[2] Schools that are a part of the ZfA network primarily serve children of expatriates working at embassies or consulates, for offices of German multinational companies, and/or who live in major centers of economic and/or political operations.
Many also serve communities with ties to other German-speaking countries, such as Austria and Switzerland.
Schools in some locations emphasize ties to Germany and/or Germanness, while others emphasize international connections and education and promote their instruction of the German language.
Nowadays, three out of four pupils of German schools abroad are from the respective host countries or other cultures.
In North America many schools emphasize ties to Germany, with some offering Saturday-only programmes.