UWC opens first mainland school in Changshu
Print Edition
The grand opening of United World College (UWC) Changshu in east China’s Jiangsu Province was held on November 7. The college is the 15th UWC school and the first such institution on the Chinese mainland.
The school now has 129 students from 54 countries and regions in its pre-DP and International Baccalaureate Diploma programs.
UWC has a long history. It grew out of a global education movement that started in 1962 with the aim to “unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.” Unlike other international or private schools, UWC is a non-profit educational organization which offers around 1,000 full scholarships and 600 partial scholarships for its schools worldwide.
In 1973, then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai nominated 15 students to attend the UWC Atlantic College in the UK. Over recent decades, some 100 Chinese students have studied at UWC schools and colleges worldwide. These students include UWC Changshu founders Wang Jiapeng, Wang Yi and Hua Xiaohang.
UWC has 150 national committees on five continents, including the China National Committee established in 2010. Each national committee includes a network of volunteers — normally UWC alumni, education professionals and community leaders — who help promote the UWC movement and select potential students. Candidate students are tested and interviewed by UWC alumni.
Aside from academic performance, prospective students’ dedication to improving the world, society and their community are taken into consideration in the admissions process, regardless of their background, nationality or race.
With a student body from all over the world, diversity is a key characteristic of the college. Management believes an inclusive, multicultural environment will help students develop and grow.
The college’s commitment to diversity is also reflected in UWC Changshu’s faculty, which includes 16 teachers from nine nations.
With a focus on Chinese language and culture, Chinese courses are compulsory for all students at UWC Changshu, with lessons at different levels set in the IBDP curriculum. The college offers a one-year pre-DP Program and a two-year IB Diploma Program.
“What UWC does is to involve students in service activities and performance activities, so they have a much richer life outside the curriculum,” explained Sir John Daniel, chair of the UWC International Board and International Council. UWC colleges require each student to complete 250 hours of community service, five times that required by the IB curriculum.
The college’s co-curricular programs will enable students to challenge themselves, embrace local communities, show care for others and get involved in cultural and outdoor activities. UWC Changshu students have already formed several associations and hobby groups, and have even staged a one-hour performance celebrating the opening of the school.
Many graduates regard their studies with UWC as a life-changing experience. Wang Jiapeng, founder of UWC Changshu, is no exception. He spent 15 years pushing to establish the college.
“It’s about the two years that changed me and my life. I’d like to give back. I’d like to create an institution that can last 100 years. When we are gone, the students will continue to be impacted,” said Wang, who added that the college plans to offer a summer camp for non-enrolled students.
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