ANNUAL REPORT
UWC South East Asia
2019/2020
01
MESSAGE FROM
SAJJAD AKHTAR,
INTERIM CHAIR OF
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
02
MESSAGE FROM
CARMA ELLIOT,
COLLEGE PRESIDENT
03
UWCSEA GUIDING
STATEMENTS,
GOVERNANCE AND
LEADERSHIP
05 UWCSEA
Guiding Statements
07 UWC movement
09 UWCSEA Governance
and Leadership
13
UWCSEA
STRATEGY
2018–2023
Contents
71
BUSINESS REPORT
73 Human Resources
75 UWCSEA Foundation
77 Finance
79 Admissions
55
OUR COMMUNITY
59 Students and families
61 Boarders and scholars
63 Staff
65 Alumni
69 Parent Community
19
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
23 Academics
33 Activities
41 Outdoor Education
45 Personal and
Social Education
49 Service
1 | UWCSEA Annual Report 2019/2020
On behalf of the Board I take pleasure
in presenting to you the UWCSEA
2019/2020 Annual Report, which
provides an overview and reflection of
the College’s achievements over the year.
The 2019/2020 school year was an
unusual year for the College, as of
course it was for organisations and
communities globally, with the impact
of the COVID-19 pandemic emerging as
the defining event of 2020. While the
long-term impact is as yet unknown, our
community felt the immediate impact
keenly, as we all adjusted to a new way
of learning and working in a context
that was evolving rapidly. Thanks to the
Singapore Government’s strong handling
of the crisis, by the time the school year
ended we had come through a circuit
breaker, and were able to return to
campus albeit with restrictions in place.
It is impossible through mere words to
do justice to the remarkable response of
our whole community to the pandemic.
Students, staff and parents all came
together to support one another; while
it was not always possible to cater
to all requests, we emerged from the
initial crisis stronger and united for the
longer—if less unpredictable—journey
ahead of us.
The primary role of the Board of
Governors is to ensure the long-term
sustainability of the College, providing
the strategic oversight that ensures
the school is delivering a world-class
education to students today, while
preparing for the future. In challenging
times, the additional role of a Board is
to provide support to ensure business
continuity and help manage the
wellbeing of the community. Most
importantly, the Board was focused, as
were College leadership and staff, on
minimising any impact on the education
and learning experience of our students.
During the pandemic, the Finance
and Infrastructure Committee was
particularly instrumental, working
alongside the College leadership to
model potential futures, and support
the wider Board and leadership to
make significant decisions regarding
fee structures and refunds, including
the cancellation of the fee increase for
2020/2021 and a $1,000 credit per
student in Term 3.
While the response to the pandemic
dominated the second half of the year,
the College continued to deliver on the
strategic plan throughout the year. Other
important areas of focus addressed by
the Board included the following:
• The focus on Diversity, Equity and
Inclusion (DEI), already in train through
the Strategic Plan, was galvanised
by the events of May and June 2020
and the creation of a task force that
focused specifically on deliberate
anti-racism. The Board established a
steering group with representation
from all elements of the community
to provide oversight to College efforts
to respond. As we commit to systemic
change, our commitment to DEI work
will result, in time, in a more inclusive
and equitable College community.
• A review of the constitutional
documents and governance framework
was initiated in the latter part of
the school year. The Board formed a
steering group to work with outside
consultants to carry out the review.
Recommendations arising will be
considered and are expected to
be adopted during the 2020/2021
school year. This will help to ensure
that our foundational documents
and governance structure support us
through future iterations of our College.
Other highlights of the achievements
made against the plan can be viewed in
the Strategic Plan section of this report.
The first College President, Carma
Elliot, joined the College in July 2019.
The Board also experienced some
transition during the year, when Anna
Lord completed her term as Chair in
January and I took over as Interim Chair.
The search for a new Chair culminated
in the appointment of Madan Menon,
who took up his role in September 2020
and whose considerable impact, already
visible, will be reported next year. As a
Board, we are deeply grateful to Anna,
who selflessly devoted countless hours
to the College over the years, and whose
leadership enabled so much of the
College’s success last year.
