Enquire to study in the UK 
Union of Hearts – Studying at Ruamrudee International School
12 Jul 2017
Ruamrudee International School (RIS) has been providing a first-class education experience since 1957, landing it the title of Thailand’s second-oldest school. Challenging its pupils to be the best they can be in a stimulating and highly-focused learning environment, the school empowers its students to flourish as confident and caring individuals in later life.
RIS is easily accessible from one of the world’s greatest cities – based just 22-kilometres outside of busy downtown Bangkok and just 25-minutes from Survarnabhumi International Airport. Increasingly more people are choosing Asia as a study destination for their children, as the region has quickly become a melting pot for business and technology innovation, offering an abundance of post-study opportunities to find the career best suited to them. Bangkok itself is a historic city steeped in tradition, where visitors can experience anything from wondrous temples to floating markets in a city famed for its diversity and culture.
Ruamrudee, a Thai word which translates to ‘Union of Hearts’, perfectly encapsulates the school’s friendly and hospitable philosophy. It champions diversity in an environment of care and concern, where students from around the world are able to discover and learn about different cultures and languages through interactions with their peers, and where service learning is an integral aspect of the school’s curriculum. A program exploring intellectual empathy, perseverance, integrity, compassion, humility, generosity and responsibility named ‘Values’ works alongside the academic curriculum to encourage open-mindedness and self-reflection among students.
Here, students learn to live, work and lead with a 21st century global vision thanks to the seamless integration of supportive technologies within the classroom, as well as spaces entirely dedicated to contemporary learning styles, including a Robotics Lab and Makerspace. These areas are poised to transform learning and emphasize creation and creativity by exploiting new digital tools to make, and to share and learn across space and time in a do-it-yourself style. Several performing arts and athletic venues, a recording studio and much more nurture and develop your child’s talents and hobbies.
RIS prides itself on academic brilliance, which acts as the perfect platform for pupils to pursue the university or career of their dreams. The school believes that students learn best with programs that suit their individual needs, abilities, motivations and interests. RIS represents one of the region’s only institutions to offer a choice between the International Baccalaureate Diploma program and the Advanced Placement track, as well as a modified American curriculum to find the best possible path for your child.
Ruamrudee students can expect learning environments where the daily integration of technology is guaranteed, where attention is paid to the needs of gifted and talented learners, to English language learners and to students needing learning support. The English Language Development program at RIS recognises the importance of attaining English fluency for each child, immersing students in rapidly-developing environments depending on their level of proficiency.
Students are in capable hands at RIS, with 73 percent of the school’s faculty holding Masters or Doctorate degrees. Teachers are committed to the institution’s mission, using a variety of modern methods and technologies to get the best out of students.
Students at Ruamrudee consistently score higher than the world averages in both the IB and AP programs, boasting a long history of attending top universities worldwide. This year alone, the school has received 441 university offers, out of which 143 were to the top 100 universities in the world, including University College London, UCLA, the University of Sydney and the University of New York, not to mention its 22 qualified graduates who gained direct admission to renowned Faculties of Medicine worldwide.
Sport plays an integral role in life at RIS; the school’s 70 teams are coached by staff as well as local sport specialists, participating in both domestic and international competitions to the highest level. RIS boasts state-of-the-art sporting facilities, including two full-sized gyms, two tennis courts, two air-conditioned squash courts, a fitness centre, a FIFA-certified 11-a-side artificial football pitch, a standard sized pool as well as an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
Drama, dance, music and art are taught as part of the curriculum across all age groups. Students are presented with opportunities to write and perform in productions staged in the Performing Arts Center and other mini-theatres, as well as for festivals and events such as International Day and the Spanish Festival. There are choirs, orchestras, the Jazz Band and Wind Ensemble for pupils to get involved with through Lower, Middle and High school, helping hone and harness their unique artistic talents. Performing at such events first-hand means that students have an opportunity to learn not just theoretical aspects, but also experience the thrill and joy of performance and the appreciation of the Art.
RIS also boasts an extensive extracurricular program, with students regularly organising special events to give back to the local community and various charities in Thailand or around the world in times of need, encouraging a lifetime commitment to the less fortunate. School Clubs currently range from the Reduce Reuse Recycle Committee to the Operation Smile Committee, while students who cannot find a club of interest are encouraged to found a club of their own.
RIS alumnus Dr. Charles Henn, now in property real estate in Bangkok, completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Buckingham where he later became a Professor of International Law and Organizations for Diplomatic and International Studies, as well as founding Co-Director of the MA in Global Affairs program, also earning a Masters from the London School of Economics and a Doctorate from Cambridge University. When asked about RIS, he had this to say: “What wouldn’t I give to be able to return and sit in class and be in the presence of those teachers! The older I grow, and the more of life I know, the more I appreciate how fortunate I was to have been taught and brought up by the teachers, sisters, mothers and fathers at Ruamrudee.”
Follow RIS on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, Instagram and LinkedIn
