The FOBISIA Business & Operations Conference (formally the Bursars & Business Managers' Conference) has been hosted by Member Schools most years since the inaugural event at British International School Ho Chi Minh City in 2009. Since 2024 we have widened the audience to include other areas of the school's Business teams; such as HR, Marketing, and Admissions, and we host this ourselves at a venue in Bangkok.
The aim of the conference is to bring staff together from across the region to share best practice, common challenges and continuous improvement in a positive spirit of collaboration, around a given theme.
FOBISIA BUSINESS & OPERATIONS CONFERENCE 2025
DATES 24 – 25 April 2025
LOCATION Bangkok, Thailand
CONTACT Swati: cpd-safeguarding@fobisia.org
PAST EVENTS
FOBISIA BUSINESS & OPERATIONS CONFERENCE 2024
THEME ElevateED: Advancing Excellence in Education Management
DATES 2 – 3 May 2024
LOCATION Bangkok, Thailand
Read more: THE FOBISIAN Issue 45, Term 3 June 2024
FOBISIA's 12th BURSARS & BUSINESS MANAGERS CONFERENCE 2021
THEME Working Through a Pandemic
DATES 28 May 2021
LOCATION A virtual Conference
This virtual eConference was hosted by The British School Jakarta and was attended by 64 attendees from 43 schools. Keynote speaker David Woodgate, CEO of Independent Schools Bursars' Association presented on the UK Independent Education Sector: Evolving Issues on Lessons for Bursars.
FOBISIA's 11th BURSARS & BUSINESS MANAGERS CONFERENCE 2018
HELD ON 10 September - 12 March 2019
LOCATION British School Jakarta
The British School Jakarta was proud to host the 11th Annual Bursars’ and Business Managers’ Conference for 2018/19. The theme of the event this year was “In quality we trust”, an important topic resulting in productive dialogue throughout the entire programme. Delegates representing 21 British International Schools from nine countries across Asia came together to share best practice, common challenges and continuous improvement in a positive spirit of collaboration. The first evening conference dinner showcased traditional Indonesian cuisine at “Plataran Darmawangsa” and was attended by Mr James Bryson, Chair of the Board of Governors who, in his welcome to the delegates, invited all participants to consider how the perception of quality impacts how we conduct our business. Delegates were treated to a colourful cultural dance performance by staff in BSJ’s World Theatre to open the conference proceedings before the real work began!
True to the theme, “Quality” continued to be the focus of discussion throughout the programme with Mr David Butcher, Principal of BSJ delivering the opening presentation “The Unique Selling Point for BSJ” discussing how BSJ is future proofing a quality education through a range of innovative programs and systems such as its entrepreneurial platform “BSJ Ideas” to promote continuous improvement through idea creation; and partnering with MIT (USA) delivering compassionate learning systems. Mr Paul Martindale, Quality and Performance Improvement Director at BSJ focused on "Establishing Quality Frameworks" and discussed the schools’ work towards gaining ISO 21001 EOMS certification and how this complements, compares and contrasts to CIS accreditation, of which many of the delegate schools’ participate.
Conference co-hosts Ms Kerrie Weippert-Rowe, Business and Operations Director at BSJ and Mr Martin Brillantes, CFO at BSJ facilitated group work at a fast and furious pace aka “functional speed dating” which saw all delegates rotate through eight business function-specific topics and share their schools’ challenges and best practice examples. One of the key benefits of the FOBISIA conference is that delegates learn about other schools and can take away ideas and contacts which they can draw on and refer to in the future. For a change of pace and scenery, the conference proceedings moved to Ciloto - Puncak, experiencing another side to Indonesia amongst the mountains, tree plantations and cooler temperatures. The long bus drive gave more opportunity for networking and connecting over shared business interests.
For some downtime, and continuing opportunity to showcase the diversity of “Wonderful Indonesia”, delegates were treated to a traditional interactive musical performance using “Angklung” at the Gala Dinner and an exclusive “Behind the Scenes” tour of Indonesia’s famous Taman Safari and Conservation Park in Bogor on the final day. Fresh with new ideas, strengthened working relationships and keepsake batik shirts, delegates were bid “sampai jumpa lagi”.
