Mongol Aspiration School

47°54′16.7″N 106°58′54.2″E / 47.904639°N 106.981722°E / 47.904639; 106.981722

Mongol Aspiration (MAIS; Mongolian: Монгол тэмүүлэл сургууль) is a state-funded international school, offering Cambridge International Education in Bayanzürkh, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Founded in 2011, it is one of the three International Laboratory Schools owned by the Ministry of Education.^[1]

After the Democratic Revolution of 1990, Mongolia had seen numerous educational reforms with help from international charities and organisations. Nevertheless, lack of consistency, acquaintance and investment caused a severe harm to the educational system; beginning in mid-2000s, many higher education institutions started reporting significantly lower academic performances, further demanding the government to urgently update its current education policies. Moreover, due to its absence of recognition, undergraduate applicants for foreign universities encountered various difficulties, which could have serious consequences in the country's development in the long term. Therefore, the government of Mongolia promised to undertake major educational reforms.

In 2011, the Ministry of Education announced its collaboration with the University of Cambridge to implement the new international education system.^[2][3] As a result of the agreement, the Ministry appointed 44 secondary schools to be laboratory schools where the new system would be tested and improved, and established 3 public international schools with Cambridge International Education.^[4]

To ensure equality, Mongol Aspiration announces an enrollment examination for Grade 8 students nationwide every year. The examination includes English, Mathematics, Physics, Biology, and Chemistry(added since 2023) tests, and the top 96 students are invited to the school. Previously, the examination was organized by the Education Evaluation Centre alongside that of two other sister schools, but in 2016, the schools were given the right to organize it by themselves. A delegation from the Independent Authority Against Corruption of Mongolia oversees the enrollment process. Approximately 1000 students take the annual entrance examination.

Mongol Aspiration offers Cambridge International GCE, AS and A Levels from Grade 9 to Grade 12. Grade 9 students can choose one humanity, one language, and one creative subject, whereas Mathematics, English (First or Second language), Physics, Chemistry, and Biology are mandatory to meet the criteria for the Cambridge ICE diploma. Consulting service is also provided for its students as it is a UCAS authorised centre.

During its first 5 years, Mongol Aspiration was located on the 3rd floor of the 115th school building. Although the government had assigned a budget for a new building, due to difficulties in land availability, the construction process was delayed several times. In 2017, the school finally moved to its own building located near the National Park in Bayanzürkh district, Ulaanbaatar.

• [in Mongolian] "Олон улсын хөтөлбөрийн сургалттай Монгол Тэмүүлэл Лаборатори Сургууль", 2016 он.