International education involves a dichotomy of study between the largely theoretical discipline of comparative education, and the still relatively under-researched body of international schools. The last 40 years has seen the rapid growth both in scale and diversity of this type of school, plus the emergence of a discrete industry. This dimension of international education now seems to be entering a "second phase," characterized in the main by a desire to exert more influence. This seems to hinge on the bringing of order and greater structure to the growing industry, and the creating of a deeper and more meaningful educational experience. This paper offers an introductory framework for conceptualizing the complex nature and ambition of this "second phase," and offers an introductory platform for the future assessing of its overall effectiveness.