PROSPECTUS

The Global Leadership Diploma (GLD) is Aoba-Japan International School’s personalized high school pathway. Providing both an in-person and online study option, students completing the GLD are awarded an accredited high school diploma and empowered to enter into top global universities while developing their individual career pathways.

Message from the Group Head of Schools

“Students in the Global Leadership Diploma program will gain skills and experiences that prepare them for effective participation in a rapidly evolving and increasingly global society.”
– Ken Sell, Group Head of Schools

Keys to University Entrance

The Global Leadership Program is designed to maximize students’ competitiveness for university entrance and assist them in identifying and entering into the university of their choice upon graduation.

The GLD provides three overarching areas of targeted student support designed to facilitate entrance into leading global universities:

  1. Hands on university counselling and preparation support including one-on-one counselling services, application preparation, international university fairs and events, and more.
  2. A customized digital academic transcript and professional portfolio leveraging the Mastery Transcript Consortium (MTC), designed to share student achievement with university admissions departments and potential employers.
  3. Aoba’s internationally recognized accreditation by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) ensures the GLD is a rigorous academic program that builds the knowledge and skills needed to effectively contribute to society.

Former Aoba graduates have gained acceptance to leading global universities including some of the following.

The Online GLD Experience

Aoba’s Online GLD is designed to meet students where they are in order to take them where they want to be.

The Global Leadership Diploma allows students to pursue their passions and empower them for future success wherever they are. The GLD online enrollment option offers students an opportunity to study 100% remotely from anywhere within a growing selection of international time zones. Leveraging Aoba’s customized online learning platform alongside cutting edge communication and collaboration software, the Online GLD is more than a substitute for traditional school, it’s a brand new education experience that takes students beyond the classroom boundaries.

The Online GLD allows students to meet and form lifelong friendships with fellow graduates from Aoba’s Tokyo campus and others from those around Japan and the world. Students personalise their program of study in a manner unique to their local context. Students in Okinawa can earn credit while diving with dolphins and exploring marine biology, while those in Tokyo may choose an internship at a multinational corporation in the heart of the city.

Future Skills Development

One of the most exciting aspects of the GLD is the development of future ready Global Leadership Skills for all students. In the context of international mindedness these skills are developed to enable real world application of knowledge to solve problems.

Who We Are

The GLD student knows that the best kind of learning is through lived experience and forming meaningful connections with other people.

Global leaders are:

    • Entrepreneurs and innovators
    • Problem solvers
    • Wise risk takers
    • Effective communicators

For more information about the role our core values have in guiding our Global Leadership capabilities click here

Learning Pathways

In making decisions about their future, the GLD student is guided one-on-one by a qualified Leadership Coach to build their path to graduation. Beginning with a Learning Pathway Orientation, students have a choice of two learning pathway options:

    1. Career Development Pathway
    2. Academic Excellence Pathway

Career Development Pathway

The Career Development Pathway is the most common choice for students. Its flexible design enables them to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to achieve their career aspirations. The focus of this pathway is on the student developing a broad suite of skills and knowledge that provides multiple university or career options. 

Academic Excellence Pathway 

The Academic Excellence Pathway (AEP) is specifically designed for the gifted student who knows what they want and where they want to go. Its personalized approach acknowledges that the student brings a pre-existing high level  of knowledge and understanding. Entry into this selective pathway is based on the student meeting specific criteria. This pathway provides students the opportunity to publish a university level research paper which can be submitted to peer review journals as well as included in student portfolios.

The GLD program is comprised of 3 global domains and a number of subject specific inquiries that span the length of the 2 year program, totaling 24 credits which culminate in the Global Leadership Diploma. Each inquiry relates to a GLD domain or a subject specific theme decided by the student in consultation with their Leadership Coach. Students are afforded a great deal of choice and flexibility in how they achieve the 24 credits of the GLD.When taken as a whole, the GLD experience provides students with the skills and concepts in Global Communication, Identity, and Leadership which will allow them to lead positive change in their lives and in their communities. Students are encouraged to think critically and holistically about their personal wellbeing, academic, and social development as well as their impact on the global community.

The Global Leadership Diploma requires students achieve 24 credits in the following Learning Domains over the 2 year length of the program. 

Core Course Details

Student Choice with Discipline Inquiries

Discipline Inquiries comprise the majority of courses and credits in the GLD. With a focus on personalization, students work with their Leadership Coach in order to identify and develop a customized program of Discipline Inquiries which they will study over the course of the GLD in order to meet the credit requirements of the Diploma. Discipline Inquiry credits can be achieved in a variety of ways including research projects, internships, volunteering, university level courses, entrepreneurship activities, and much more.

Student Support

Meet the Team

The Global Leadership Diploma Program team is composed of experienced educational professionals who share a passion for student learning and quality educational experiences. We have a combined total of decades of educational experience from five continents in the fields of curriculum design, behavioral psychology, digital education and more in a variety of international education institutions and curriculum. 

We look forward to supporting families in search of a personalized learning experience that is our Global Leadership Diploma Program.

GLD Program Overview

Philip Smiler the GLD Coordinator a breaks down the philosophy, approach and unique qualities of the GLD program

We are accepting applications

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