A Holistic Approach to Education

The founder of the UWC movement, Kurt Hahn, wanted to build tolerance and responsibilty in young people with a challenging international educational program paired with social engagement, and – most of all – profound shared experiences. This intentionally holistic education has both academic and non-academic aspects.

The goal is to strengthen the personal and social identity of each student. At UWC, they learn to approach people, languages and cultures with an open mind, empathy and respect. At the same time, they are challenged to see themselves as world citizens, and to understand and contibute to their local community.

The academic program at the UWC is the International Baccalaureate (IB), an excellent internationally recognized school diploma equivalent to the Swiss Matura.

An Ideal Learning Environment

We learn best when the environment is condusive. At UWC colleges, experienced tutors, teachers and campus staff provide individual support for each student. In addition, each student has a guest family on hand to help with acclimatization. Life on a UWC campus is secure and includes opportunities for exploring the beauty of the local landscape.

Living and learning with classmates from around 50 different countries, means getting to know different ways of life and points of view in a way few other schools can offer. By mastering challenges together, the students build friendships for life.

Learning for Life and for the Future

In addition to academics, extracurricular learning is also a central aspect at the UWCs. There are a variety of social and cultural activities at each UWC. This includes the work with elderly people, refugees or on a nearby farm. In addition, the students are able to take part in a wide range of sporting and artistic activities, such as theatre, dance, filmmaking and photography. In UWCs, there is hardly an activity that is not offered.

UWCs strongly encourage individual learning, taking on responsibility, passing on knowledge, overcoming challenges and developing and successfully implementing one's own projects - either alone or in a team. It is all about building self-confidence, expanding one’s potential and exploring new limits.

Best Prospects for Higher Studies

The International Baccalaureate (IB) is recognized in Switzerland. By encouraging self-reliance and academic excellence, UWC offers excellent preparation for academic, technical and scientific studies at university. Compared to other international schools, UWC colleges achieve excellent results and top placement in the IB Diploma Ranking (the average score for UWCs is about 15% above the average score at IB schools worldwide). UWC students are frequently admitted to the university of their dreams in Switzerland or abroad.

But UWC also allows for other career tracks. Some of the students opt for professional training or entrepreneurship. UWC encourages all pupils to find their own path and to be successful in their own way.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programm

The recognition of the IB Diploma in Switzerland

A Multilingual Campus Environment

Almost all courses and extracurricular programs are taught in English – the common conversational language at UWC. By the end of their two years at UWC, all students speak fluent English, regardless what level they started off with. It is also possible and encouraged to learn the local language at UWC colleges in non-English-speaking countries.

UWC teachers and staff are predominately native speakers with outstanding professional experience in multilingual contexts. By sharing the celebrations, theater performances, and daily meals of campus life with them as well as with English-speaking students, what was once a foreign language becomes second nature.