ACAMIS Directors Forum — Beijing

Policy: Leading Through Regulation, Risk and External Change

Yew Chung International School of Beijing
Friday, November 27, 2026
1:00PM - 6:30PM

Other Locations: Shanghai (Oct 16), Hong Kong (Feb 19)

About the Beijing Forum

International schools in China are navigating a more complex operating environment. Government policies are changing and confidence can be affected quickly by government regulations, school closures and wider uncertainty.

The Beijing forum will focus on policy, compliance, government relationships, governance, local authority expectations, ownership structures, risk planning and how schools interpret and respond to changing operating conditions.

How can Heads of School lead with clarity, resilience, and evidence when regulatory and market conditions are changing?

Intended Outcomes

By the end of the forum, Directors will:

Identify major external and internal pressures affecting school planning

Compare how schools are responding to change

Identify practical questions for deeper Affinity Group inquiry

Surface assumptions that need better evidence

Build peer connections that continue beyond the forum

Agenda*

*Agenda subject to change.

1:00PM - 1:15PM

Introduction to the Directors Forum series and the Policy theme. Participants consider how external conditions shape strategic leadership decisions.

1:15PM - 1:30PM

The sponsor shares insight connected to policy, compliance, governance, risk, government relations or the broader operating environment for international schools.

1:30PM - 2:15PM

Two or three short presentations from invited experts. Possible contributors may include:
- A legal, compliance or policy advisor
- A governance or risk specialist
- A Head of School with experience navigating a complex policy, ownership or regulatory challenge
The emphasis should be on practical interpretation and leadership implications.

2:15PM - 2:35PM

Directors identify one policy or compliance issue affecting their school, one area of uncertainty and one decision that would benefit from peer perspective.

2:35PM - 3:15PM

Directors form groups of 3-4 around shared interests such as government policy, compliance, governance, ownership, local authority relationships, licensing, risk planning or school closure concerns.

3:15PM - 3:30PM

Break

3:30PM - 4:15PM

Each group converts a broad policy concern into a focused inquiry question. The group identifies what members already know, what remains uncertain and what evidence or expertise would help.

4:15PM - 4:45PM

Each group shares one policy pressure, one assumption to test, one question for future inquiry and one form of evidence or expertise they need.

4:45PM - 5:00PM

Affinity Groups confirm their first follow-up meeting, communication method and shared inquiry focus.

5:00PM - 6:30PM

Drinks, small bites and informal conversation.

Continue Learning After the Forum

Affinity Group Online Meetings

The in-person forum is only the starting point. To support continued collaboration, participants will continue their inquiry through three online meetings with their Affinity Group via the PeerSphere Peer Learning Community.

These sessions are designed to:

Session 1: Refine the Inquiry - Refine the group’s shared inquiry question, compare school contexts, and identify the assumptions and evidence that need further exploration.
Session 2: Test Emerging Thinking - Share emerging insights, evidence and challenges. Group members will use peer perspectives to test their thinking and consider possible responses.
Session 3: Consolidate and Share Learning - Consolidate the group’s learning, identify practical implications and next steps, and prepare to share key insights at a virtual ACAMIS community meeting.

Meeting dates and times will be agreed upon by each Affinity Group.