The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) has been actively developing schools in the United States since the 1860’s and throughout Asia for the past 40 years. In 1967, the LCMS founded Hong Kong International School, which today has a student body of 2,700. Because of this success—and through diplomatic cooperation with Chinese authorities, American citizens, and U.S. corporations – in 1997 they were invited to do the same in Shanghai.

In 1997, LCMS was invited—by multinational corporations, American expatriates, U.S. foreign-service personnel, and the People’s Republic of China itself—to build an international school in Shanghai. On opening day in 1998, the student body was a modest 22. Today the 10-acre campus of Concordia boasts a magnificent series of cutting-edge structures that comprise elementary, middle, and high schools with more than 1,200 students, 140 faculty, four gymnasiums, a handsome concert-assembly hall,  and the latest in audio-visual-computer equipment.

Due to the tremendous success of both Hong Kong International School and Concordia International School Shanghai, plans were made to open a third international school in Asia. In the spring of 2008, LCMS leaders went to Hanoi, Vietnam to meet with Vietnamese and US government officials, and both educational and corporate leaders in the region. In 2010, the application to open Concordia International School Hanoi received approval to open by the Hanoi’s Peoples Committee. The third of three Sister Schools in the Concordia family will open its doors in August 2011.