The foundation of your career

Following completion of the academic programme in London, students are contracted for a minimum of three years to serve as professional teachers with the Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Boards (ITREB), in the students’ countries of origin, unless agreed otherwise. As all STEP students receive their employment contract before they start their studies at the IIS, they can focus on preparing themselves for a successful transition into a secure professional environment upon completion of the programme, without the need of worrying about their employment. Student employability is supported by the Institute beyond the time students spend in London. A detailed multi-pronged approach to Continued Professional Development (CPD) informs the ongoing needs of STEP teachers, supporting them in their ongoing growth and development, and includes:

• annual CPD workshops within country contexts
• professional Learning Communities
• access to online and physical resources
• funding for Research
• conferences and related activities
• mentorship training programmes
• secondment to other countries

Networking and professional activities in their own or other contexts. As part of their ongoing professional development, STEP teachers are supported to:

• follow a career in education leadership
• specialise in specific education-related areas such as mentoring, counselling or education research
• work as teacher trainers
• work in the further development of the programme at the IIS or its sister organisations, such as the Aga Khan Academy or schools run by the Aga Khan Education Services
• conduct research in education or related fields.

Employability

The IIS Alumni Association offers our graduates a number of services and benefits, including:

• Professional development and networking opportunities at Annual Chapter Group meetings of the IIS Alumni Association, Alumni Lecture, and Local Meet & Greet events;
• Access to funding of up to £1000 for research, publishing monographs and articles, presenting research papers at conferences, and attending courses supporting their research activities;
• Access to customised Career Support Programme;
• Leadership opportunities to become a regional President or Secretary for the Alumni Chapter Groups in Asia, Europe or North America;
• Access to facilities at the Aga Khan Centre, including the Aga Khan Library, London;
• Access to global job opportunities, conferences and events, as well as the international alumni directory via the IIS Alumni Online Community Portal;
• Opportunities to publish articles in the annual Alumni Newsletter which features academic and professional contributions of IIS alumni and much more;
• The opportunity to become an alumni mentor to current IIS students and new graduates through the IIS Alumni Mentorship Programme; A range of Continuing Professional Development initiatives are in place for the STEP graduates, enabling them to enhance their skills and capabilities.

As the STEP initiative takes root in different countries across the world, many opportunities for teacher exchange are emerging, offering international experience as well as facilitating knowledge-transfer across cultures. Further, with the growing network of Aga Khan Academies and partnerships with schools operated by the Aga Khan Education Services, graduates of STEP have opportunities to teach beyond the religious education system, contributing to the education of secondary students in the wider community.