The Board would like to express its
thanks and appreciation to the staff
and leadership for their dedication
throughout this challenging year. We
have all learned many things, but what
has not changed is the strength of
our united community. Thanks to our
dedicated staff, supportive parents,
committed volunteers, partners and
supporters and, most importantly,
our exceptional students, the spirit of
UWCSEA continues to thrive.
Sajjad Akhtar
INTERIM CHAIR OF
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
MESSAGE FROM
2 | UWCSEA Annual Report 2019/2020
I am pleased to introduce the Annual
Report for the 2019/2020 year, my first
year at UWCSEA as College President.
Each year the Annual Report tells a story
of success and achievement, and while
the 2019/2020 year was unexpected in
many ways, when viewed through the
lens of student learning and strategic
developments, this one was no different.
When read alongside the Impact of
Giving report, it tells the story of a
community united to create a more
peaceful and sustainable future for all.
Much of what is included here looks like
previous years. Throughout 2019/2020,
the College had a full roll of mission-
aligned students, supported by a stable
teaching staff with one of the lowest
turnover rates in the region. The IB
Diploma results were strong while our
university placements were in line with
outcomes in previous years, despite the
disruption caused by the cancellation
of exams. We achieved against the
strategic plan, our staff continued
to grow and learn as educators,
administrators and leaders, our parent
community was supportive and our
students proved once again what
remarkable young people they are, and
have always been.
But, as the report shows, 2020 was also
a year unlike any other in my lifetime.
At the College, after a business-as-usual
first term in this newly created role,
the arrival of the pandemic at the start
of Term 2 changed many of the things
we had previously taken for granted.
In a communication to parents in
April 2020, I wrote “we feel as though
we are facing relentless challenge, as
individuals, as communities and as a
society.” Certainly, it was a time of great
upheaval at the College, in Singapore
and globally. At times, the conflict
between what we wanted to do and
what we were permitted to do, and
the pressure on our parent community
and our partners in Singapore, seemed
never-ending and overwhelmingly
negative.
And yet, throughout the daily challenge,
our community remained strong and
resolute. Our teachers delivered an
online learning programme to students
in Singapore and abroad for months
beyond the circuit breaker period as
members of our community found
themselves outside Singapore. A July
Activities Programme that provided
our students with a heavily subsidised
programme of experiences of learning
together in person, within government
guidelines, was conceived, planned
and implemented in record time.
Our administrative staff kept pace
with rapidly changing regulatory and
reporting requirements and continued
to work to get new and returning
students—including all scholars and
boarders—into Singapore and on to
campus in the most unpredictable of
circumstances. Our facilities teams
kept our campuses safe, clean and
functioning, while our leadership
teams rapidly made student-focused
decisions while adapting to the
necessary restrictions imposed by the
authorities. Our parent community was
understanding and supportive while
juggling immense challenges of their
own. Throughout, as well as providing
critical advice and guidance for decision-
making, the Board of Governors
supported the College in myriad ways,
from providing practical information
such as contacts to source multiple
thermometers to sending regular
messages of support and kindness that
helped to bolster morale.
We all feel the loss of the changes to
our programme that were necessary
as a result of restrictions on travel and
gathering in large groups, and as we
ended the year we could also see the
mental health and emotional challenges
that emerge when people are separated
from loved ones for extended periods.
That challenge has not gone away, and
short-term solutions may yet need to
become long-term strategy, but we also
know we can rely on both the energy
and compassion of our community to
help us navigate through.
This report tells a story of an
extraordinary year, balanced by familiar
stories of what for UWCSEA are ordinary
events. Most importantly, our students
learned, together for most of the year,
‘united in distance’ towards the end, and
remained fully engaged with both their
learning and the local and global issues
that matter most. They represent our
hope for the future.
I would like to finish with a sincere thank
you, on behalf of the entire community
to the Board of Governors, who work
tirelessly in service to the College and
whose leadership and support last year
made so many things possible. It is a
privilege to work with such a committed
and talented group of volunteers.
