With its theme “Inspiring Excellence: Innovation, AI, and Holistic Leadership”, the conference brought together leaders from all over the world to the city in Malaysia to exchange information and insights about best practices in FOBISIA schools.
Amplifying Student Voices
BSKL Head Student Kiana attended the Leadership Conference and spoke on the student panel alongside four other students from FOBISIA schools across Malaysia. She was first introduced to the opportunity through BSKL’s Assistant Head of Secondary, Mr Kyle Milliner, and she was encouraged to apply as BSKL’s nominee for the student panel.
“As part of the selection process, I submitted a 300 to 500-word application outlining my academic interests, leadership experience, personal background and motivations for joining the panel.”
“The process itself was unexpectedly meaningful, because I was asked to articulate my experiences and values, which pushed me to reflect on how my academic choices, leadership roles and service initiatives have shaped the way I think about student voice in education. It reminded me of the importance of intentionality, of not just doing the work, but understanding why it matters and how it contributes to a wider conversation and community,” she said.
Eye-Opener
She also said attending the Leadership Conference was an eye-opener for her, as she was surrounded by educators and leaders from across Asia, which created a space where students’ voices are genuinely valued, not just acknowledged.
“What stood out the most was the commitment to students’ voices; every conversation signalled a sincere openness to understanding what education should look like for the learners it aims to serve,” she said.
She said engaging with students from different FOBISIA schools allowed her to learn from a diverse range of perspectives, which was intellectually stimulating, and broadened her understanding of educational experiences across contexts and strengthened the clarity and depth of the ideas she brought to the panel.
“By the time we stepped onto the stage, I felt well-prepared to articulate not only my own views but also the shared concerns and aspirations expressed by students throughout our discussions. Addressing an audience of educators and leaders and witnessing their willingness to listen, reflect and reconsider their practices was profoundly empowering. It reaffirmed the importance of including students as active contributors in educational dialogues and highlighted the impact that authentic collaboration can have on shaping the future of learning,” she said.
Supportive and Energising Environment
Meanwhile, BSKL Deputy Head of Primary Mrs Victoria Stringer was also present at the FOBISIA Leadership Conference as a presenter of a workshop titled “Changing Behaviours, Shaping Cultures: BSKL’s Journey to a Positive Behaviour Policy”.
“I chose to present on BSKL’s Positive Behaviour Policy because it has been one of the most meaningful transformations in our school. Our shift toward a calm, consistent, relationship-focused practice has had a powerful impact, and I felt it was worth sharing with other schools across the region. The principles we adopted are practical, scalable and rooted in values that resonate across different contexts,” she said.
She also said the reception to her workshop was very positive, as leaders across the region engaged deeply with the ideas and were eager to discuss how these approaches could work in their respective schools.
“Many commented on how practical and relatable the journey felt, appreciating the honesty about challenges as well as successes. Several schools have since reached out for resources or to follow up on conversations, which has been encouraging. Overall, it was a supportive and energising response that reinforced the value of sharing our experience,” she said.
Aiming for holistic leadership in BSKL
Additionally, Victoria said this year’s theme resonated strongly with her because positive behaviour culture is at the heart of holistic leadership.
“While innovation and AI are transforming education, none of these advancements can thrive without a calm, respectful and supportive environment where students feel safe and valued. Our behaviour journey at BSKL reflects this balance – combining evidence-informed practice with consistent, people-focused leadership. Inspiring excellence also begins with how we lead, model and connect with children, and that human element sits at the centre of everything, including innovation,” she said.
She added that she gained insights from the conference and will be applying some ideas from the conference to BSKL.
“I left the conference with several ideas I’m excited to bring back to BSKL. One key area is how we analyse our wellbeing data. Several schools shared effective strategies for making wellbeing information more actionable –using clearer systems for tracking trends, identifying vulnerable groups earlier and ensuring that data leads to meaningful pastoral interventions. I’m looking forward to exploring how we can refine our own processes to gain deeper insight into how our students are feeling and thriving.”
“Another area that really interested me was the focus on sustainability across the curriculum. Several sessions highlighted practical, age-appropriate ways to embed sustainability into everyday learning rather than treating it as a standalone topic. I’m keen to work with teams across the school to strengthen this, helping students understand global issues while also developing the mindset and skills needed to create positive change,” she said.
At BSKL, we often look for growth opportunities for our staff and students. Participating in the annual FOBISIA Leadership Conference allows our representatives to exchange ideas with other school leaders, bringing fresh perspectives and continuously transforming our school so that we are leading in terms of education.
