Seven Years, Seven Foundations: The Pillars Behind ISS Lisbon’s Success

Across cultures and throughout history, it has symbolised wisdom, growth, and good fortune. Pythagoras himself described seven as the “perfect number” — one that represents harmony, meaning and progress.

As ISS Lisbon reaches the end of its seventh year, it feels fitting to reflect not only on how far we have come, but on the foundations that have shaped our journey. Over the past seven years, we have grown from a pioneering vision into one of Portugal’s leading international schools, built on seven key foundations that continue to guide our growth and ambition.

1. Community: The Heart of Everything We Do

Everything begins with community.

ISS Lisbon has grown into a truly international family united by shared values, meaningful relationships, and a commitment to helping young people thrive. Families, students, and staff work together in genuine partnership, creating a culture built on trust, respect, and belonging.

The events, celebrations, and experiences we share throughout the year strengthen these connections and remind us that a school’s greatest success is measured not only by outcomes, but by the strength of the relationships at its core. This sense of belonging remains one of the defining characteristics of ISS Lisbon and one of our greatest sources of pride.

2. Academic Excellence with Purpose

Academic excellence has been central to ISS Lisbon from day one.

As an IB Continuum World School, we have graduated five cohorts of students who have gone on to study at more than 40 universities across four continents. Year after year, our students perform above IB World averages, reflecting both the quality of our programmes and the dedication of our students and teachers.

Highlights such as a perfect score of 45 points in the IB Diploma Programme, alongside outstanding performance in Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay, demonstrate what is possible when high expectations are combined with exceptional support. Yet for us, academic excellence is about more than results. It is about helping every student exceed what they thought possible and fostering a lifelong love of learning.

3. Innovation: Preparing Students for a Changing World

Innovation has always been part of the ISS Lisbon journey.

Since opening, we have continuously expanded our programmes, enhanced our facilities, embraced new educational approaches, and evolved our curriculum to ensure students are prepared for an increasingly complex future.

The successful accreditation of all three IB programmes and the outstanding feedback received during our recent IB evaluation process reflect a culture committed to continuous improvement. We believe innovation is not simply about technology—it is about curiosity, creativity, adaptability, and a willingness to rethink what education can achieve. Our campus – through its expansive art and music facilities, graffiti space, skate park, and sports facilities – constantly showcases the importance of experimentation and innovation when learning.

This mindset will continue to shape how we teach, learn, and prepare students for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

4. Leadership: Developing Character and Confidence

Great schools do more than educate students; they develop leaders.

Over the past seven years, we have seen our students demonstrate leadership in classrooms, through service initiatives, in sports, in the arts, and throughout the wider community. Leadership at ISS Lisbon is not defined by titles, but by character, responsibility, and the ability to make a positive difference.

By encouraging students to take ownership of their learning, contribute to their communities, and embrace challenges with confidence, we are helping shape young people who lead with integrity, empathy, and purpose.

5. Entrepreneurship: Turning Ideas into Action

In a rapidly changing world, entrepreneurial thinking has never been more important.

At ISS Lisbon, students are encouraged to think independently, solve problems creatively, and approach challenges with initiative and resilience. Whether through innovation projects, student-led activities, leadership opportunities, or real-world learning experiences, our students develop the confidence to turn ideas into action.

As we look ahead, we will continue to strengthen opportunities for students to develop the creativity, adaptability, and problem-solving skills that will help them succeed in the careers, industries, and opportunities of the future.

6. People: Investing in Exceptional Educators

Behind every successful student stands an outstanding team.

Today, ISS Lisbon is home to more than 100 educators, including over 20 IB examiners, supported by a dedicated operational and administrative team of more than 30 staff members.

This investment in people has enabled us to maintain one of the strongest student-to-teacher ratios in the market, ensuring personalised learning, exceptional pastoral care, and meaningful support for every student. Their expertise, passion, and commitment continue to drive the success of our school community.

Our partnership with Dukes Education has further strengthened this foundation, providing staff with extensive professional development opportunities and access to a wider network of educational expertise and collaboration across Europe and beyond.

7. Wellbeing and Safeguarding: Creating the Conditions to Thrive

While academic success is important, we firmly believe that young people thrive when they feel safe, supported, known, and valued.

Over the past seven years, ISS Lisbon have made significant developments under the stewardship of Dukes Education to improve safeguarding protocols and pastoral care systems, as well as introduced a number of wellbeing initiatives to ensure that every student can learn and grow within a nurturing and secure environment. These developments have strengthened the foundations that allow students to flourish academically, socially, and emotionally.

Our commitment to wellbeing extends beyond support systems. It is reflected in the relationships we build, the sense of belonging we foster, and the culture of care that exists throughout the school. We believe that when students feel genuinely connected to their community, they gain the confidence to take risks, embrace challenges, and achieve their full potential.

As our school continues to grow, safeguarding and wellbeing will remain at the heart of every decision we make, ensuring that every child feels supported and inspired every single day.

Looking Ahead: A Vision for the Next Seven Years

As proud as we are of our first seven years, we are even more excited about the next seven.

The foundations have been built. The vision is clear. And our ambition for the future is significant.

During our first seven years, we secured more than 140,000 square metres of land to support the long-term future of ISS Lisbon. The next chapter will see us begin the development of purpose-built facilities designed to elevate the student experience even further, including innovation labs, expanded learning environments, community spaces, sports facilities, a swimming pool, and dedicated areas that promote collaboration, creativity, wellbeing, and high performance.

We remain proudly non-selective, with high expectations for every learner. We believe that great schools are not defined by selecting only the highest-performing students, but by helping every student achieve beyond what they believed possible.

Today, ISS Lisbon is already recognised as one of Portugal’s leading IB schools for student growth and value-added progress. In the years ahead, our ambition is to become one of Europe’s leading IB schools—not measured solely by examination results, but by the quality of the human beings we help shape.

Most importantly, we will continue to be a school that leads with heart, as our Dukes Education family also exemplifies. We will always strive to be a school where students feel known, families feel connected, staff feel valued, relationships matter, and community always comes first.

Our students, families, staff, and partners are not simply part of our school—they are part of our extended family. They are the reason we do what we do, and they will continue to inspire every decision we make as we move into this exciting next chapter together.

The first seven years of ISS Lisbon have been extraordinary. The next seven promise to be even more transformative.