A sister school is usually a pair of schools, usually single-sex school, one with female students and the other with male students. This relationship is seen to benefit both schools. For instance, when Harvard University was a male-only school, Radcliffe University was its sister school. The sister school concept as a single-sex school began to change as several institutions adopted coeducational environments starting in the 1970s due to the increasing awareness or consciousness about sex bias and discrimination. Background The term sister school (or brother school) has several alternate meanings: a definite financial commerce between two colleges or universities two schools that have a strong historical connection two schools which have social activities involving students from both schools two schools under the same management two schools built using the same floor plan/layout two schools in different nations that have established a collaborative international partnership. See also Seven Sisters (colleges) References External links Dictionary definition A collaborative international partnership Types of university or college School terminology