The school has fostered formal links with China, Japan, India, Germany, Italy, Finland and New Zealand with staff and students given many opportunities to travel overseas, or to welcome students from other countries.

Principal Lynita Taylor said the school's international program was leading the way for many other state schools. "It's eventuated from being adventurous and thinking outside the square and how we can best give our students and staff some amazing opportunities overseas and welcome visitors in," she said.

In addition to language programs, Mount Clear has a number of sister schools in different countries and staff often travel to China to help expose local teachers to western education and teaching practices.

Teachers from the school's language centre also visit local primary schools and kindergartens to teach, and bring visiting students in for immersion days.

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"We have an amazing team here ... an incredibly strong international program department which is a framework of what the government hopes to have across state schools regarding global teaching and learning."

The school is one of three finalists in the Dr Lawrie Shears Excellence in Global Teaching and Learning Award, which will be awarded during the Victorian Education Excellence Awards in Melbourne on Friday night.

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