Several schools on the Costa del Sol are ranked among the best in the country.Freepik
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Malaga is home to top-ranking schools and colleges that put quality at the heart of education
Education & Training ·
Both public and private educational institutions in the province have been internationally recognised for their commitment to helping students thrive
SUR
Monday, 3 June 2024, 12:30
It is no secret that Malaga’s ever-growing international community has given rise to a great supply of international schools scattered along the Costa del Sol. As well as providing exceptionally high-quality education and facilities, their expert and attentive teaching staff allow students to cultivate and pursue their innermost talents, be it through their expansive academic curricula or through a wide range of sports and clubs on offer.
Forbes, which is known for ranking the world’s richest billionaires, has been compiling lists of the top 100 schools in Spain. In its 2024 edition, four institutions in Malaga province have earned their place among the best in the country: The British School of Malaga, Colegio Los Olivos, Colegio San José and San Pedro International College.
The choice of international schools along the Costa del Sol where education is mainly conducted in English is wide and includes Sotogrande International School, Novaschool Sunland International, Swans International School, Sunny View School, the English International College, Benalmádena International College (BIC), the International School Estepona, the British College of Benalmádena, Aloha College Marbella and Phoenix College Málaga, among others.
While many of these schools follow the British curriculum, Malaga is also home to a Norwegian school, Den Norske Skolen Malaga; two French schools, Lycée Français International Malaga and École Française Internationale Marbella; a German school, Deutsche Schule Malaga; a Swedish school, Svenska Skolan Marbella; and, a Finnish school, Aurinkoranniko Suomalainen School. The US system, meanwhile, is followed by Atlas American School of Malaga and prestigious private centres such as MIT School offer the Spanish system with an emphasis on languages.
Further and higher education
Regarding university education, moreover, the quality of teaching in Malaga does not disappoint. Year after year, the University of Malaga (UMA) ranks high in the Shanghai Ranking, a barometer of universities’ international prestige. In the 2023 edition - their most recent one - UMA figures among the top 25 universities in Spain and takes third place in Andalucía. On an international level, it is classified among the 800 best universities in the world, placing it in the top five per cent of university institutions worldwide.
For Marbella in particular, where the international population has soared in recent years, a rise in international institutions has followed:
Marbella International University Centre (MIUC) is another example of the unparalleled higher education on offer across the province. The institution offers UK undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, taught in English, through their partnership with the University of West London (UWL), and with a particular focus on global knowledge, skills and competences.
Professional training continues its upward trend in Malaga, where a total of 20,197 public places have been offered this year
The American College in Spain, also located in Marbella, operates as a fully recognised American educational institution, with the opportunity to complete the first two course years in Marbella, after which there is the option to transfer to the US (or another country) and complete the degree from another accredited American university.
Moreover, the Marbella Design Academy, situated in the tranquil Sierra de las Nieves natural park, delivers quality-assured programmes in interior architecture and design; graphic design and media; and fashion design and development. Upon successful completion of one of these courses, the student will be awarded a Bachelor of Arts with Honours degree by the institution’s UK partner, the University of Bedfordshire.
Teaching staff
But none of these educational establishments would be able to excel without the daily commitment of the teaching staff, who work tirelessly in the classroom to create an environment which nurtures students’ academic and personal growth.
A special mention goes to Malaga-born teacher Patricia Santos who for the third time has won the award for Best Vocational Training Teacher in Spain at the Educa Abanca awards.
As it happens, the rising popularity of people taking up vocational training courses has been a clear trend in recent years. In the current academic year, 20,197 public vocational training places were offered in Malaga; a 26.3 per cent increase in the province since 2018, highlighting the unquestionable importance of this option as an alternative to a university education.
Better job insertion
According to the regional ministry of education, vocational training is expected to become even more popular, “taking the shape of more specialised courses in line with companies’ demands, in areas such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, digitalisation or renewable energies”. In other words, the notion of this type of training as an inferior alternative to a university degree appears to be long gone, due to its great job placement figures.
As regards vocational training, Malaga also boasts one of the best centres in Spain: the 2023 vocational training ranking, compiled by the consulting firm Strategik, named the Malaga-based Cesur as the best vocational training centre in Spain, with the highest overall score of 93 points out of 100.
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