Presentation
Overview
The United World Colleges are a group of ten related International Schools, with locations throughout the world, and dedicated to promoting international understanding through education. Students from 16-19 years of age come from all corners of the globe to live and study together, and to learn about each other in an environment that fosters peace, cooperation, and personal challenge. UWC students are chosen on merit, regardless of race, creed, color, background or financial ability and are awarded scholarships. History
The first United World College, Atlantic College in Wales, was founded in 1962, by the joint efforts of Air Marshall Sir Lawrence Darvall, who had been Commander of the NATO Defence College in Paris, and Dr. Kurt Hahn, a distinguished educator who had been founding Headmaster of Salem School in Germany and Gordonstoun School in Scotland.
The vision shared by these two was to create a school where the youth of the world could unite, to gain a knowledge and understanding of a variety of races and cultures. This vision was shared and supported by the United Nations, and by Earl Mountbatten of Burma. Mountbatten served as the founding President of the International Council of the United World Colleges. He was succeeded by H.R.H. Prince Charles and then by H.M. Queen Noor of Jordan.
After Atlantic College, sister United World Colleges were developed in Canada (Lester B. Pearson College), The United States (Armand Hammer College), Italy (Adriatic College), Swaziland (Waterford-Kamhlaba College), Singapore (UWC of South East Asia), Venezuela (Simon Bolivar College), Hong Kong (Li Po Chun College), Norway (Red Cross Nordic College), India (Mahindra UWC of India), Costa Rica (UWC Costa Rica), and Bosnia and Herzegovina (UWC in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina).
UWC Program
Most UWC's have approximately two hundred students, all of whom study for the International Baccalaureate exams, at the end of their two-year stay (s. also recognition of the IB in Switzerland). Simon Bolivar UWC is an exception, in that the students there follow a course in agricultural management. Regardless, the I.B. exams are only a part of the busy and diverse life that each of the Colleges provides for its students. The concept of "Service" is central to the UWC life, and this may involve Social Services such as visiting elderly persons, tutoring disadvantaged youths, helping to clean up local parks, or perhaps building a boardwalk through a rainforest to protect the delicate ecosystem. The goal of serving both the local and global communities may be enhanced using skills learned by participating in other activities that range from Scuba diving, to ocean patrol and rescue, to forestry protection, to library and information services.
The life of a student is further filled with learning national dances from other lands, cultural cooking, music, theater productions, and plenty of time spent in lively discussions about everything from religion to politics, to the best way to brew tea or cook rice! Somehow, students also seem to find time to fit in homework and recreation, as well!
Philosophy in a Nutshell...
Although I would not dare to try to capture all that the United World Colleges stand for, it may be compared to a pressure cooker: just the proper mix of fresh, open minds, add lots of activities to spice up the stew, and a peaceful, supportive, but individually challenging environment that boils away the hard outer layers we have begun to develop even at age sixteen... mix it all together, add the heat of a hectic pace, and after two years, the marvelous result is, it is hoped, bright young souls, ready to get their hands dirty in the simply-stated work of making this world a better place.
In Switzerland
To study in a UWC, the students have to be selected by their National Committee, who also attributes scholarships to the students. The main work for the National Committees is to find Donors who finance the scholarships and to select the students. In Switzerland, the National Committee is identical to the executive committee of the UWC Swiss Association. The association is entirely and privately supported by its members and donors.
The United World Colleges are a group of ten related International Schools, with locations throughout the world, and dedicated to promoting international understanding through education. Students from 16-19 years of age come from all corners of the globe to live and study together, and to learn about each other in an environment that fosters peace, cooperation, and personal challenge. UWC students are chosen on merit, regardless of race, creed, color, background or financial ability and are awarded scholarships. History
The first United World College, Atlantic College in Wales, was founded in 1962, by the joint efforts of Air Marshall Sir Lawrence Darvall, who had been Commander of the NATO Defence College in Paris, and Dr. Kurt Hahn, a distinguished educator who had been founding Headmaster of Salem School in Germany and Gordonstoun School in Scotland.
The vision shared by these two was to create a school where the youth of the world could unite, to gain a knowledge and understanding of a variety of races and cultures. This vision was shared and supported by the United Nations, and by Earl Mountbatten of Burma. Mountbatten served as the founding President of the International Council of the United World Colleges. He was succeeded by H.R.H. Prince Charles and then by H.M. Queen Noor of Jordan.
After Atlantic College, sister United World Colleges were developed in Canada (Lester B. Pearson College), The United States (Armand Hammer College), Italy (Adriatic College), Swaziland (Waterford-Kamhlaba College), Singapore (UWC of South East Asia), Venezuela (Simon Bolivar College), Hong Kong (Li Po Chun College), Norway (Red Cross Nordic College), India (Mahindra UWC of India), Costa Rica (UWC Costa Rica), and Bosnia and Herzegovina (UWC in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina).
UWC Program
Most UWC's have approximately two hundred students, all of whom study for the International Baccalaureate exams, at the end of their two-year stay (s. also recognition of the IB in Switzerland). Simon Bolivar UWC is an exception, in that the students there follow a course in agricultural management. Regardless, the I.B. exams are only a part of the busy and diverse life that each of the Colleges provides for its students. The concept of "Service" is central to the UWC life, and this may involve Social Services such as visiting elderly persons, tutoring disadvantaged youths, helping to clean up local parks, or perhaps building a boardwalk through a rainforest to protect the delicate ecosystem. The goal of serving both the local and global communities may be enhanced using skills learned by participating in other activities that range from Scuba diving, to ocean patrol and rescue, to forestry protection, to library and information services.
The life of a student is further filled with learning national dances from other lands, cultural cooking, music, theater productions, and plenty of time spent in lively discussions about everything from religion to politics, to the best way to brew tea or cook rice! Somehow, students also seem to find time to fit in homework and recreation, as well!
Philosophy in a Nutshell...
Although I would not dare to try to capture all that the United World Colleges stand for, it may be compared to a pressure cooker: just the proper mix of fresh, open minds, add lots of activities to spice up the stew, and a peaceful, supportive, but individually challenging environment that boils away the hard outer layers we have begun to develop even at age sixteen... mix it all together, add the heat of a hectic pace, and after two years, the marvelous result is, it is hoped, bright young souls, ready to get their hands dirty in the simply-stated work of making this world a better place.
In Switzerland
To study in a UWC, the students have to be selected by their National Committee, who also attributes scholarships to the students. The main work for the National Committees is to find Donors who finance the scholarships and to select the students. In Switzerland, the National Committee is identical to the executive committee of the UWC Swiss Association. The association is entirely and privately supported by its members and donors.