Academia Cotopaxi’s New School Director, Effective August 2025
We are pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Lural Ramírez as the new School Director of Academia Cotopaxi, effective August 1, 2025. Lural brings a wealth of experience to her new role, having dedicated 22 years to educational leadership across three unique regions of the world.
Reflecting on her appointment, Lural shared her enthusiasm for the future: “I’ve had the privilege of leading innovative school communities in the United States, Costa Rica, and Thailand and it is with great enthusiasm that I look forward to joining the Academia Cotopaxi community during this pivotal time in the school’s 65 year history.” She continued, “Academia Cotopaxi has a rich and strong tradition of educational excellence in Ecuador and I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to get to know so many dedicated members of the school community throughout the recruitment process.
The community is incredibly welcoming and I was thoroughly impressed by the dedication and professionalism of the faculty and staff. I am overjoyed to build on the school’s strong foundation and to support the Cotopaxi community in its journey toward a vision for education that is future-oriented, rigorous, passion-driven, and challenging, and most importantly centered on our unparalleled Cotopaxi students.”
Lural also emphasized her commitment to fostering a supportive environment for the entire Academia Cotopaxi community, ensuring a space where everyone belongs and can thrive. “As an educator, I am deeply committed to fostering collaborative, supportive communities that pride themselves on a belonging culture that ensures that all members of our community can thrive. Belonging is central to the AC mission and I will ensure our students, staff, and community members feel safe, valued, respected, and inspired.”
Lural’s extensive leadership experience spans roles across several of the most innovative schools globally. Before joining our community, Lural has served as Director / Head of School at United World College Thailand (UWC Thailand) and at Centro Educativo Futuro Verde in Costa Rica. She was also a program co-founder and coordinator for Dual Language (Spanish/English) education programming in the United States. As a teacher, Lural has taught everything from preschool through grade 12, working over the years as a dual language early years and elementary school teacher, a multilingual education specialist, world studies Middle Years Program teacher, and a Theory of Knowledge Diploma Program teacher within the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. Lural has also done extensive work in collaboration with the IB, as an IB examiner and supporting their program development and innovation efforts.
Haifa Khamis, Chair of the Academia Cotopaxi Board of Trustees and member of the Search Committee, expressed her confidence in Lural’s appointment: “Lural´s vast experience, vision and commitment will enrich our community by nurturing a collaborative environment, while we embark on a journey of empowering our students with skills to succeed in a fast changing world and inspiring them the love for learning with purpose and self-determination.
Mr. Robert van der Eyken will retire at the end of the 2024/25 academic year after successfully guiding Academia Cotopaxi through significant years of development and change for the school. His efforts have been instrumental in solidifying Academia Cotopaxi as a leading international school in South America and in Ecuador, and the Board expresses its gratitude for his leadership. Rob and Lural will soon begin the formal transition process and both leaders are fully committed to ensuring a smooth and supportive transition in the School Director role.
The appointment of Ms. Lural Ramírez follows a comprehensive search process, with contributions from Academia Cotopaxi’s Board of Trustees, Search Committee, and external consultancy from Learnlife. The Board extends its thanks to all candidates who expressed interest in the position and to everyone in the Academia Cotopaxi community who supported this search process.