Internationella Engelska Skolan

Internationella Engelska Skolan (IES), or the International English School, is a Swedish corporation made up of Independent schools (or “free schools”). IES was founded in 1993 by Barbara Bergström, an American by origin and a science teacher by profession. Today she is the company's vice chairman. The CEO is Ralph Riber. The majority owner of the company is the American equity fund TA Associates.

IES schools are based on the idea of bilingual education, with up to half of the teaching in English, performed by native English speaking teachers recruited from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and other English-speaking countries. Other vital elements are “tough love”, creating “a safe, calm environment in which teachers can teach and students learn”; and “high academic expectations”. Restaurant-type school lunches are also part of the concept. According to the company's own statistics, IES schools show results on the Swedish national tests which are far above average.

In 2016-17, IES operates 30 schools in Sweden with 21,400 students, mainly middle schools (grades 4-9), in Bromma, Borås, Enskede, Eskilstuna, Falun, Gävle, Gothenburg (Krokslätt and Johanneberg) , Halmstad, Hässelby, Hässleholm, Huddinge, Järfälla, Jönköping, Karlstad, Kista, Liljeholmen, Linköping, Lund, Nacka, Skärholmen, Sundsvall, Tyresö, Täby, Umeå, Uppsala, Västerås, Älvsjö, Örebro, and one high school (Södermalm in Stockholm). IES schools are certified by the National Schools Inspectorate.

The schools are free of charge for the students. Education is paid for by the national voucher system. Public money goes initially to the school of choice. Students are admitted on a "first come, first served" basis.

The company has around 2,300 employees. Its headquarters is located in Täby, just north of Stockholm.