International Exchanges

At the Aga Khan Academies, we offer our students the opportunity to broaden their experience through exchanges with other Academies.

The Aga Khan Academy Mombasa includes an international exchange programme as part of the Senior School curriculum. This provides our students with the opportunity to study for an extended period in another Academy in East Africa or South Asia. It also offers students with the opportunity to experience life in a range of different countries and cultures.

In the 2018–2019 academic year, the inaugural programme began for Grade 9 students at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa and the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad. It later extended to include the Aga Khan Academy Maputo.

Campus life

Students from the Academy in Mombasa who participate in an exchange with another Academy live in residential facilities in a secure campus setting.

Campus life is an important part of the international exchange programme. Many of the least tangible but most important elements of an education – the development of practical leadership skills, the capacity to make ethical judgments, the ability to navigate through complex cultural settings – are formed outside the classroom. Mealtimes and other informal gatherings offer opportunities for discussion, meetings, and study groups. 

The exchange offers a structured programme of activities, both on and off-campus. This is designed to increase students’ understanding of their own and other cultural identities, to recognise different components of culture, to interact with the local community through service learning, and to reach a comparative understanding of the process of development in another country.

Benefits of study abroad

The International Baccalaureate programme is implemented through the medium of English at all Aga Khan Academies. The common curriculum allows students to study abroad without facing uncertainties regarding compatibility of course study or examinations. Students also learn to appreciate and respect other nationalities, cultures and intellectual traditions through direct contact with people in other countries. This broadens their worldview and encourages them to be at ease in different cultural settings.

The exchange increases students’ willingness and ability to collaborate across borders and cultures, as they form networks of friendships across the world. It builds the strength of character necessary for ethical and pluralistic leadership. Students develop greater adaptability and resilience as they learn to overcome the challenges of living in a new cultural setting with local peers. 

For further information on the educational programme offered at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, please visit the Academic Programme page.