Every August, BASIS International & Bilingual Schools · China (BIBS · C) brings its new teachers and leaders together before the school year starts. This year marks the 12th Summer Institute. In early August 2026, the network’s flagship international campus, BASIS International School Shenzhen, hosted more than 270 new teachers and administrators and over 250 training leaders from all 15 campuses across China, including two brand-new campuses opening at the end of August—BASIS Bilingual School Beijing and BASIS Bilingual School Guangzhou.
Summer Institute: Setting the Foundation
This year’s Summer Institute ran nearly 290 division-, subject-, and course-specific sessions and roundtable meetings. Regardless of how many years of experience a teacher brings, the goal is for every new BIBS · C teacher to have the tools and confidence to achieve teaching excellence and create the best possible outcomes for students. Each day built toward that goal. Tuesday introduced new faculty to who we are, an overview of BIBS · C’s structure, values, and expectations. Wednesday focused on what we teach and how we assess learning, walking teachers through the curriculum and assessments. Thursday explored how we teach, with hands-on classroom strategies. Friday closed with how we grow, the coaching and feedback structures that support teacher growth through their first year and beyond.
For Daniel Rossouw, a new music teacher at BASIS Bilingual School Beijing, the first day set the tone for the days that followed. “The Summer Institute gave me a clear picture of the expectations not only for us as teachers, but also for our students,” he said. “It also ensured that we understood that exceptional teaching is a high expectation, and it provided us with various tools to support effective teaching strategies. The Summer Institute also emphasized the school’s mission to produce graduates with broad intellectual and international perspectives, critical-thinking capabilities, and creative problem-solving skills, preparing them to become leaders in their future world.”
From BASIS 101 and organizational culture to ELL strategies and effective instructional strategies, faculty were given the foundational tools to succeed in their classrooms. By the end of the week, new teachers had a clear understanding of what the job would look like day-to-day. Joe Whitby, a new ELL teacher at BASIS Bilingual School Beijing, shared: “The Summer Institute has given me an opportunity to meet a lot of the Chairs from other schools, and they’ve been really great at explaining what the day-to-day job looks like. I feel much better prepared, and I have a much clearer understanding of what my role is going to be.”
Brianna Heflin, a new ECE teacher at BASIS International & Bilingual Schools Wuhan, described how the week has set her up for success: “It has prepared me in so many different ways,” she said. “It has been an incredible week of remembering what kind of teaching is the best kind of teaching. It has provided me with a ton of resources and great connections with people I can reach out to if I need support.”
Academic leaders had their own training specific to their role, running alongside the teachers they will support. Division Managers trained on coaching and hiring; Chairs trained on coaching teachers; Deans worked on communication and conflict resolution; and Course Advisors trained on running effective meetings and using assessment data.
Also participating in the Summer Institute were 155 staff members from Ascend International Education Group and all the campuses across the network. Their focused training covered student affairs, administrative support, logistics, and other core functions, helping ensure smooth coordination between operational support and the academic program.
Starting the Year Connected
BIBS · C operates as a connected network rather than a set of separate schools, and the Summer Institute brings that to life for all new faculty. Over a dozen campuses, hundreds of new teachers—gathered together, learning face to face. That kind of scale and shared purpose is itself a force, and new teachers felt the strength of the network right away.
For Garth Kirkham, a new science teacher at BASIS Bilingual School Guangzhou, the best part of the training was “collaborating not only with people from our own school, but also with people from different campuses across the BIBS · C network.”
Paden Carlson, a new English teacher at BASIS Bilingual School Shenzhen, put it simply: “I’d say what I’ve enjoyed most about Summer Institute is the camaraderie we’ve been able to build across campuses and among our own colleagues.”
At BIBS · C, those connections become an ongoing support system that extends well beyond the teacher’s own campus. Faculty can turn to colleagues across the network who teach the same course or hold the same role and who understand its particular challenges. An AP Biology teacher in Chengdu, for example, can reach out to AP Biology teachers at any of the 15 schools across China. This kind of cross-campus collaboration has become common practice across the network.
Nicole Velardi, a new statistics teacher at BASIS International School Guangzhou, shared her experience during Summer Institute. “I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate with other teachers, meet new staff members, and network with some of the established staff,” she said. “For example, a math Chair immediately offered to share resources for a course that he is teaching in Shenzhen and that I will be teaching in Guangzhou.”
Henry Ballard, a new PE teacher at BASIS Bilingual School Beijing, found the same support in his subject area. “I really enjoyed meeting PE teachers from all around the network because they were able to give some of their best tips, their most useful advice, and some knowledgeable insights… I feel really supported.”
Carrying it Forward
The week ended with new teachers heading back to their home campuses with a strong foundation and a network of colleagues they can turn to. They spent the following week participating in on-site training alongside returning staff, before the students arrived. But the learning and the connections made during Summer Institute don’t end there. Throughout the year, coaching sessions, professional learning days, and virtual roundtable meetings keep the faculty growing and connected.
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