Aspire Academy recently accomplished a crucial milestone that will be added to its ever-growing list of achievements and accolades, receiving the Council of International Schools (CIS) accreditation.
This accreditation demonstrates Aspire Academy’s commitment to providing high-quality international education to its student-athletes. The process of obtaining the accreditation involves multiple thorough assessment visits by peers from fellow CIS member organisations, who evaluate the school’s programme offerings and the quality of education provided, before assessing whether they meet the accreditation standards.
These standards place a heavy emphasis on high-quality international education, resting on three main pillars that urge schools to be mission-driven and vision-led, as well as being heavily focused on student learning and well-being, and committed to internationalism and inter-culturalism in order to foster global citizenship.
The awarding of the accreditation to Aspire Academy represents the culmination of a five-year long process, which began in 2010, to identify and apply for accreditation from the most relevant international awarding body. The Academy has since cooperated fully with the CIS in fulfilling all of the necessary requirements and criteria, achieving membership of the council in 2013.
Commenting on this milestone, Aspire Academy director general Ivan Bravo said: “I have always believed that we offer a world-class education at Aspire Academy, which provides our student-athletes with the knowledge, skills and opportunities to develop into confident, responsible, global citizens. To have this validated by the Council of International Schools (CIS) is further proof that we are fulfilling our mission and vision to be the best school for the young and aspiring athletes of Qatar. Badr al-Hay, his team and the faculty have been very focused in their commitment to the self-evaluation and hard work required by this process, and earning this accreditation places Aspire Academy School firmly among the ranks of leading international schools around the world.”
Education and Student Care director Badr Jassim al-Hay said: “Attaining CIS accreditation is a major step forward for the Academy. Achieving this accreditation is a testament to our efforts over the years in finding and developing Qatar’s future sports stars. It is also an important recognition for our efforts in motivating and supporting our students to achieve their full academic and sporting potential.”
Principal Jassim Mohammed al-Jabir added: “The CIS accreditation will contribute greatly towards our efforts of helping our student-athletes become proactive knowledge seekers, and will help open international doors to our students upon their graduation from the Academy. We are proud of this achievement and are confident our cooperation with the CIS and its member organisations will reflect positively on the academic and athletic growth and development of our student-athletes.”
 Aspire Academy first opened its doors in 2004 and is considered to be one of the leading sports institutes in the Middle East. The Academy offers an integrated educational program of sports development, sports science and academic learning to boys aged 12 to 18. The school develops well-educated sports champions, and aims to become the world’s leading sports academy for young athletes by 2020.
 The Council of International Schools (CIS) is a global non-profit, non-national, non-regionally affiliated organisation that is committed to promoting high quality international education around the world. It includes more than 660 schools and 475 colleges and universities representing 110 countries, with more than 425 of those having received accreditation.