Comparative Report
Compared to other areas of external cultural policy (ECP), such as artist exchanges, media, university internationalisation or language promotion, there has been relatively little research on overseas primary and secondary education (OPSE). Yet for many countries, especially those with large expatriate communities, schools abroad are an important part of ECP strategies. OPSE is not only for the children of families living abroad. It also serves to promote language skills abroad, to channel students into a country's higher education system, to share values and to improve the national image. In this way, OPSE is largely a complement to other areas of ECP, rather than a truly stand-alone component. Only a small number of countries use OPSE in a truly strategic way.
