A two-day, research-based institute for school professionals committed to designing, executing, and sustaining inclusive schools grounded in dignity and respect. Participants gain practical tools and strategies tailored to the realities of international schools — not U.S.-centric models that don’t resonate or often polarize communities— to foster schools where all feel valued, seen, and heard, and where students flourish.
Intercultural Competency and Belonging Institute (ICBI)
Early Bird registration is now open starting at US$ 525 per person. Special rate for teams of three or more.
Five global locations in 2026-2027!
Why Belonging Efforts Often Miss the Mark in International Schools
Now in its second year, the Intercultural Competency and Belonging Institute (ICBI), developed and iterated by Dr. Derrick Gay, equips educators and school leaders to name, navigate, and transform the dynamics that shape belonging, safety, and learning in culturally complex international school communities.
Without intentional intercultural competency, misunderstandings or unaddressed cultural differences can lead to harm — affecting student wellbeing, trust, and academic outcomes.
What these gaps can look like in schools:
Students may excel academically but struggle socially or emotionally when transitioning internationally due to limited intercultural and developmental preparation.
Misaligned communication norms across cultures can lead to unintentional exclusion in classrooms, teams, and staff collaboration, sometimes resulting in harm to student wellbeing or trust.
Curriculum and assessment practices often reflect dominant cultural worldviews, leaving students from non-dominant cultures underrepresented and limiting opportunities for all students to thrive.
Leadership and hiring structures may unconsciously privilege certain cultural or professional backgrounds, undermining accountability for student safety, belonging, and rigorous learning.
Apply now to gain practical tools and frameworks to build schools where students are safe, supported, and empowered to excel academically, while all members feel valued, seen, and heard.
Select Your Dates and Location
Early Bird registration is open starting at US$ 525 per person. Special rate for teams of three or more.
October 15-16, 2026
Korea
Chadwick International School
Early Bird Registration Open Until September 30, 2026.
December 4-5, 2026
Panama
International School of Panama
Early Bird Registration Open Until September 30, 2026.
January 29-30, 2027
Hong Kong
Hong Kong International School
March 20-21, 2027
Austria
American International School of Vienna
Early Bird Registration Open Until September 30, 2026.
January 15-16, 2027
Spain
Barcelona High School
Early Bird Registration Open Until September 30, 2026.
Workshop Details
Day One
Belonging and Cultures of Dignity and Respect
Learn Dr. Derrick Gay’s Fostering a Culture of Dignity and Respect to position school-specific belonging initiatives effectively.
Design and execute strategies that resonate across diverse cultural contexts without relying on U.S.-centric models.
Identify regionally specific best practices and common pitfalls for belonging initiatives.
Frame frameworks to engage all members of your school community, grounded in wellbeing, belonging, academic excellence, and child safeguarding.
Participate in interactive exercises to translate concepts into actionable strategies.
Day Two
Foundational Intercultural Competency
Build foundational intercultural competency skills for classrooms, teams, and leadership.
Understand how identity-informed harm and relational aggression affect school climate and student experience.
Apply research-informed frameworks to enhance communication, collaboration, and decision-making.
Learn strategies to include local staff in belonging initiatives.
Engage in reflective exercises and peer knowledge sharing to prevent harm and foster healthy relationships.
Participants Receive
Two days of interactive, research-based instruction
Regionally contextualized strategies for immediate use
Insight into learning trends, common pitfalls, and applied best practices
Certificate of Completion and LinkedIn Badge
Curated food and beverages, reflecting the culture and context of each host school location
Who Should Attend?
The Intercultural Competency & Belonging Institute (ICBI) is for international-school professionals responsible for designing, executing, and sustaining strategies that foster school communities grounded in dignity and respect.
Participants typically include:
Heads of school, deputy heads, and divisional leaders
Directors of teaching & learning, child protection, and inclusion
School counselors and wellbeing leaders
Student support team members and advisory/belonging committee members
Human resources and staff culture professionals
Board members — who play a critical role in governance yet often have few opportunities to build awareness of school best practices
The Institute equips participants with shared language, actionable frameworks, and structured opportunities to design, refine, and align strategies that translate values into daily practice — all grounded in student safety, wellbeing, academic support, and inclusive belonging.
Simply put: if you are responsible for shaping, implementing, or sustaining strategies that foster safe, inclusive, and academically supportive school communities, the ICBI is for you!
About Dr. Gay
Dr. Derrick Gay is a globally recognized Belonging and Intercultural Strategist, dedicated to fostering inclusive communities grounded in dignity and respect. He brings a unique strategic lens, drawing on work across international schools, financial services, civic organizations, and arts institutions, to help leaders design systems, policies, and practices that create safe, equitable, and thriving communities.
His educational leadership spans the full spectrum, from early childhood as Senior Advisor to Sesame Street, to K–12 international schools, and as adjunct faculty at Columbia Teachers College, Columbia Business School, University of Pennsylvania, and Parsons Paris. Across these roles, Dr. Gay empowers educators and leaders to translate values into actionable frameworks and strategies that strengthen belonging, prevent identity-informed harm, and advance academic, social, and organizational outcomes.
Dr. Gay has collaborated with over 800 schools and organizations worldwide, providing research-informed strategies, hands-on consultation, and leadership development that is both practical and globally grounded.
Learn more about Dr. Gay’s work or inquire about engaging Dr. Gay at your school.
Photo Gallery from 2025-2026 ICBI's
ICBI 2.0 — Deepening Intercultural Competency
Now in its second year, the ICBI has been refined and strengthened based on feedback and experience from educators worldwide. Participants take the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) to gain personalized insight into their intercultural mindset and patterns, while leveraging collective results to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities within their peer group.
Through case-based analysis, guided collaboration, and reflective exercises, participants explore how identity-informed harm and relational dynamics affect student wellbeing, staff engagement, and school culture. They apply Dr. Gay’s research-informed frameworks to develop strategies that translate shared understanding into coordinated action, tailored to the intercultural realities of each school.
Outcome: Participants leave equipped to design, execute, and sustain inclusive, safe, and academically supportive school environments grounded in dignity and respect.
If you participated in an ICBI and have not yet received your exclusive invitation to participate in ICBI 2.0, please let us know.
