Building a Global Research Culture: The Journey of the GCEE Research Centre

The Global Centre for Education Excellence (GCEE) Research Centre was established in September 2023 with a clear and ambitious vision: to cultivate a strong culture of research, inquiry, innovation, and academic excellence across the Global Schools Group (GSG) network.

Since its inception, the Research Centre has steadily grown into a dynamic academic platform that supports educators, students, and school leaders in embracing research-informed practices while positioning GSG as a forward-looking global education provider.

As we launch the inaugural edition of the GCEE Research Centre Newsletter, we celebrate not only the milestones achieved over the past two years, but also the exciting journey ahead as we continue strengthening research ecosystems across our campuses worldwide.

A Foundation Built on Research and Innovation

The establishment of the GCEE Research Centre marked an important milestone in GSG’s educational journey. Designed to bridge educational practice with academic inquiry, the Centre was envisioned as more than just a research body. It was created to become a catalyst for meaningful educational transformation.

From the beginning, the Centre focused on fostering a research-driven culture among educators and students by promoting academic writing, data-driven decision making, benchmarking initiatives, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Over the past two years, the Centre has expanded its reach across multiple regions including Malaysia, Singapore, India, the Middle East, Japan, and the Philippines, creating opportunities for staff and students to engage in authentic research experiences and scholarly dialogue.

Key Achievements and Milestones

1) Advancing Research Literacy Across GSG

One of the earliest and most impactful initiatives undertaken by the Research Centre was the implementation of research methodology and academic writing training sessions for students and staff. Beginning with workshops conducted at OWIS Nanyang Singapore, the initiative quickly expanded to campuses such as GIIS Kuala Lumpur, GIIS Smart Campus Singapore, and OWIS Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, alongside numerous virtual and hybrid sessions across regions.

These structured sessions introduced participants to critical academic fundamentals:

• Research Methodologies: Introduction to quantitative, qualitative, and inquiry-based learning designs.
• Academic Writing Frameworks: Structuring arguments, lit reviews, and formatting academic drafts.
• Ethical Scholarship: Focusing on academic integrity, citations, and responsible research practices.
• Publication Readiness: Navigating peer-review requirements and scholarly communication channels.
• Data Interpretation: Statistical clarity, thematic evaluation, and critical objective analysis.

The response from campuses was overwhelmingly positive, with educators and students demonstrating strong enthusiasm toward integrating research into teaching, learning, and academic enrichment activities. In 2025, the Research Centre further expanded its research training efforts through a combination of online and in-person workshops across Malaysia, Singapore, India, Japan, the Middle East, and the Philippines. This strengthened GSG’s commitment toward developing inquiry-driven learning environments and empowering students with future-ready research competencies.

2) The Growth of the Global Journal of Educational Thoughts (GJET)

A defining achievement of the Research Centre has been the successful establishment and growth of the Global Journal of Educational Thoughts (GJET) (ISSN: 3060-8848). Officially launched in June 2024, GJET was created as an academic platform dedicated to advancing educational research, thought leadership, and scholarly dialogue within the GSG community and beyond.

The publication of the first volume in 2024 marked the beginning of an important academic milestone for GSG. Since then, the journal has continued to grow steadily, with each issue consistently featuring multiple peer-reviewed articles contributed by educators and researchers across the network.

GJET has become an crucial destination space for: Practitioner research, Educational innovation, Reflective inquiry, Interdisciplinary academic collaboration, and professional Research dissemination.

Looking ahead, the Research Centre remains committed to increasing the visibility, indexing, and global reach of GJET while strengthening collaborations with researchers and educational institutions worldwide.

3) Empowering Student Researchers & Publications

A major highlight in 2025 was the successful publication of the first student-led research article by school students from GIIS Kuala Lumpur in GJET. Their study investigated factors influencing intention to adopt AI tools for learning. This milestone symbolised a critical evolution in the educational experience within GSG by moving students beyond being passive consumers of knowledge into active contributors to academic work.

Supported through dedicated mentorship from campus educators and the central GCEE Research Centre team, the achievement demonstrated the powerful impact of structured guidance, authentic inquiry, and collaborative engagement. The Centre continues to heavily advocate for student-led research as an essential component of holistic education, critical thinking development, and global university readiness.

Looking Ahead: Expanding Research Excellence in 2026 and Beyond

As the GCEE Research Centre enters its next phase of institutional maturity, several bold strategic initiatives are planned to further strengthen the global research culture and deepen academic engagement across GSG campuses:

• Global Scale-Up: Expanding intensive research training models to more international campuses.
• Student Forums: Increasing high-impact opportunities for student-led publication and professional presentations.
• Journal Footprint: Strengthening GJET’s international visibility, external indexing, and academic reach.
• Institutional Ties: Establishing stronger formal collaborations with leading worldwide researchers and universities.
• Policy Metrics: Developing interdisciplinary and policy-oriented educational research to drive strategic institutional insight.

Preparatory groundwork has already been finalized to extend deep in-person research engagement and training across additional regions, including targeted expansions in the Middle East and Japan.

Feature Event: Inaugural Global Conference of Educational Thoughts 2026

One of the most exciting upcoming milestones for the Research Centre is the inaugural Global Conference of Educational Thoughts 2026, which will be conducted virtually in October 2026. The conference will serve as a premier global platform bringing together educators, researchers, school leaders, students, and practitioners from across the GSG network and external institutions.

The central mandate of the conference includes: Promoting meaningful dialogue on emerging educational trends, showcasing innovative practitioner-led research, encouraging interdisciplinary projects, and providing robust publication streams. Further details regarding conference tracks, abstract submissions, and distinguished keynote speakers will be broadcasted in the coming months.

The Global Schools Group Research Club Initiative

In line with its long-term vision of institutionalising research culture at the foundational school level, the GCEE Research Centre proudly launched the Global Schools Research Club Initiative. The framework transforms students from passive knowledge consumers into active knowledge creators, equipping them with essential competencies for higher education and future elite academic pursuits.

Guided by a highly structured framework involving school leadership teams, specialist advisors, Single Points of Contact (SPOCs), and student committees, the clubs are designed to support sustainable student-led research ecosystems across campuses.

Moving Forward Together

The progress achieved by the GCEE Research Centre over the past two years reflects the collective commitment of educators, school leaders, students, and collaborators across the entire Global Schools Group network. As we launch this inaugural newsletter, we also launch a renewed commitment toward nurturing a culture where research, innovation, critical thinking, and academic excellence continue to thrive.

The journey ahead is filled with exciting possibilities, and the GCEE Research Centre looks forward to continuing this mission together with all members of the GSG community. Together, we are not only shaping better educational practices but also shaping future researchers, innovators, and global thought leaders.