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Mission making most of multiculturalism
February 23, 2011, Wednesday
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PARENTS are faced with a bewildering range of features and options when choosing an international school for their children: from location to curriculum to activities, examination results and university placement. Occasionally even the choice of uniform and food are taken into account. Superintendent of Yew Chung International Schools in China (YCIS), Tom Ulmet, who has seen the expansion and growth of international schools in Shanghai over the past 10 years, thinks there is something even more important: school mission.
As the number of institutions offering an international education grew across China, Ulmet witnessed a wide range of practices being applied to educate the global child.
"Many schools might say they are educating the global child because they have many students from different nationalities," says Ulmet. "We begin with the premise that we have nationalities, and we need to tap into their backgrounds to share knowledge of the world. The fact that they are here is not enough. The purpose of education then becomes richer than simply being an international melting pot."
Quality international education is considered crucial by the Chinese government in attracting and retaining foreign investment, and it is arguably the top priority for families relocating to China. Foreseeing these needs well ahead of the influx of expatriates and returnees in China, YCIS pioneered a new standard in international education. At the heart of this standard are the vision, mission and ethos. Helping students compete in the future by having a better understanding of the world as well as the cultural understanding that comes from in-depth study of two major world languages is one of the main goals of YCIS.
With his past experience of visiting more than 1,500 secondary schools as an admissions officer for two universities, Ulmet has a sharp eye for what schools can deliver based on their mission statement. He sees a fit between YCIS's East-meets-West philosophy and his own family.
"We are a bicultural family; looking ahead into the future, we saw the importance of language acquisition." His children, both of whom speak English, Japanese and Chinese, are a testament to his foresight. His son is currently in Year 12 at YCIS Shanghai and starting the rigorous International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, and his daughter is busy in her first year at an American university studying science as it relates to major world issues.
In fact, most students among the 47 nationalities and regions at YCIS Shanghai leave with fluency in English, Chinese and their own mother tongue. For example, Chinese-language classes in the secondary level have up to 14 levels to ensure that each child can realize his or her potential and develop broad understanding of China as it becomes increasingly important in today's world economy and issues. As adaptability, versatility, foreign language and culture skills become more valued by multi-national agencies and corporations, the importance of learning and practicing these traits in school is crucial - and thus the importance of choosing a school with a global mission.
"The 21st century will pose new opportunities and new challenges," says Ulmet. "Trade and geopolitical disputes linked in part to depleting natural resources continue to drive the need for more people who can understand different cultures and examine world issues beyond national context. YCIS prepares children to be culturally savvy leaders in their chosen fields to help make the world a better place."
As the number of institutions offering an international education grew across China, Ulmet witnessed a wide range of practices being applied to educate the global child.
"Many schools might say they are educating the global child because they have many students from different nationalities," says Ulmet. "We begin with the premise that we have nationalities, and we need to tap into their backgrounds to share knowledge of the world. The fact that they are here is not enough. The purpose of education then becomes richer than simply being an international melting pot."
Quality international education is considered crucial by the Chinese government in attracting and retaining foreign investment, and it is arguably the top priority for families relocating to China. Foreseeing these needs well ahead of the influx of expatriates and returnees in China, YCIS pioneered a new standard in international education. At the heart of this standard are the vision, mission and ethos. Helping students compete in the future by having a better understanding of the world as well as the cultural understanding that comes from in-depth study of two major world languages is one of the main goals of YCIS.
With his past experience of visiting more than 1,500 secondary schools as an admissions officer for two universities, Ulmet has a sharp eye for what schools can deliver based on their mission statement. He sees a fit between YCIS's East-meets-West philosophy and his own family.
"We are a bicultural family; looking ahead into the future, we saw the importance of language acquisition." His children, both of whom speak English, Japanese and Chinese, are a testament to his foresight. His son is currently in Year 12 at YCIS Shanghai and starting the rigorous International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, and his daughter is busy in her first year at an American university studying science as it relates to major world issues.
In fact, most students among the 47 nationalities and regions at YCIS Shanghai leave with fluency in English, Chinese and their own mother tongue. For example, Chinese-language classes in the secondary level have up to 14 levels to ensure that each child can realize his or her potential and develop broad understanding of China as it becomes increasingly important in today's world economy and issues. As adaptability, versatility, foreign language and culture skills become more valued by multi-national agencies and corporations, the importance of learning and practicing these traits in school is crucial - and thus the importance of choosing a school with a global mission.
"The 21st century will pose new opportunities and new challenges," says Ulmet. "Trade and geopolitical disputes linked in part to depleting natural resources continue to drive the need for more people who can understand different cultures and examine world issues beyond national context. YCIS prepares children to be culturally savvy leaders in their chosen fields to help make the world a better place."
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