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OVER 25 YEARS OF

Growth and Learning

Suzhou is an ancient city, but in recent years it has become a regional center of commerce and industry, with beautiful ancient buildings juxtaposed to glittering skyscrapers. In the 1990’s development of Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP), a smaller area outside of Suzhou’s downtown area, commenced under the partnership of the Chinese and Singapore governments. The creation of SIP was carefully planned, managed and curated to create a zone in China that would attract both multinationals and large Chinese businesses to the area. The intent was to modernize, digitalize and internationalize Suzhou. At the same time the two countries saw it as a way for two great and sovereign nations to join together. The partnership, which still exists today, allowed China to learn Singaporean management practices while giving Singapore the opportunity to become a closer partner with China, a growing super power. The partnership was the first of its kind in China and cities like Chongqing and Tianjin later followed suit. During the development process the team recognized there would be a strong need for an international school to educate the children of the incoming expats and the Suzhou Singapore International School was established.

Today we are more fondly known as SSIS, Suzhou Singapore International School and although we no longer teach a Singaporean curriculum, we still keep Singapore in our official name as a reminder of our historical tie to the China-Singapore collaboration that created the Suzhou Industrial Park.

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1996
1996

In June of 1996, CSSD started to build SSIS with a total investment of 3.5 million US dollars. The campus covered an area of 2 hectares.

Full Story about 1996
2001
2001

SSIS officially became an IB World School by receiving authorization from IBO (International Baccalaureate Organization) on January 29th, 2001 to offer the Middle Years Programme (MYP).

 
Full Story about 2001
2003
2003

SSIS received authorization from IBO on May 26th, 2003 to offer the prestigious Diploma Programme (DP).

 
Full Story about 2003
2004
2004

The foundation stone laying ceremony of SSIS Zhongnan Street Campus was held on November 26th, 2004.

Full Story about 2004
2007
2007

German Department was established in SSIS, providing German National Curriculum in Elementary School.

 
Full Story about 2007
2008
2008

SSIS received authorization from IBO on December 23rd, 2008 to offer the Primary Years Programme (PYP), thus allowing us to offer a fully continuous IB curriculum to students from Early Years to High School.

 
Full Story about 2008
2009
2009

MacBook 1-to-1 program was launched; Students in Middle School were among the first to experience “paperless” learning.

 
Full Story about 2009
2010
2010

The first SSIS Amazing Race was held; Participants had to complete various tasks and challenges, from Shantang Street to Jinji Lake, which challenged them while at the same time helped them to have a deeper understanding of the Suzhou area.

 
Full Story about 2010
2012
2012

In July 2012, SSIS hosted the 10th IB Chinese Teachers' Conference; More than 200 teachers from different cities in China came to SSIS and attended the conference.

 
Full Story about 2012
2013
2013

SSIS successfully undertook its 10-year authorization for IB and passed the evaluation of the 10-year reaccreditation and evaluation with CIS, NEASC, and NCCT simultaneously.

 
Full Story about 2013
2014
2014

In November 2014, our Primary School Choir was invited to perform for the 20th Anniversary celebration of SIP. Students performed the Ode to Joy from Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in both English and Chinese.

 
Full Story about 2014
2015
2015

SSIS students traveled to Tongliao, Inner Mongolia, and planted over 1200 trees in support of the Million Tree Project.

Full Story about 2015
2017
2017

SSIS hosted Suzhou’s largest University Fair on March 10th, 2017. More than 110 universities from 18 countries came to SSIS and met with our students.

 
Full Story about 2017
2018
2018

SSIS was awarded the “2018 Parent Trustworthy International School” at the Echo China International Education ceremony hosted by Tencent Education.

Full Story about 2018
2019
2019

In April 2019, the SSIS student choir was invited to perform as part of the Sino-Foreign Youth Chorus with the Blossom Youth and Children Art Troupe for the 25th Anniversary celebration of SIP.

 
Full Story about 2019
2020
2020

SSIS was awarded the “2020 International School Star of Educational Power” at the Echo China International Education ceremony hosted by Tencent Education.

Full Story about 2020
2021
2021

SSIS celebrated its 25th Anniversary of providing excellent international education to expatriate families in Suzhou since our founding in the year of 1996.

Full Story about 2021

Begins

Our Journey

In 1996, with the continuous development of Suzhou Singapore Industrial Park (SIP), the excellent investment environment attracted many overseas investment projects, and the foreign population was increasing. 

In order to provide quality education to the children of expatriate families, Mr. Philip Yeo, the Chairman of the Economic Development Board of Singapore, decided on April 1st, 1996, that we should have an international school up and functioning by the beginning of the new school year in September, 1996.