FOBISIA offers Members Schools a forum for discussion, networking and sharing best practice offering peer-to-peer support at every level.  It also provides opportunities for Member Schools to engage in a range of student enrichment activities.  The Federation is also an essential source of guidance for its membership in the areas of quality assurance, safeguarding, recruitment and representation among official bodies and the UK Government.

Heads and senior leaders from Member Schools are invited to attend the Annual FOBISIA Leadership Conference and teaching staff are invited to attend the Biennial Teaching Community Conference, as well as many other Conferences throughout the year.  All of these events provide an opportunity for Member Schools to share best practice and engage with leading educational thinkers.  We also provide opportunities for both academic and business staff to participate in continuing professional development (CPD) hosted by Member Schools throughout the year, including Job Alike Workshops (JAWS).  School Membership also offers exclusive access to the FOBISIA CONNECT platform, which is a online sharing community.

Students from Member Schools are invited to participate in the renowned sports event of the year - The FOBISIA Friendly Games.  The Games are held annually for various age groups, and are currently hosted at a regional hub in Thailand.  The Games provide an opportunity to bring students together from across Asia to promote the development of teamwork skills as well as a greater understanding of and respect for peers from other cultures and countries.  Other student enrichment events offered to Member Schools include various Sporting events, Arts Festivals, Community and Environmental Conferences, Model United Nations Conferences, as well as a range of other student-focused events around subject areas.

To support its Member Schools in the area of recruitment, FOBISIA provides a central location on the website for Member Schools to advertise teaching opportunities as they arise.  These opportunities are also promoted through other channels to maximise reach.

FOBISIA maintains a strong relationship with other British international school associations across the globe, including the Association of British Schools Overseas (AoBSO) and the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) based in the UK, and the British Schools in the Middle East (BSME), Latin American Heads Conference (LAHC), and the National Association of British Schools in Spain (NABSS), and The Heads’ Conference (HMC) plus others based in various regions outside the UK.

FOBISIA publishes a Membership Handbook & Directory each year which outlines 'everything you need to know' about the Federation.  FOBISIA's termly eNewsletter, THE FOBISIAN, shares events reflections and other FOBISIA news among the Membership.  

 

FOBISIA's Constitution allows for Full and Associate Membership for Member Schools.  To be admitted to the Federation, schools must meet a range of general criteria, as well as  Britishness, governance and quality assurance criteria.

Full Membership is offered to Candidate Schools that meet FOBISIA's membership criteria, and are already fully accredited by an approved agency.  Heads of Full Member Schools may attend meetings, have voting rights, and can hold office on FOBISIA's Board.

Associate Membership is offered to Candidate Schools that meet FOBISIA's membership criteria, but are not yet fully accredited by an approved agency.  They must demonstrate a commitment to accreditation and achieve successful accreditation by an approved agency within three years of joining the Federation.  Associate Member Schools may attend meetings, however they do not have voting rights, and cannot hold office on FOBISIA's Board.

Schools in Asia that are interested in joining the Federation can contact  FOBISIA HQ to discuss membership and request a FOBISIA School Membership Pack.

Schools intending to submit a membership application to FOBISIA must be approved by their governing body prior to being submitted to FOBISIA.  Upon receiving a School Membership Application, FOBISIA HQ provides written acknowledgement of receipt of the application. FOBISIA's Board, through its Membership Committee, determines if a Candidate School's membership application is deemed complete and if it meets FOBISIA's Membership Criteria.  A school that submits a successfully completed application that has not yet been decided is considered a Candidate School.

Should there be any membership criteria that have not been met by the Candidate School, FOBISIA's Membership Committee will outline areas where they fell short and how they can be addressed.  Should it be determined that the membership criteria have been met by a Candidate School, a two-day Pre-Membership Visit is arranged at a mutually suitable time with two Visiting Representatives, nominated by the FOBISIA Board, in order to validate the Candidate School's membership application and verify the Candidate School's ability to meet the membership criteria.  At this stage Candidate Schools are requested to pay an Application Fee and reimburse the visiting representatives for their travel expenses.

Following the pre-membership visit to the Candidate School, the Visiting Representatives submit their Candidate School Visit Report to FOBISIA's Membership Committee.  Upon reviewing the report, the Membership Committee makes a recommendation to the FOBISIA Board as to whether the Candidate School meets the Membership Criteria and whether they should be admitted to the Federation as a Full or Associate Member School.  If the FOBISIA Board recommends a Candidate School be admitted into the Federation, it is voted on by the membership at an EGM or AGM. 

Candidate Schools are formally admitted as Member Schools once their Annual School Membership Fees have been paid.  Annual School Membership Fees are invoiced in Term 1 of the academic year (in September) to be paid by 31 October.  Candidate Schools are admitted as Member Schools once their Annual School Membership Fees have been paid.  New Member Schools are invited by FOBISIA HQ to commence their Annual School Membership Benefits once proof of payment is received.

New Member Schools are invited by FOBISIA HQ to attend the next FOBISIA Heads’ Business Meeting, where they they will be requested deliver a brief presentation by way of introduction to their fellow Member Schools.  They will also be invited by FOBISIA's Heads' Support Liaison to be paired up with an existing Member School Head in their region.  FOBISIA's Buddy Programme aims to guide newcomers through their first interactions with the Federation, facilitate friendships and maintain a strong support network across the membership.

Read this booklet on frequently asked questions about FOBISIA School Membership.

Please download the School Membership Pack which contains 11 sections:

1.  School Membership Introduction Letter
2.  School Membership Application Form
3.  Pre-Membership Visit Survey Form
4.  Candidate School Staff List Form
5.  Pre-Membership Visit Report
6.  Application Procedure Flowchart
7.  FOBISIA Constitution
8.  FOBISIA By-Laws
9.  Pre-Membership Visit Document Checklist
10.  Schedule of School Membership Fees
11.  School Membership FAQs