Carma Elliot CMG OBE
COLLEGE PRESIDENT
MESSAGE FROM
“I don’t have an answer for the question what a better world would look like, but I think that’s
part of it because I think what I’d like to see is a commitment to the process of working to
find one, in which all of us get to have a voice that is respected, honoured and heard.”
IJLAL NAQVI ’94, Associate Professor of Sociology at SMU - Singapore Management University
3 | UWCSEA Annual Report 2019/2020
UWCSEA GUIDING STATEMENTS,
GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP
5 | UWCSEA Annual Report 2019/2020
Because UWCSEA is driven by its mission, values and educational goal, we create an environment that is underpinned by
wellbeing and learning principles, and provide a holistic learning programme through a K–12 concept-based curriculum which
thoughtfully and deliberately develops the skills, qualities and mission competencies that enable students to live the mission
throughout their lives.
UWCSEA Ambition: Our ambition is to be a leader in international education, with a worldwide reputation for providing a
challenging, holistic, values-based education with an emphasis upon academic achievement, service to others, environmental
stewardship, teamwork and leadership.
UWCSEA
GUIDING STATEMENTS
UWCSEA LEARNING PRINCIPLES
Our learning principles are based on the understanding that
learning is a life-long process in which the learner engages
with and reflects upon information and experiences to
construct new or modify existing understanding as well as
develop and apply qualities and skills.
We know that learning is effective when learners:
• construct new understanding by activating prior
knowledge and experience
• use timely and goal directed feedback
• collaborate
• are challenged
• feel secure and supported
• construct meaning by seeing patterns and making
connections
• actively process and reflect
• apply meta-cognitive skills
• understand the purpose of the learning
• have ownership of their learning
UWCSEA LEARNING PROGRAMME
Our learning programme consists of five interlinking
elements: academics, activities, outdoor education,
personal and social education and service. The elements
combine to provide our students with a holistic, values-based
education that develops them as individuals and as members
of a global society. We apply these core principles to all
elements of our programme: disciplinary and interdisciplinary
learning, experiential learning and transfer of learning to
ensure the educational experience provided at UWCSEA is
truly holistic.
UWCSEA PROFILE
We have identified the qualities and skills needed by our
community to help to fulfil our mission. Students are given
multiple, age-appropriate opportunities to develop the
following:
Qualities
Commitment to care
Principled
Resilience
Self awareness
Skills
Critical thinker
Creative
Collaborative
Communicator
Self manager
6 | UWCSEA Annual Report 2019/2020
STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT: REFINING OUR GUIDING STATEMENTS
The diagram below was developed as the Learning Leadership Team began a review process, examining our previous model in light
of current best practice. Designed at the end of the 2019/2020 school year, this prototype will be used in a consultation process
with key stakeholders during the 2020/2021 school year.
7 | UWCSEA Annual Report 2019/2020
UWCSEA is a
member of the UWC
movement, a group
of 18 schools and
colleges around
the world who are
supported by a
network of National
Committees, made
up of volunteers in
over 150 countries.
Opened by the then
Prime Minister Mr Lee
Kuan Yew as Singapore
International School
in 1971, UWCSEA has
expanded to become
the largest UWC in the
movement, and one of
only seven that enrol
students before the IB
Diploma in Grade 11.
UWC MOVEMENT
San José, Costa Rica
UWC Costa Rica
Opened in
2006
Student population
175
Age group
16–19
Dilijan, Armenia
UWC Dilijan
Opened in
2014
Student population
219
Age group
16–18
Moshi and Arusha, Tanzania
UWC East Africa
Opened in
1969
Student population
500
Age group
3–20
Karuizawa, Japan
UWC
ISAK Japan
Opened in
2014
Student population
175
Age group
15–19
UWC South East Asia
Dover Campus, Singapore
Opened in
1971
Student population
3,020
Age group
4–18
East Campus, Singapore
Opened in
2008
Student population
2,589
Age group
4–18
UWC Adriatic
Duino, Italy
Opened in
1982
Student population
182
Age group
16–19
UWC Atlantic
Vale of Glamorgan,
United Kingdom
Opened in
1962
Student population
350
Age group
15–19
UWC
Changshu China
Changshu, Jiangsu
Province, China
Opened in
2015
Student population
443
Age group
15–18
All information correct as at 31 July 2020.
