Mission & History
Mission
The International School of Zug and Luzern (ISZL) provides a high quality Pre-School to Grade 12 international education to day students resident in the Cantons of central Switzerland.
Respect, Motivate, Achieve
ISZL promotes a climate of respect, where outstanding teachers encourage students to develop self-confidence, positive relationships, and an enthusiastic approach to learning.
ISZL is committed to excellence in education through a balanced academic programme. Students at ISZL share responsibility for their own learning in a caring and stimulating environment designed to promote achievement.
Download the ISZL Mission Statement (Single page PDF)
History
The Pre-School - Grade 12 International School of Zug and Luzern (ISZL) was founded in 2008 following the merger of the International Schools of Zug and Luzern and the Riverside School.
The International School of Zug (ISZ) was founded 1961 in Zug. With just fourteen students, ISZ provided an English speaking, comprehensive and stimulating primary education for the expatriate families in the region. Due to its excellent climate in fostering student development, it has been highly successful and grown to approximately 700 students. It provided the forerunner of the Primary Years Programme (PYP) of the International Baccalaureate (IB) since its inception in the early 90's and is recognised as a leading IB World School in the delivery of the programme. The campus is set in the tranquil and beautiful countryside on the outskirts of the small town of Baar, half way between Luzern and Zurich.
The Riverside School was founded in 1990 as a university preparatory high school, and in 2001, it became the first school in Switzerland to be authorized to offer the Middle Years Programme (MYP) of the International Baccalaureate (IB). It has been offering the College Board's Advanced Placement (AP) programme since its inception. Outstanding results have led to an exceptional track record of university placements worldwide. In 2007, Riverside was authorised to offer the Diploma Programme of the International Baccalaureate (IB). In 2003, Riverside moved to its current location, a beautiful 18th century villa with a 19th century extension set in its own grounds on the lake of Zug.
The International School of Luzern (ISOL) was founded in 2006 as a sister school to the long established International School of Zug. Its aim was to provide an international English-speaking education for the large and thriving expatriate community of inner Switzerland. Currently there are classes for students aged between three and eleven years – Pre-School to Grade 5, located in tthree historic buildings on the spacious campus. ISOL is located in Kastanienbaum on the outskirts of the town of Horw, ten minutes from the city of Luzern. The main school building is the Villa Krämerstein, set in it's own grounds on the edge of Lake Luzern.
With the merger of these schools on August 1, 2008, the International School of Zug and Luzern (ISZL) serves the needs of around 1120 students from more than 50 different nationalities across three outstanding campuses.