FOBISIA's 10th BURSARS & BUSINESS MANAGERS CONFERENCE 2018
HELD ON 28 September - 31 March 2018
LOCATION British Vietnamese International School Hanoi
The FOBISIA Business Managers’ Conference 2018 was hosted by British Vietnamese International School (BVIS Hanoi), Vietnam from 28th to 31st March 2018.
The first day of conference at school was a productive day with a presentation of Ms. Duong Nguyen and Mr. JK Tan (Regional Business Director and Regional Finance Director, SEA Nord Anglia Education) about “How can a Bursar “add value” to the Principal” and another presentation by Mr. Mark Sayer, principal of BVIS, named “Any benefits to Cognitive Bias?”. More than 30 delegates from 28 schools were very interested in the topics and had lively discussion on them.
After that, delegates had time to share their best practices and also similar issues at their own schools. Some useful consultations from Speakers and best practice sharing between FOBISIA schools shed the light for delegates to solve their issues or improve their current practices. It was a valuable time to learn from each other.
The most memorable time was the next two days when delegates joined a voyage on cruise together around Halong Bay, a beautiful natural wonder in northern Vietnam. Networking time on cruise with a lot of funny games brought us closer and had more understanding about our friends. It’s time to relax with beautiful scenes and happy time. Leaving cruise, we said goodbye and looking forward to opportunities to meet each other at the next BURSAR/ BUSINESS MANAGERS’ CONFERENCE. see photos
FOBISIA's 9th BURSARS & BUSINESS MANAGERS CONFERENCE 2016-17
HELD ON 26 - 28 October 2016
LOCATION International School Brunei
Read more THE FOBISIAN Issue 23 Term 2 February 2017
FOBISIA's 8th BURSARS & BUSINESS MANAGERS CONFERENCE 2015
THEME Good Soil for the Growing Trees
HELD ON 18 September - 20 November 2015
LOCATION Kinabalu International School
Read more: THE FOBISIAN Issue 22, Term 1 April 2016
FOBISIA's 7th BURSARS & BUSINESS MANAGERS CONFERENCE 2013
HELD ON 12 - 14 September 2013
LOCATION Tanglin Trust School
The FOBISIA Business Managers’ Conference 2013 was hosted by Tanglin Trust School, Singapore in September 2013.
A welcome dinner for the delegates was held on the evening of Thursday 12 September at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, where our CEO, Mr Peter Derby-Crook, welcomed the delegates from the various FOBISIA schools around the region.
All the delegates attended a one and a half day conference at Tanglin Trust School over the next two days. This year’s programme included a presentation by DP Architects, a leading Singapore architectural firm, on “Sustainable Design Stories”. They shared with us how sustainable green features were incorporated into school buildings and landscape. In addition, International SOS, a leading medical & security assistance company, on "Travel Safe" shared how risk mitigation were incorporated into school trips and outdoor education. The delegates were then divided into groups for a tour of the school. The later part of the conference included a sharing session on best practices and topics which the delegates had put up earlier for discussion and this continued into another half day morning meeting at the conference hotel.
FOBISSEA BURSARS & BUSINESS MANAGERS CONFERENCE 2012
HELD ON 20 - 22 September 2012
LOCATION Dulwich College Suzhou
Read more: THE FOBISSEAN Issue 11, Term 1 December 2012
FOBISSEA BURSARS & BUSINESS MANAGERS CONFERENCE 2011
HELD IN 22 - 24 September 2011
LOCATION Taipei European School
keynotes: Freddie Hoeglund, Steve Parker, Mike Humphrey and Rob McIntyre
Read more: THE FOBISSEAN Issue 9, Term 2 April 2011
FOBISSEA BURSARS & BUSINESS MANAGERS CONFERENCE 2010
HELD IN 24 - 26 September 2010
LOCATION Kellett School Hong Kong
Read more: THE FOBISSEAN Issue 5, Term 1 December 2010
FOBISSEA BURSARS & BUSINESS MANAGERS CONFERENCE 2009
HELD IN 18 - 20 September 2009
LOCATION British International School Ho Chi Minh Cty
Read more: THE FOBISSEAN Issue 2, Term 1 December 2009
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