AKES is committed to achieving excellence by continuous improvement of its programmes, services and processes. Offering a superior education to students is perhaps the most important factor in creating a successful future for generations that will have to cope with a rapidly changing environment. Considering the system as a whole, the leading characteristics of the work of the Aga Khan Education Services are:

• the continuing pursuit of excellence in educational practice and management in diverse and challenging settings;
• child-centred teaching methods;
• a special emphasis on female education; and
• school-based teacher training.

Currently, the major initiatives throughout the system include:

• the introduction of computers and distance learning to supplement teaching and improve learning methods;
• the improvement of physical infrastructure, particularly of community-based schools;
• advanced teacher training through the Institute for Educational Development at the Aga Khan University;
• an East African education initiative to facilitate coordination of programmes, identification of best practices and quality educational initiatives, advancement of policy dialogue on privatisation of schools, improvement in teacher training and retention, and acceleration of computer-assisted educational methods;
• development of English language and economics programmes at selected universities in Central Asia, through the Aga Khan Education Fund; and
• collaboration with a leading private school in the USA - Phillips Academy, Andover - to improve AKES programmes in science, mathematics, economics, English language and technology.