Director of Innovation, An Interesting Position in Corporate Schooling Culture

"GEMS Education, one of the world’s largest international school groups, has appointed Jeffrey Beard as Group Director for Innovation. Mr Beard served as Director General of the International Baccalaureate (IB) for the past eight years", according to Rebecca Marriage in Re:Locate Magazine on Feb 3, 2014 (http://www.relocatemagazine.com/relocation-news/major-international-school-group-appoints-exib-head/1086) . What is of interest to those of us in emTech is the name and nature of the position: Director of Innovation.  GEMS is a corporate entity consisting of international K-12 schools serving 142,000 students from 51 countries and employs 11,000+ professional educators, according to their website (http://www.gemseducation.com/about-us/).

Ms. Marriage quotes Beard as saying, "GEMS is uniquely positioned to implement novel programmes to cultivate global learning and lead innovation. For parents and students, it can open a world of learning and growth built round the skills that everyone will need in a modern knowledge economy. I am excited to join such a forward-looking company.”  The nature and title imply that this group can be expected to embark on a journey of continued improvement and change. Director of Innovation is not totally uncommon in today's economy, but we have not encountered such a title in an educational organization, though it certainly may exist.

What appeals to us about this title and GEMS' action is that it places open and obvious emphasis directly on innovation -- right out front!-- and in the statement ties the innovation planned to their students' ability to live and work in today's global economy. While this is also part of the vision of many (or implied in all international schools), the assignation of a position to just such purposes reflects two trends: 1) an acknowledgement of entrepreneurial education activities in a world class education (to quote Yong Zhao, World Class Learners), and 2) a merging between business and quality educational institutions' trends in management and planning.

Director of Innovation - pretty cool! If you had such a title in your own international school, what kinds of things would you do and consider?