The article, written by Head of College Nick Alchin, delves into the tension between nostalgia and imagination in education, highlighting the importance of preserving traditions while fostering innovation through the UWCSEA Strategy's commitments to exceptional individuals, continuous learning, and inclusive community building.

In December 2022 Head of College Nick Alchin announced a bold new undertaking in partnership with the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO), with a commitment to offer an additional IB Diploma option to UWCSEA students from 2024. This new diploma option is part of a small scale pilot, designed to have a significant impact on the future of education and the IB Diploma worldwide.

UWCSEA is recognised as a global leader in K-12 education, not least for our continuous innovation in student learning, preparing students for the uncertain future that lies ahead. One recent exciting innovation is the development of the mission-aligned Grade 9/10 UWCSEA programme, which launched in Grade 9 this year. As Head of College, Nick Alchin, said, this programme “gives students more flexibility and choice, more complex, real-world problem solving, more interdisciplinary thinking and more authentic assessment in-line with the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma assessment model.”

Over 60 years ago, Kurt Hahn’s vision recognised the power of an education that deliberately brought people together from different backgrounds, with shared purpose. At UWCSEA, over 50 years, we have acknowledged that our vision of peaceful, sustainable futures would only be achieved through the combined strengths and differences of many, working together and committed to deliberate actions for greater equity and inclusion on our campuses. We also recognise this as one of our greatest challenges; as we consciously cultivate a diverse community of around 5,600 students and 1,000 staff from over 100 nations, we cannot leave the development of intercultural competency to pure chance.