Promoting international mindedness in Dutch (state-funded) International Schools : the approaches of educational leaders

While there is a growing body of research literature into the areas of international mindedness (IM), international schooling and educational leadership, there is a lack of empirical research that links these three elements. This research addresses this by exploring how educational leaders promote IM in the context of Dutch (state-funded) International Schools (DIS) and aims at understanding the lived experiences of educational leaders. A qualitative approach in the form of twenty-one in-depth interviews of educational leaders from thirteen DIS has been used to gain a more nuanced and richer understanding of how educational leaders promote IM. The research findings indicate that the promotion of IM is a complex process which is dependent on the individual experiences and preferences of educational leaders that are, in turn, influenced by the institutional framework within which they are working, the wider global environment of international schools, and the local and national societal context within which they are situated. The findings indicate that in promoting IM, educational leaders of DIS adopt a form of internationally minded leadership that is based on differing values-leadership models. This form of leadership involves educational leaders adopting leadership roles aimed at maintaining their schools' values; developing their schools' understanding of IM; and advocating their schools' mission. The exact nature of these three roles is determined by the educational leaders' personal and professional experiences and the wider social and school context within which they are operating. This thesis argues that the current interpretation of these roles leads to a form of internationally minded leadership that is based on a narrower understanding of IM. It focuses more on intercultural understanding than on global responsibilities and aims to build consensus and foster harmonious communities rather than challenge ideas of global inequality.