8 | UWCSEA Annual Report 2019/2020
Phuket, Thailand
UWC Thailand
Opened in
2008
Student population
460
Age group
2–18
Montezuma,
New Mexico, USA
UWC-USA
Opened in
1982
Student population
235
Age group
17–19
New Territories,
Hong Kong SAR, China
Li Po Chun UWC
Opened in
1992
Student population
256
Age group
16–18
Flekke, Norway
UWC Red Cross
Nordic
Opened in
1995
Student population
205
Age group
16–20
UWC Mahindra
Pune, Maharashtra, India
Opened in
1997
Student population
240
Age group
16–18
UWC in Mostar
Mostar, Bosnia
and Herzegovina
Opened in
2006
Student population
200
Age group
16–19
Pearson College
UWC
Victoria, British
Columbia, Canada
Opened in
1974
Student population
200
Age group
16–19
Maastricht, Netherlands
UWC Maastricht
Opened in
2009
Student population
915
Age group
4–18
Freiburg, Germany
UWC Robert
Bosch College
Opened in
2014
Student population
200
Age group
16–19
Mbabane, Eswatini
Waterford
Kamhlaba UWC
Opened in
1963
Student population
600
Age group
11–20
9 | UWCSEA Annual Report 2019/2020
UWCSEA
GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP
OVERVIEW
UWCSEA is committed to the highest
standards of corporate governance.
The UWCSEA Board of Governors
recognises good governance as critical
in supporting the school in achieving
its mission and educational goal. Good
governance begins with the Board of
Governors and requires that they set the
tone for the organisation.
The Board of Governors is one of the
principal bodies with the fiduciary
obligation to ensure that the College
acts to further its stated objectives,
and that the College has appropriate
systems in place to properly account
for and safeguard the funds and assets
of the College. The Board of Governors
works closely with the management and
stakeholders of the College to shape the
vision, chart the major directions, and
develop programmes and initiatives to
produce a strong and enduring impact
for the College in Singapore and beyond.
UWCSEA BOARD OF GOVERNORS
The UWCSEA Board of Governors comprises 15 members. The Board includes
respected business and industry leaders, academics, educators, entrepreneurs and
professionals. All members serve on a voluntary basis.
Size, Committees and Meetings
The maximum number of Governors is 21. The Board has seven committees:
• Education and Talent, which sets and oversees education and talent management
strategies
• Foundation Investment and Disbursement, which provides strategic direction
for the Foundation’s investments and oversight of its disbursements and
investments
• Finance and Infrastructure, which oversees the College’s finances and its physical
and digital infrastructure
• Governance, which is responsible for nominations and governance matters
• Audit and Risk, which oversees audit and risk matters
• Engagement, which is responsible for improving the engagement and outreach of
the College locally and globally, including the UWCSEA Foundation
• Committee of Chairs, which functions as a coordinating and management
committee among the Chairs of the Board and Committees
Governors periodically re-evaluate the committee structure to ensure it is effective,
strategic and forward-looking.
The Board meets four times each year. Each Governor is usually a member of one
committee, which also meets four times per year.
Board Effectiveness Review
The Board carries out formal Board effectiveness reviews, externally every five years
and internally every two years. Heidrick & Struggles were commissioned to conduct
an external Board effectiveness review and their report and the Board’s response
were made available to the College community in May 2019.
Heidrick & Struggles concluded that the Board is effective and that we should
celebrate the achievements made in recent years towards effectiveness and impact.
As requested, they also recommended a number of ways in which the Board can
improve, including providing assurance to key stakeholders on important issues.
