Back to Basics: Strengthening Effectiveness & Efficiency in School Operations
A Conference for School Administrative Teams
Venue: Benenden Bilingual School Guangzhou
Dates: March 27-28, 2026
Times: Friday 12:30 PM – 7:30 PM & Saturday 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
MAR 27-28 | Guangzhou
This two-day, in-person event focuses on streamlining processes, optimizing time and workflows, and building collaborative, high-performing teams that deliver consistent results and outstanding service across the school community. Participants will gain practical tools, peer-tested strategies, and measurable approaches to lead with clarity, purpose, and impact.
Official Intelligence Partner:
Date
March 27-28, 2026
Friday-Saturday
Location
Benenden Bilingual School
Guangzhou
Price
RMB3150 pp
Audience
School Operations &
Non-teaching Staff
About the School Administration Conference
In an era of increasing expectations, digital disruption, and complex school operations, effectiveness and efficiency have become the defining traits of successful administrative teams. Back to Basics: Strengthening Effectiveness & Efficiency in School Operations brings together professionals who keep schools running seamlessly—those in HR, Finance, Admissions, Marketing & Communications, Facilities, IT, and the Executive Office—to strengthen systems, streamline communication, and enhance service standards that underpin great schools.
Official Intelligence Partner:
Schoolata is the official data partner of PD Academia. Schoolata provides accurate, actionable and affordable data for education suppliers and schools with over has 60+ metrics on the 14,000+ international schools globally; including curricula, fees, enrolment, and 100,000+ contact details across all departments. Their data & reports support our understanding of the international schools sector globally, we utilise their platform for research & outreach, and their insights & briefings empower our conferences.
Why Attend
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Role-Specific Learning
Every session is designed for non-teaching staff — HR, admissions, finance, facilities, and more — so the content speaks directly to your daily challenges.
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Practical Tools You Can Use
Walk away with strategies, templates, and workflows you can apply immediately in your school setting.
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Peer-to-Peer Exchange
Connect with colleagues from international schools across Southeast Asia to share solutions, ideas, and best practices.
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Future-Focused Insights
Explore how AI and new collaboration tools are reshaping school administration and prepare for what’s next.
The leading conference for non-teaching staff and school administrators in Asia.
Join us in Guangzhou if you’re working in these areas:
Executive
Office
Admissions
Facilities &
Operations
Human
Resource
Marketing &
Communications
Keynote Speakers
Ika Muzamal
Director of Talent and Culture
International School Kuala Lumpur
Keynote:
Beyond Support: Recognising Operational Teams as Drivers of Effectiveness
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Ika Muzamal is the Director of Talent and Culture at ISKL; a role conceptualized to support the growth and development of the operational teams at the school. In her role there has been a strong focus on building equitable structures and frameworks for operational teams as well as key advancements in human resources and growth and evaluation under her leadership. Prior to ISKL, Ika served as legal counsel, as well as an auditor in financial and securities regulation. She is currently working toward her advanced degree in educational leadership at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Wilson Pang
Partner
KPMG China
Keynote:
Available soon
-
Available soon.
Presenters
Audrey Pantelis
Director / Former Head of School
Elevation Coaching & Consulting
Natalie Chan
Founder
OWN Academy
Peggy Pan
Secretary to Superintendent of School
Hangzhou International School
Binbin Zheng
Senior IT Support Supervisor
Access International Academy Ningbo
Marta Drzewakowska
Communications Manager
ESF Renaissance College, Hong Kong
Lesin Yang
Director’s Assistant
QSI International School of Shenzhen
Baylor Fu
HS Administrative Assistant
International School of Beijing
Gracie Guo
Assistant to SS Principal
Beijing City International School
Christina Song
Admissions & Administrative Offices Manager
International School of Tianjin
Bojana Borovic
Director of Admissions
American International School of Guangzhou
Michelle Liang
Chief Operating Officer
Shenzhen Mingwan School
Sandy Hong
Director of Government Relations & Legal
Shanghai American School
Jessie Zhang
Head of Academic Office
International School of Nanshan Shenzhen
Pricing
RMB 3,150 pp
What Past Attendees Say
“It was a truly enriching experience.”
“It was a truly enriching experience.”
“I've learnt how to adopt AI in our school!"
“I've learnt how to adopt AI in our school!"
“Very engaging discussions and sharing sessions."
“Very engaging discussions and sharing sessions."
“If you want to be better at your job, please join us at the next conference.”
“If you want to be better at your job, please join us at the next conference.”
“Learning from awesome people from different backgrounds.”
“Learning from awesome people from different backgrounds.”
