Recognition of international school qualifications for higher education access: A case study of international schools in italy and categorization of qualifications

International schools are growing in number and diversity. While this growth has received attention under several dimensions, from cultural, social, and institutional aspects, one aspect that seems less explored is the one related to the recognition of qualifications. This despite the fact that qualifications awarded by international schools are presented and perceived as a gateway for admission to most prestigious universities on a global scale. This chapter explores what the elements are that make an international final school leaving qualification recognizable in order to access higher education according to the European framework of policies and practices in recognition of international qualifications, presenting the landscape of international schools in Italy as a national case study, and elaborates a categorization of international schools from the point of view of the qualifications giving access to higher education that they offer, starting from the international definitions of transnational and international schools.