Shifts in global economies and trade norms have made strong, effective leadership more essential than ever. While today’s leaders must adapt quickly, nations and organisations also need to cultivate the leaders of tomorrow. Schools remain among the most powerful places to begin this transformation.
The Overseas School of Colombo (OSC), Sri Lanka’s oldest international school, offers a curriculum designed to develop globally competent graduates with leadership potential. Its long-standing commitment to the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework, offering the Primary Years, Middle Years, and Diploma Programmes, reflects its dedication to academic rigour and interdisciplinary thinking.
According to Nel Capadona, Head of School at The Overseas School of Colombo, the International Baccalaureate’s emphasis on inquiry, reflection, and service aligns closely with the school’s vision of fostering a culture of learning that sparks joy and curiosity. “We combine strong academic foundations with what the IB calls inquiry-based teaching and learning,” she explains. “We encourage our students to be curious about their world and to make learning truly student-centred.”
At OSC, leadership development extends well beyond the classroom. Students are encouraged to take initiative across a wide range of co-curricular activities, from Model United Nations, and Student Government to Service-Learning projects that offer structured opportunities to engage in decision-making, and collaborate with peers. Regular outdoor education programmes also build resilience and teamwork, experiences that prepare students for leadership in civic and professional contexts.
With a teacher-to-student ratio of 1:5, OSC provides highly personalised academic, social, and emotional advising. Faculty are drawn from a diverse international pool, and the school’s governance model gives students a voice in shaping campus life. This collaborative approach
reflects a broader trend in education that values distributed leadership over traditional top-down models.
“Intercultural understanding is woven Nel Capadona Head of School at The Overseas School of Colombo through every part of our day, whether through instruction or in how we interact with one another,” Nel Capadona notes. “We encourage our students, and ourselves, to study the world as part of it, rather than from a detached perspective.”
This philosophy also informs OSC’s approach to artificial intelligence (AI), a technology already reshaping education. Students are encouraged to explore new tools while maintaining independence and integrity. “We never ask students to complete projects disconnected from their lessons or without support,” Nel says. “With generative AI, there are concerns that students might simply copy or create, but we focus on modelling positive applications of AI and showing how it can be used appropriately in learning.”
She adds, “The goal is growth and the strengthening of critical thinking. It always comes back to our philosophy of encouraging students to be courageous in their learning, to take risks, and to embrace mistakes.” Teachers are expected to model this same mindset, a practice supported by research showing that classrooms which move beyond comfort zones often achieve the greatest progress.
OSC’s diversity is another strength. With students representing more than 40 nationalities, the school cultivates intercultural understanding both as a unifying force and a strategic asset. Students engage with global issues through coursework and community initiatives, developing
a sense of responsibility that extends beyond national borders. Many of these initiatives directly benefit Sri Lanka, ranging from neighbourhood clean-up projects and animal shelter support to student-led sustainability campaigns.
Leadership at OSC is not defined narrowly by conventional roles such as politicians or executives. Instead, the school seeks to equip students with the analytical tools and ethical frameworks required to lead in many contexts. Whether in boardrooms, classrooms, or community projects, what matters most is impact. As Nel emphasises, “Our globally minded, leadership-focused education equips students to play meaningful roles in shaping the future.”
Above all, OSC sees Sri Lanka not as a backdrop but as a partner in its educational mission. “We see ourselves as collaborators in Sri Lanka’s development, whether within our immediate neighbourhood or in the wider national community,” Nel explains. “We are very grateful to be a
part of this country and want to nurture our students as change-makers who can help shape the future of Sri Lanka.”