Schools that have registered for our past conferences include:
Register Today
Register Today
Price
RMB 3,150.00
Learn with Peers at Benenden Bilingual School Guangzhou
广州市博萃德学校
Address:
No.1, Bohongqi Road, Zhongcun, Panyu District, Guangzhou
广州市番禺区钟村街博鸿七路1号
Day 1: Mar 27
Theme: Effectiveness & Alignment
12:20 – 12:50 | Registrations and Tea / Coffee
12:50 – 13:05 | Welcome & General Introductions
13:05 – 13:55 | Opening Keynote
Beyond Support: Recognizing Operational Teams as Drivers of Effectiveness
Speaker: Ika Muzamal, Director of Talent and Culture, International School Kuala Lumpur
13:55 – 14:10 | Logistics Briefing
14:10 – 14:20 | Adjourn to Elective Mini-Workshops
14:20 – 17:30 | Deep-Dive Mini-Workshops (Concurrent Sessions) Includes a 20-minute break and sponsor visits in between.
Administrative Excellence with Jessie Zhang (International School of Nanshan Shenzhen): Streamlining systems, mapping workflows, improving service delivery, and enhancing time management for greater daily effectiveness.
Admissions with Bo Borovic (American International School of Guangzhou): Developing a data-driven enrollment management plan to enhance your school’s admissions success, financial stability, school’s reputation, and student quality. Covering key components such as strategic planning, dashboard analytics, and actionable tools, including best practices, templates, and checklists.
Marketing & Communications with Comine Howe: Building clear, consistent, and engaging messages that reflect your school’s identity. Explores practical strategies for storytelling, digital presence, and day-to-day communications.
HR & People Practices (Speaker TBC): Aligning staff engagement, communication, and performance management with school culture and mission.
Sustaining Energy & Wellbeing (Speaker TBC): Managing workload, stress, and personal motivation to stay balanced and effective throughout the school year.
17:30 – 17:45 | Debrief & Reflections
17:45 – 18:00 | Sponsor Visits
18:00 – 19:00 | Cocktail & Social Reception
19:15 | Shuttle Service to Hotel
Conference Agenda
Day 2: Mar 28
Theme: Efficiency in Action: Practical Systems
08:00 – 08:15 | Recap & Overview of Day 2
08:15 – 09:00 | Morning Keynote
Efficiency in Action: Building Systems that Empower People
Speaker: Wilson Pang, Partner, KPMG China
09:00 – 09:15 | Sponsor Lightning Intros
09:15 – 09:30 | Coffee & Sponsor Visits
09:30 – 10:30 | Focused Breakout Sessions (Choose One)
High-Trust Teams: The Front Office Advantage (EN) – Baylor Fu, International School of Beijing
Collaboration Unlocked: Transforming Tough Conversations with Parents & Staff (CN) – Christina Song, International School of Tianjin
The Modern School Office: Systems That Keep You Organized (CN) – Gracie Guo, Beijing City International School
Nobody Reads This! How to Engage with Various Stakeholders (EN) – Marta Drzewakowska, ESF Renaissance College, Hong Kong
Advocacy by Design: How Systems can Support Women (EN) – Emily Gallagher
Pressure, Power & People: Leading with Cultural Clarity (EN) – Former Head of School
Creating a Positive Work Culture: Wellness and Engagement (EN) – (Speaker TBC)
One School, Many Contracts: Unify Expat/Local Experiences (CN) – (Speaker TBC)
10:30 – 10:45 | Move & Mingle
10:45 – 11:45 | Focused Breakout Sessions (Choose One)
Using AI & Digital Tools for Smarter Work (CN) – Michelle Liang, Shenzhen Mingwan School
Managing Contractors Without Headaches (EN) – Sandy Hong, Shanghai American School
From Logistical Support to Strategic Partnership (EN/CN) – Yvonne Zhu, Shanghai American School
Work Smarter, Not Harder: Practical Systems for a More Efficient School Office (EN) – Lesin Yang, QSI International School of Shenzhen
The Road of Independent OA System Development for Smaller Schools (CN) – Binbin Zheng, Access International Academy Ningbo
Explore Within, Grow Beyond (CN) – Peggy Pan, Hangzhou International School
Burnout Early-Warning System (EN) – (Speaker TBC)
Clear Pathways for Local Talent (CN) – (Speaker TBC)
11:45 – 12:45 | Networking Lunch
12:45 – 14:15 | Panel & Peer Sharing (Role-Alike Roundtables) Connect with peers in your specific field:
Admissions
Marketing & Communications
HR & Wellbeing
General Administration
14:15 – 15:00 | Reflections, Evaluation, Closing Raffle & Group Photo
15:00 Onwards | Optional Sight-Seeing Tour
Official Partners
Sponsors
Participate in the conference in a way that best fits your goals and schedule:
Attendee
Attend insightful sessions, participate in discussions, and learn from leading voices and peers in the field.
Presenter
Share your research live at the conference. Engage with the audience, answer questions, and get valuable feedback.
Sponsor
Gain valuable exposure to a targeted audience of international educators and contribute to professional development within the community.
Recommended Hotels
Atour Hotel Guangzhou South High‑Speed Railway Station
Address: Building A2, No. 230 Sanfang Road, Shibi Street, Panyu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China 511400
Price: Approximately RMB 500 per night
Contact: +86-20-39312999-0
Sheraton Guangzhou Panyu
Address: No. 46 Wanhui 1st Road, Panyu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China 511400
Price: Approximately RMB 900 per night
Contact: +86-20-32668888