Inspired and Berklee Launch Exclusive Partnership

Inspired, a leading global network of 53 premium schools, has agreed to an exclusive partnership with Berklee to introduce an innovative curriculum and artists-in-residence program that sets new standards in creative and artistic education in youth. The program will be called Inspired by Berklee.

The partnership will see all Inspired schools globally being assigned educators from Berklee’s award-winning faculty, student, and alumni base, who will work with Inspired school faculty and students to develop contemporary music, dance, theater, and creative education programs and experiences at participating schools. The partnership will extend beyond the development of a traditional performance arts curriculum, but will also encompass technology, media production, and creative entrepreneurship education. The goal of the partnership is to provide Inspired students with the creative skills and mindsets needed to succeed, lead, and innovate in a fast-paced 21st century economy.

"It is so exciting to work with Inspired to bring that creative capacity to students at the Inspired schools and to help shape and develop a new generation of creators, innovators, and leaders at an early and pivotal point in their lives.”

—Panos A. Panay, senior vice president for global strategy and innovation

Berklee alumni, which includes luminaries such as Quincy Jones, John Mayer, Esperanza Spalding, and Annie Clark (St. Vincent), have collectively won over 295 Grammys, as well as numerous Oscar, Emmy, and Tony awards.

Inspired owns 53 premium schools around the world, including the Reddam House schools in England, Australia, and South Africa; the International School of Europe group in Italy; the ACG schools in New Zealand and Indonesia; Colegio San Patricio and Sotogrande International School in Spain; PaRK International Schools and St. Peter’s in Portugal; St. John's International School in Belgium; St. George’s International School in Switzerland; the British School of Bahrain; Brookhouse Schools, Kenya; Cambridge College and Colegio Altair in Peru; Blue Valley School in Costa Rica; Australian International School in Vietnam; and more.

The organization advocates for student-focused, holistic education, with students encouraged to discover their strengths and passions in academia, sports, and the performing and creative arts.

Inspired by Berklee schools will develop a schedule of visits with select artists in residence. The initiative will also feature public performances by visiting Berklee faculty who will work with Inspired students and teachers to create original works to be performed within the schools.

In addition, Berklee will run annual workshops at its campuses in Boston and Valencia, Spain, and at Power Station at BerkleeNYC, for performing arts teachers at participating Inspired schools to advance their professional development and prepare them to teach the coming year’s Inspired by Berklee program.

The program will also collaborate with the award-winning Berklee Online to see the development of an online education resource to provide materials and inspiration for students to help advance their creative education and expression.

Nadim M. Nsouli, founder, chairman, and CEO of Inspired, commented, “Inspired by Berklee is an incredibly exciting initiative that will bring the skills, insights, and creative dynamism of the world’s leading contemporary music, dance, and theatre institution into a school environment.”

“At Inspired, we place huge importance on the role of music, dance, and theatre in helping our pupils gain a rounded education, build their self-confidence and leadership skills, and learn to express themselves creatively through a range of different media,” Nsouli said. “Gaining a world-class education means far more than merely fulfilling the requirements of an exam-based curriculum, and the partnership with Berklee gives our pupils a unique educational opportunity that few others will ever have the chance to experience.”

Inspired by Berklee will launch in January 2020, initially with a certain number of Inspired schools taking part in the program. It will be rolled out across all of the Inspired schools by September 2020.

Panos A. Panay, senior vice president for global strategy and innovation at Berklee, stated, “Berklee College of Music has nurtured the creative and career potential of some of the world’s most inspired artists, helping them to refine their talents and go on to win hundreds of Grammys, Tonys, Oscars, and Emmys, as well as to lead and redefine their collective industries. It is so exciting to work with Inspired to bring that creative capacity to students at the Inspired schools and to help shape and develop a new generation of creators, innovators, and leaders at an early and pivotal point in their lives.

Berklee President Roger H. Brown added, "Berklee has developed a powerful technique for teaching music, dance, and theater that emphasizes creativity, collaboration, and improvisation," said Brown. "We are very excited about our relationship with Inspired schools because it allows us to share the power of this method within a dynamic K-12 network around the world. We believe it will enrich the education of these students whether they go on to become scientists, business leaders, writers, doctors, lawyers, or proponents of the performing arts."

About Inspired 

Inspired is a leading global premium schools group operating in Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, educating over 40,000 students across a global network of 53 schools. Inspired offers a fresh and contemporary approach to education by re-evaluating traditional teaching methods and curricula, and creating a more dynamic, relevant, and powerful educational model. For more information, visit inspirededu.com.