The Hong Kong International School Association Limited (HKISAL) and the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) have reached a confidential mediated settlement, bringing an end to their legal proceedings and officially dissolving their governance relationship.

The resolution concluded a dispute that began in September 2025, when the US-based church – which founded Hong Kong International School (HKIS) in 1966 – filed a lawsuit against the school’s operator.

In the legal action, the LCMS alleged that the school had strayed from its founding principles by catering exclusively to wealthy families, in violation of their operating agreement.

According to a statement by the HKIS on Tuesday, the search for the head of school – initiated by the LCMS – has been discontinued.

In addition, the school's leadership will remain unchanged, continuing under the governance of the board of managers, and the HKISAL will retain its role as the operator of both the Repulse Bay and Tai Tam campuses.

The school also moved to reassure parents and stakeholders, emphasising that the settlement would not result in any additional tuition increases and that no philanthropic donations would be used to cover the legal or settlement costs.

"We are pleased to have reached a resolution of this issue through mediation. We acknowledge the LCMS’s role as a founder of HKIS and its important contribution in establishing HKIS' Christian identity," said Harold Kim, a member of the HKIS board of managers.

"We remain focused on providing our students with an exceptional educational experience."

In its statement, the LCMS said the mediation resulted in a mutually respectful solution.

It said the agreement allows the HKISAL to pursue its vision for the school, while the LCMS will receive a monetary settlement that reflects its historical contributions.

The LCMS also acknowledged that over time, HKIS evolved into an operation that differed significantly from its founding vision. While the church recognised the school’s financial success and high academic standing, it argued that its unique mission – rooted in providing quality education for all – was no longer the driving purpose of the institution.

The statement noted that years of struggle with HKISAL over the school's mission and purpose ultimately led to the lawsuit, through which the LCMS sought to enforce the operating agreement and restore its founding principles.

"We did not take this step lightly, and we would have preferred to have not taken it at all," said Christian Preus, chairman of the LCMS board of directors.

"The outcome provides a fair resolution to the concerns the LCMS has raised for many years. It also enables the LCMS to pursue its mission unencumbered by the dispute with HKISAL, so that we can best utilise our resources going forward."



Edited by Edmond Fong