History of COBIS
Since its inception in 1981, COBIS has served as an association for British schools across the globe.
We work to support our schools in their provision of a high-quality education to develop students who will have a positive impact on society.
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The COBIS Timeline
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Overview
The Council of British International Schools (COBIS), originally founded in 1981 as the Council of British Independent Schools in the European Communities (COBISEC), has played a pivotal role in supporting British schools around the world. The association was established with the aim of providing a forum for British schools in Europe, beginning with a modest group of just 24 schools. Sir Dick Pantlin CBE served as the first Chairman, with Colin Sharman as Vice Chair, and their leadership helped lay the groundwork for the growth of COBIS. Over the following decades, COBIS worked diligently to enhance the status and quality of British education abroad.
A significant turning point occurred in 1996 when Sir Roger Fry, the Founder of King’s Group of Schools, became Chairman. Under his leadership, COBIS expanded its scope beyond Europe and formalized partnerships with international educational organizations. In 2002, COBIS signed a cooperation agreement with the Federation for British International Schools in South and East Asia (FOBISSEA), marking the beginning of its broader international collaborations. In 2007, COBIS formally rebranded, dropping the "EC" from its name to reflect its expanding global presence.
The introduction of the British Schools Overseas (BSO) inspection scheme in 2010 marked another major milestone. This initiative, alongside the leadership of Colin Bell as CEO, brought rigorous UK-based inspection standards to COBIS member schools worldwide. This period also saw the association’s Secretariat grow, with offices moving from Oxford Brookes University to St Mary's University, and eventually to Central London, underlining COBIS's growing stature and influence.
The leadership of Sir Roger Fry, who stepped down in 2011 after 15 years as Chairman, was followed by Trevor Rowell, who was appointed as Chair. Sir Roger Fry was knighted by HM The Queen in 2012 for his contributions to international British education and Trevor Rowell was recognised as COBIS Honorary Vice-President when he stepped down as Chair in 2023.
Today, under the new Chair Lord Jim Knight, COBIS is a vibrant global network with over 300 member schools across various continents, dedicated to advancing British education abroad through collaboration, support, and continuous improvement.