Applied Leadership Certificate

Year Round, Online Leadership Development Program

The Applied Leadership Program is a year round, online program designed for international school leaders. Taking place from January to December of 2027 – this creates the conditions where leaders make meaning together.

WHAT THE YEAR INVOLVES

FOUR PHASES – EIGHT MODULES – NINE ONLINE SESSIONS

18:00 (GMT+8) · 90 Minutes Each · Every Wednesday

PHASE 1 - The Foundations

Leading Self / Leading Others
1. Wed 13 Jan
2. Wed 24 Feb
3. Wed 17 Mar
PHASE 2 - The Preparation

Leading Teams / Leading Change
4. Wed 21 Apr
5. Wed 19 May

June–July · break
PHASE 3 - In-Role Support

Leading Learning / Leading Culture
6. Wed 25 Aug
7. Wed 22 Sep
PHASE 4 - Sustaining

Leading Community / Leading Systems
8. Wed 20 Oct
9. Wed 17 Nov

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Three threads run through every module: Leadership Identity · Collective Efficacy · Improvement through Inquiry

PHASE 1: Foundations
Jan – Mar
1 Leading Self
2 Leading Others

PHASE 2: Preparation
Apr – Jun
3 Leading Teams
4 Leading Change

PHASE 3: In-Role Support
Jul – Sep
5 Leading Learning
6 Leading Culture

PHASE 4: Sustaining
Oct – Dec
7 Leading Community
8 Leading Systems

More Than Just An Online Course – Year Round Support

This is a year-round online experience where leaders learn, practice and get support at the same time. The program offers online cohort sessions, community channel to seeks connection & support with your peers, and 1-to-1 coaching sessions with Core Faculty members.

You’ll Join Nine Online Sessions

Nine 90-min online cohort sessions lead by Core Faculty and guests speakers that will guide with shared learning and a common leadership language

16 Leaders Per Cohort

A small and impactful cohort. Private communication channel will be established for exchange of ideas and deepening connections, a safe space for growth

You’ll Get 1:1 Coaching

You’ll get to choose your coach. Up to Four (4) one-on-one, 40-minutes coaching sessions with Core Faculty members

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Who Is This For?

Aspiring Leaders

Teachers & coordinators ready for formal leadership
Exploring whether leadership is the right path
Building foundational skills before the role begins
Connecting with mentors and role models

New & Transitioning Leaders

Leaders in their first or second year in a new role
Moving to a new school or country
Navigating the shift from peer to supervisor
Building credibility and culture from day one

Current Leaders

Experienced leaders seeking fresh perspectives
Mid-career leaders managing complex change
Facing new challenges: AI, wellbeing, DEI
Wanting a peer community beyond their school

Leadership development is less about delivering expertise and more about creating conditions where leaders can make meaning together.

WHY JOIN | FOR THE INDIVIDUAL LEADER

Value you can’t assemble on your own — a serious peer group, a real curriculum, and support that lasts the year.

A room of true peers
Sixteen leaders facing the same decisions you are, all year — not two days once a year.
A structured curriculum
Ten deep-dive modules across the year, so your growth is deliberate, not whatever crisis is loudest.
Wisdom, not just information
The faculty have sat in the seat. You learn from experience, not a webinar.
Practical takeaways every month
You leave each session with one concrete action — and you’re asked about it next time.

A tested network you keep
The people who become your first call long after the year ends: “I’ll run it past my forum.”
Somewhere to think honestly
A confidential room for the problem you can’t raise with your own staff or board.
A pathway forward
For aspiring leaders, a credible route to the next role — guided by people already in it.
On demand access
Every masterclass recorded plus recordings of conference sessions

WHY PARTNER | FOR SCHOOLS

This compounds: you develop a leadership team, not a single person — and the effect is felt across the school.

Develop a team, not an individual
Several leaders learning together, placed across different cohorts for breadth.
A shared language of leadership
Your team returns using the same frameworks — which makes the hard conversations easier.
Retention of your best people
Visibly investing in leaders is one of the strongest signals that keeps them from leaving.
Succession and bench strength
Grow your aspiring leaders deliberately, rather than scrambling when someone resigns.

Year-round development
Sustained impact across the school year — not a conference that fades by the next week.
An external perspective
Your team tests its thinking against leaders from 20+ countries and other school models.
Value for the PD budget
One partnership covers sustained development for several leaders, plus Summit places.
Whole-team access to content
The on-demand library

Core Faculty

Dr. Benjamin Sheridan

Director of Strategic initiatives & Educational Innovation Academia Cotopaxi

Leader Combining Strategy, Innovation and Learning

407 Learning, Founder, American School Kinshasa - Elementary School Principal, Apple Professional Learning Specialist, What School Could Be - Fellow, NIST - Learning Innovation Coach, COETAIL - Instructor

Jose Ramon (Tico) Oms

Certified Executive Leadership Coach

Experienced Leader, Facilitator, Coach and Advisor

AAICS - Board Member, AIELOC - Program Facilitator, Solution Tree - Consultant, International School Basel - HS & MS School Principal, ISB Bangkok - Deputy Principal, SAS Singapore - Deputy Principal, Dell - Asia Pac Product Marketing Manager

Dr. Howard Stribbell

Chief Learning Officer, 21C Learning

Strategic Counsel to School Owners & Boards, Author & Keynote.

