The International School Rheintal announces that its Chairman of the Board and founding member Heiner Graf will be retiring in July 2025. After more than 20 years of tireless dedication, he will step down from his role and usher in a new era for the school.
Heiner Graf has played a pivotal role in the founding and development of the International School Rheintal. Thanks to his visionary leadership and passionate commitment, the school has established itself as one of the leading educational institutions in the region.
“Without Heiner Graf, the school would not be where it is today,“ says Liz Free, CEO and Director, “Mr Graf’s unwavering dedication, innovative spirit and deep connection to the international school community have shaped ISR and will continue to inspire us as a global centre of excellence for community international education.”
Klaus Risch of the Hilti Foundation and long-time ISR Board member states, ”Heiner Graf has been instrumental in the build-up and further development of ISR over the past 20 years. With his dedication, his commitment and hard work he has significantly impacted the strong and successful position of the school in the Rhine valley. Both the personal development of the students as well as the economic development of the Region have been in the centre of his work. Enabling the school to move to a new building was the final joint project of our long-lasting cooperation and the realisation of our long-term vision.”
“With his visionary ideas, his tenacity and the high quality of his work, Heiner Graf has contributed a great deal to Buchs as an educational centre. He succeeded in establishing the ISR as an integral part of the community of Buchs, a school with an international reputation and a unique selling point for our urban development and the region. The Hightech Campus Buchs would never have been developed in the way it has been and is today,” adds Rolf Pfeiffer, Mayor of Buchs, in appreciation of Heiner Graf's contribution to the Buchs community.
The Board of the International School Rheintal has already begun the search for a suitable successor to ensure a smooth transition and to continue Heiner Graf's successful work. "We are determined to find a person who will carry on Heiner Graf's values and vision and who will drive the school's development in the coming years, " states Hilde van Gurp, a Board's parent representative.
Heiner Graf will continue to lead the Board until he retires in July 2025 and will support the school, and his successor, during this transitional period.
International School Rheintal, located in Buchs, is the leading International Baccalaureate (IB) School in the region. It is a non-profit school offering an international education in English for students aged 3-19 and a globally recognised diploma.
