By Stephanie Chow

Spanish educators from Madrid are visiting Simon Fraser University to become better leaders in their schools.

This marks the first time the Region of Madrid has worked with a Canadian university, and also the first time it has offered a professional development program for its principals.

“We are excited about being able to expand our international presence in the field of educational leadership,” says John Nesbit, associate dean of graduate studies in SFU Education. “Over the last 10 years, we have worked to build faculty strength in educational leadership and it is gratifying that this emphasis has raised our international profile.”

Twenty bilingual elementary school principals are here until August 9 to participate in a leadership and school management program, a month-long program custom designed by the Faculty of Education's International Office. SFU faculty members and associates are teaching some of the program’s workshops.

“The Region of Madrid heard of SFU’s reputation in the area of teacher education and contacted the university to provide a program for principals of bilingual schools,” says Catherine Price, director of SFU Education’s International Office.

SFU’s Faculty of Education collaborates with universities and governments from around the world to provide customized professional development programs for teachers, student teachers, and educational leaders. Groups have come from Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Greenland for the past 20 years.

“This is an exceptionally busy summer for the faculty,” says Price. “In addition to the principals from Spain, we are welcoming over 100 teachers from Korea and Taiwan this summer for professional development programs.”