Work continues in this arena with a focus being the formation of a Constitutional
Review Steering Group which will address many of these key areas as part of its work
over the next school year:
• improving documentation to clarify the role of the Board and Management to all
stakeholders
• creating efficiencies by streamlining Board and committee papers
• improving induction and support for new Governors and Advisers
• providing useful and tailored training, engagement and team building
opportunities for Governors, Advisers and management
10 | UWCSEA Annual Report 2019/2020
Composition
The Board consists of three groups of Governors:
• Ad Personam Governors – the majority of Governors are appointed by the
Board itself through a rigorous selection process. Many Ad Personam Governors
are parents of current students of the College. To ensure the Board benefits from
independent thinking, there are also several non-parent Governors.
• Ex officio Governors – in 2019/20, the Head of College was replaced with the
College President, Carma Elliot, CMG OBE.
• Interested Party Governors – these are elected directly by their constituencies
and include two parent-elects and two teacher-elects, one from each campus.
Governor Recruitment, Selection and Induction
The Board recruits Ad Personam Governors through a robust process that responds
to clearly defined skill requirements for the Board. Candidates are first co-opted
as Advisers to Board Committees. New Ad Personam Governors are usually only
selected from that pool of Advisers who have served on a Committee. Appointments
are based on an assessment of the following factors:
• professional skills and fit with Board requirements
• role models for UWC values, culture and alignment with the mission
• demonstrated ability to contribute to a Board
• past contributions to UWC/service institutions
• impact on Board diversity
• leadership potential
• positive impact on government relations
There is a comprehensive induction programme for all Advisers and Governors that
includes information about the College and the Board, an induction session with the
Board Secretary, and meetings with the Chair of the Board and other Governors.
Term Limits and Reviews
Governors serve a maximum of two, three-year terms. Only the Chair may serve up
to two additional terms of three years.
The College and the Board holds its Governors and Advisers to a high standard and
regularly evaluates each Governor against the following criteria:
• is prepared for meetings
• listens to and challenges others, when appropriate, while maintaining an
atmosphere of respect
• contributes and participates in a manner consistent with UWCSEA values
• has made meaningful contributions to key decisions
• attends most meetings and is highly attentive when present
• contributes overall
Whistle Blowing Policy
The College has a Whistle Blowing policy
through which members of the UWCSEA
community may, in confidence, raise
concerns about possible wrong-doing
or improprieties in financial or other
matters within the organisation. The
Board thoroughly and appropriately
investigates matters brought to its
attention through the policy and takes
appropriate follow-up action.
Conflict of Interest
The College policy requires Board and
staff members to disclose any conflict
of interest in the performance of their
duties. In the case of the Board, the
policy requires Governors and Advisers
to report potential conflicts to the
Governance Committee, which may
impose remedies specific to the situation.
Policies on corporate
and individual behaviour
The Board also adheres to the College’s
policies on corporate and individual
behaviour, including the Board of
Governors Guidelines, Confidentiality
Policy, Harassment Policy, Staff
Safeguarding Code of Conduct, and
the Equal Opportunities, Access and
Disabilities Policy.
Commissioner of Charities
Oversight
The Board has adopted best practices in
key areas of governance that are closely
aligned with the Code of Governance
for Charities and Institutions of a
Public Character (the “Code”). In line
with the Commissioner of Charities
requirements, UWCSEA’s Governance
Evaluation Checklist and new
Transparency Framework can be found
via the Charity Portal website
www.charities.gov.sg.
