Dr Steffen Sommer

MiSK International School:  Director General
Saudi Arabia

28-Aug-22

Misk Schools announces the appointment of Dr Steffen Sommer as its new Director General

Dr Sommer joined Misk Schools in August 2022 from Doha College in Qatar, where he had been Principal since 2015. During his seven-year tenure, Doha College became the first school in the world to receive the highly prestigious title of ‘High Performance Learning World Class School’ and grew to be one of the largest and most successful schools in the region. A fluent speaker of many languages, Dr Sommer has a strong understanding of and love for the Middle East and its culture, as well as for the Arabic language.

Commenting on his new role, Dr Sommer said: “I am privileged to be taking on one of the most compelling opportunities anywhere in the international K-12 sector. My overriding goal is to deliver on the vision of our Founder, His Royal Highness, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, to educate the future leaders of society, nurturing globally minded enterprising learners, advanced performers, and accomplished leaders.

“One of my first priorities will be to oversee the move to our brand new, state-of-the-art campus in Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City – a very significant and exciting milestone for the entire Misk Schools community.”

Born in Germany, Dr Sommer gained his first degree in Language and Linguistics at the University of Leipzig. After a period of military service and teacher training, he left to work in business in France with the car maker Peugeot, and studied for a PhD in Birmingham, UK, before finding his vocation in teaching.

His educational career has been stellar. He has led top international schools in The Hague, Paris, Champittet Switzerland, and most recently, in Doha. He also has deep experience of life in a British boarding school having been Head of Languages and a Housemaster at Rugby School in England, one of the country’s top independent boarding schools.

Dr Sommer is a board member of the Outstanding Schools of the Middle East, Vice Chairman of the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) and a Fellow of High Performance Learning.

Ends

About Misk Schools

Misk Schools is a pioneering not-for-profit private PreK–12 day school in Riyadh for both male and female students. We are proud to be setting a new standard for education in Saudi Arabia, actively supporting Vision 2030.

Founded in 2016 by HRH Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Bin Salman Al Saud, we focus on leadership education, empowering our students to become creative innovators, so they can chart their own unique paths in serving and leading society.

Our curriculum is modern with a strong Saudi cultural heart. Every student has a personalized timetable designed to maximize his or her potential. We embrace project-based and experiential learning, alongside traditional academic teaching, to ensure our students develop the character and skills required to effectively apply their education in a real-world context, locally and internationally.