Purpose: This paper is intended to provide an overview of trends in European education and to offer a framework for considering the elements of school management. Design/methodology/approach: This paper reports elements of the planning and implementation of a graduate-level leadership development initiative in Bulgaria. Findings: Several lessons learned were garnered from this project. First, models of leadership development must be adaptable to local organizational and system cultures. Second, international leadership development programs should expose participants to different approaches to learning and promote reflective analysis of the various approaches. Expansion of train-the-trainer models should be planned from the beginning of projects and consider status differences between trainers-of-trainers and trainees who become trainers. Finally, sustainability must be included in planning. Research limitations/implications: The international leadership development program is reported from the perceptions of those who participated in the delivery and in the accreditation process. Others may perceive the program differently. Practical implications: Management training needs to be practiced so program participants should have opportunities to practice, receive feedback, and dialogue. Experiential learning is essential. New educational ideas may need long incubation periods in the settings where they are introduced. Originality/value: Leadership development program in East Europe are a relatively recent phenomenon and lessons learned will resonate with providers of leadership preparation programs in other settings. (Contains 1 figure.)