11 | UWCSEA Annual Report 2019/2020
UWCSEA/UWCSEA-EAST/UWCSEA FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS
Anna Lord
(resigned 13 March 2020)
Ad Personam Governor
Chair
Committee of Chairs
Surinder Kathpalia
Ad Personam Governor
Chair of Audit and Risk
Committee
Governance Committee
Committee of Chairs
Heather Carmichael
Ad Personam Governor
Chair of Education and
Talent Committee
Audit and Risk Committee
Committee of Chairs
Priti Devi
Ad Personam Governor
Chair of Engagement
Committee
Committee of Chairs
Subodh Chanrai ’82
Ad Personam Governor
Chair of Governance
Committee
Committee of Chairs
Sajjad Akhtar
Ad Personam Governor
Interim Chair (1 March
2020 – 31 August 2020)
Vice Chair (1 September
2020 onwards)
Chair of Finance and
Infrastructure Committee
Chair of Finance and
Infrastructure Investment
SubCommittee
Interim Chair, Committee
of Chairs
Heinrich Jessen ’86
(resigned 30 June 2020)
Ad Personam Governor
Governance Committee
Mark Porter
Interested Party Governor
– Teacher Representative
Education and Talent
Committee
Seng Chee Ho
Ad Personam Governor
Education and Talent
Committee
Carma Elliot CMG OBE
Ex-officio Governor
College President
Education and Talent
Committee
Engagement Committee
Foundation Investment
and Disbursement
Committee
Finance and Infrastructure
Committee
Governance Committee
Caroline McLaughlin
Interested Party Governor
– Parent Representativee
Engagement Committee
Pamela Kelly Wetzell
Interested Party Governor
– Teacher Representative
Governance Committee
Kim Teo ’76
Ad Personam Governor
Foundation Investment
and Disbursement
Committee
Governance Committee
Stefanie Green
(appointed 8 July 2020)
Interested Party Governor
– Parent Representative
Education and Talent
Committee
Benjamin Hill
Detenber
Ad Personam Governor
Education and Talent
Committee
Margarita Encarnacion
(resigned 7 April 2020)
Interested Party Governor
– Parent Representative
Education and Talent
Committee
Audit and Risk Committee
Vivek Kalra
Ad Personam Governor
Finance and Infrastructure
Committee
Finance and
Infrastructure Investment
SubCommittee
Lau Chun Wah (Davy)
(resigned 21 January 2020)
Ad Personam Governor
Governance Committee
All information correct as at 31 July 2020.
12 | UWCSEA Annual Report 2019/2020
INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS: THE UWCSEA FOUNDATION LIMITED
Andrew Budden
UWCSEA BOARD ADVISERS
Philip Motteram
Steve Okun
WT Cheah
Sumitra Pasupathy
(resigned June 2020)
Sharat Sinha (resigned August 2020)
Leon Toh
Tara Garson Flower
Daire Dunne
(appointed December 2019)
Jonathan Forth
(appointed September 2019)
Ruby Lee
(appointed September 2019)
Dimple Sanghi
(appointed September 2019)
Brian McAdoo
(appointed December 2019)
Rahul Raj (appointed December 2019)
Prabhat Ojha
(appointed December 2019)
UWCSEA/UWCSEA-EAST/UWCSEA FOUNDATION COMMITTEES
Audit and Risk Committee
Surinder Kathpalia, Chair
Heather Carmichael
WT Cheah (Adviser)
Jonathan Forth (Adviser)
Dimple Sanghi (Adviser)
Education and Talent Committee
Heather Carmichael, Chair
Seng Chee Ho
Benjamin Detenber
Carma Elliot CMG OBE
Mark Porter
Stefanie Green
Brian McAdoo (Adviser)
Engagement Committee
Priti Devi, Chair
Caroline McLaughlin
Carma Elliot CMG OBE
Steve Okun (Adviser)
Leon Toh (Adviser)
Foundation Investment and
Disbursement Committee
Andy Budden, Chair
Kim Teo ’76
Carma Elliot CMG OBE
Daire Dunne (Adviser)
Finance and Infrastructure
Committee (FIC)
Sajjad Akhtar, Chair
Vivek Kalra
Carma Elliot CMG OBE
Philip Motteram (Adviser)
Tara Garson Flower (Adviser)
Rahul Raj (Adviser to FIC Investment
SubCommittee)
Prabhat Ojha (Adviser to FIC
Investment SubCommittee)
Governance Committee
Subodh Chanrai ’82, Chair
Carma Elliot CMG OBE
Surinder Kathpalia
Pamela Kelly Wetzell
Kim Teo ’76
Ruby Lee (Adviser)
Committee of Chairs
Sajjad Akhtar, Interim Chair
Heather Carmichael
Subodh Chanrai ’82
Priti Devi
Surinder Kathpalia
All information correct as at 31 July 2020.
