MIS Foundation

Students choir performing in the PAC at Winterfest 2018

The MIS Foundation was established in 1999 as a charitable endowment fund.  It is dedicated to financially support the holistic education of young people, especially in the fields of Art and Culture. 



Teachers, MIS community members and interested parties from beyond the school may propose projects and initiatives to enhance the educational and cultural experiences of young people. The Foundation is supervised by a Board of Trustees and administered by a Board of Directors who include a Member of the MIS Board, the Head of the Munich International School (MIS) and qualified members of the Munich community.

The MIS Foundation favours project proposals which demonstrate some or all of our 5 "I"s:

  • Innovation: Reaching beyond what has been done before and bringing fresh ideas and new approaches to students and the community.
  • Inspiration: Inspiring students and our community to reach beyond their limits and make a lasting difference.
  • Intellectual engagement: Encouraging students and the community to engage intellectually with meaningful issues.
  • International and intercultural appreciation: Broadening and deepening our understanding, awareness and appreciation of a wide range of perspectives, cultures and traditions.
  • Inclusiveness: Embracing, influencing and affecting as many members of our community as possible.

What is an MIS Foundation grant? How does it work?

Throughout its 10-year history, the Foundation has sponsored projects in which art was used as a vehicle to make a statement, close a knowledge gap, ask a question, illuminate a truth or simply show beauty.

Maha Kattoura, MIS Foundation

The MIS Foundation grants funds to teachers, community members and parties beyond MIS who propose and lead initiatives to enrich the educational experience of students and young people, especially in the fields of Arts and Culture.

The MIS Foundation convenes three times per year to consider proposals and select initiatives for funding.  Applications for grants are made using our project proposal form.  Completed forms should be submitted to the Head of School or Deputy Head of School office of MIS. 

Applicants for grants may be asked to make a verbal presentation at a Foundation meeting, in order to clarify the educational goals, outline the planned activities and explain how the resources (both financial and human) for the project are being secured by the leader.

On the 9th of February 2016, the board of the MIS Foundation held a ceremony commemorating the late Georg Luyken. As a founding trustee, Georg had a profound influence on the mission of the MIS Foundation, thus enabling it to positively support art and culture education in MIS and the wider community. Georg was a strong voice for the arts as a major pillar of a holistic education and for the responsibility of individuals as well as groups, especially schools, in forging and furthering a humanistic culture through the arts. 

Having been a major architect of the Foundation’s framework, Georg stood closest to the original spirit of its purpose. He considered the perpetuation of this purpose the prime responsibility of the current trustees and their successors.

In attendance at the ceremony were members of the Foundation’s boards of trustees and directors as well as members of Georg’s family.

To conclude, a painting by artist, German teacher, and MIS alumna, Sanna Myrttinen, was presented. The dedicated artwork may be seen in the Head of School’s office as a token of appreciation for Georg’s central contributions to the MIS Foundation.