Canadian Overseas School Association, Founder, International School Macau - School Supervisor, Canadian International school of Phnom Penh, Board Member

Justin Hardman

CEO, 21C Learning

Professional Learning Leader. EdTech Advisor and influencer.

Hong Kong International School, Director of Technology, Apple Distinguished Educator, creator and cofounder of PHASE, ISTLC Certification (Tech Leaders), Partner with OFFSEAS (outdoor education), Partner to ISTE.

Associate Faculty

Lural Ramirez

School Development Consultant and School Director, Academia Cotopaxi

Previously:
Head of School – UWC Thailand, School Development Consultant, Director – Futuro Verde – International School

Kristine Mizzone

Educational Consultant, Collaboratory Consulting, LLC

Previously:
Adjunct Professor – The College of New Jersey, Director of Learning – Benjamin Franklin International School, Barcelona, Curriculum and Professional Learning Coordinator – International School of Beijing

Dr. John Nash

Associate Professor of Educational Leadership Studies, University of Kentucky

Previously:
Director, Laboratory on Design Thinking (dLab) – University of Kentucky, Director of Graduate Studies – University of Kentucky, Provost Faculty Fellow – University of Kentucky

Dr. Arnett Edwards

Honorary Executive Supervisor, Benenden Schools China

Previously:
Principal – Li Po Chun United World College of Hong Kong, Vice Principal – King George V School, Hong Kong

Jen Delashmutt

Consultant, Novak Education

Previously/Also:
Educational Consultant East Asia Regional Council of Schools, Director of Curriculum and Professional Learning – International School Bangkok, Elementary School Principal – Hong Kong International School

Patrick Hurworth

School leader, Consultant

Previously/Also:
Associate – Global Philanthropic, Head of School – Oberoi International School, Head of UWCSEA Dover School UWC South East Asia, Head of School – International School of Beijing, High School Principal – Hong Kong International School, Head of Secondary School – Atlanta International School

Dr. Dana Specker Watts

Chief Operating Officer, CES LINKS

Previously:
Director of Learning, Research and Outreach – International Schools Services, School-Wide Curriculum Leader – Hong Kong International School,Director of Innovation – 21st Century Learning International, Technology Coordinator – American Embassy School

Chris Beingessner

Middle School Principal at Singapore American School

Previously:
Deputy Principal – Singapore American School, Vice Principal – Regina Public Schools, Learning Leader – Regina Public Schools, Middle School Coordinator – Northbridge International School Cambodia

INDIVIDUAL PRICING

Joining a Cohort

12-MONTH ONLINE COHORT PROGRAM
$2,250 USD
per person / per year
Early bird: $1,950 (before Nov 30)
Alumni returning for 2nd year: $1,650
≈ $200 / month for a full year of development

WHAT’S INCLUDED

9 live online sessions led by Core Faculty (90 min)
2 core faculty per cohort to ensure low participant/facilitator ratio and high engagement
Private cohort community channel
Completion certificate: L2S Leadership Program
Discounted Lead to Succeed Summit registration
Up to 4 one-to-one private 40m coaching sessions with core faculty

SCHOOL PRICING

School Partnership Packages

EXPLORER
$3,750 USD
per year | $5,000+ value
2 cohort seats ($3,900 value)
10% off conference tickets
Savings: ~15%

CATALYST
$6,500 USD
per year | $10,000+ value
4 cohort seats ($7,800 value)
15% off conference tickets
Leadership health check call
Savings: ~25%

STRATEGIC
$11,000 USD
per year | $17,000+ value
7 cohort seats ($13,650 value)
20% off conference tickets
Leadership health check call
Quarterly strategic calls
Savings: ~30%

Multi-year partnership packages with further discounts and price lock available.

Find Out More

Find out more about the program or simply be the first to find out when registrations go live

Free Community
LinkedIn, newsletter, social media

Core Faculty
Lead cohorts, continuity & quality

Associate Faculty
Guest expertise on specialist topics

School Partners
Packages for schools to upskill leadership

About the Organizer

21st Century Learning (21CL) organizes top-tier conferences and events that align with its mission of “Building Communities of Learners”

Aside from Lead To Succeed Summit, our annual event portfolio includes 21CLHK Conference, GBA School Awards, International Schools Conference Asia, AI & Future of Education Conference, PHASE Asia Pacific and PHASE China (PE, Health, and Athletics), OFFSEAS (Outdoor Education), ISMAC, and InnovateEDU South Korea.

Led by educators with deep experience in Education Leadership, Professional Learning, EdTech and Progressive Pedagogy. 21CL also offers consultancy and professional learning services for schools.