IKA – Enriching Childhood Worldwide

Jovana Drakulić, the founder of International Kids Academy (IKA), has more than two decades of experience in preschool education. When she decided to open her own center, she was fully aware of children’s needs, the shortcomings of state kindergartens, as well as what parents often lack – something that even private centers rarely provide.

A vision born from experience

She wove knowledge, experience, and love into her center. She is present every day and actively participates in creating materials, program activities, and the overall environment of the center. As a result, after only two years of work, IKA in Novi Sad already has waiting lists for enrollment. Although in Serbia it is unusual for waiting lists to be formed in a profitable sector such as preschool education, Jovana decided from the very first day that quality in her center must go hand in hand with quantity.

“I wanted to create a place where every child’s uniqueness is respected and nurtured. After more than two decades in preschool education, I noticed many gaps in both public and private systems. Parents often seek more – an environment where their child is seen, understood, and supported in a way that traditional institutions rarely provide. That is exactly what I wanted to build,” she emphasized.

Franchising as a path to growth

It soon became evident that parents’ interest far exceeded the capacity of a single center. “Opening just one or two preschools would never be enough to bring our approach and values to a wider community. Franchising allows us to grow organically while keeping the heart of our concept intact. With every new partner, our philosophy reaches families who are looking for precisely this kind of care and education,” Drakulić explains.

The strength of International Kids Academy, she adds, cannot be matched by competitors. “In this market, we practically have no real competition. Of course, there are preschools, but none that deliver a structured and proven system of work like we do. We created our own program, materials, methodology, and approach that combine Montessori principles with modern flexibility. This is a system already recognized and validated by families – and that is our greatest strength.”

For franchise partners, the benefits of joining this network are multifaceted. “The most important thing is trust – the trust of parents who already know our name and what it stands for. Beyond that, we provide our partners with complete know-how: from educational methodology and staff training to branding, marketing, and operational support. We don’t hold anything back – everything we have built over the years is passed directly to our partners so they can succeed from day one,” she stresses.

The plans, she adds, are ambitious. “Our vision is for International Kids Academy to become a global brand. We are already recognized in the region, and our next step is international expansion. Parents everywhere want the same thing – a safe, nurturing, and inspiring environment for their children. We know our model can deliver that on a much larger scale.”