The Audited Financial Statements and full Corporate Governance Reports for the Colleges and the Foundation are available on the Charity Portal: charities.gov.sg
“I want to thank the UWCSEA community for your passion and commitment to
creating a more just College and society. We are listening, we are learning and
we are committed to action.”
CARMA ELLIOT CMG OBE, College President, UWCSEA, June 2020
13 | UWCSEA Annual Report 2019/2020
UWCSEA STRATEGY 2018–2023
15 | UWCSEA Annual Report 2019/2020
UWCSEA STRATEGY 2018–2023
During the 2019/2020 year, the campuses continued to enact the UWCSEA Strategy, based on the Strategic Vision which
describes the intended five-year outcome in each of the four Areas of Focus.
The four Areas of Focus identify 10 strategies that have become strands that will help the College to realise these outcomes.
These strands then guide planning and decision-making for campuses, schools and operational areas at the College.
During 2019/2020, each campus and operational area continued implementing the multi-year plans for projects that are
bringing these strategies to life. This year, some strands have been prioritised to receive focus, while other strands will naturally
receive more detailed focus in later years. This priority will necessarily be different on each campus given the operational
maturity and priorities of each, as identified in the campus-specific strategies that are reviewed each year.
The Board of Governors oversees progress through a report on an Area of Focus at each of the four meetings during the year,
while the senior leadership teams monitor the detailed projects.
In February 2020, the global pandemic started to impact the operations of the College, and the period March–July 2020 was
characterised by operational reprioritisation and strategic, compassionate response to the changed conditions for students, staff
and families as a result of the global pandemic.
The following pages highlight the 2019/2020 outcomes of the campuses’ progress towards the UWCSEA Strategy 2018–2023 in
each of the four Areas of Focus.
UWCSEA STRATEGIC VISION
Students will be equipped with the qualities and skills to become compassionate, engaged global citizens who seek to make a
positive contribution towards peace and a sustainable future. To achieve this, a diverse, united and caring College community will
focus creatively on students learning through a dynamic, holistic programme that supports individuals, their wellbeing and their
readiness for an uncertain future.
Effective operational practices provide for the College’s long-term future in Singapore.
AREAS OF FOCUS
UWCSEA
STRATEGY
OUR STRENGTH
AND CAPACITY
PEACE AND
A SUSTAINABLE
FUTURE
A UNITED
COMMUNITY
EDUCATION
AS A FORCE
17 | UWCSEA Annual Report 2019/2020
Education as a Force
At UWCSEA, we educate
our students to impact on
individuals and society in
accordance with the UWC
mission. Through a holistic
Learning Programme,
students develop the skills and qualities (which meld
to form the UWCSEA Learner Profile) to fulfil their
potential and become life-long learners and ethical
agents for change.
We understand educational excellence to be
manifested by student learning across all five elements
of our Learning Programme. This spirit of excellence,
balanced with a serious commitment to wellbeing, will
help inspire our community to rich experiences and
high achievement.
Our innovation will align with our values. We will take
scalable, safe-to-fail approaches to probe and test the
boundaries of our strategies and practices.
Within the contexts of Singapore and our Learning
Programme, we will seek to be inclusive and diverse,
in accordance with our definitions of these concepts,
and we will recognise the importance of intercultural
competence.
Key developments during 2019/2020 year:
Strategy E1: Extending Excellence
• Development of micro-credential: Planning for
Concept-Based Teaching and Learning
• Rapid roll-out of remote learning was possible due to
previous investment in digital learning platforms
• Review of current guiding statements resulted in
development of a prototype graphic and staff training
module
Strategy E2: Deliberate Innovation
• Mission aligned competency-based outcomes
developed for review
Strategy E3: Diversity and Inclusion
• Focus on intentionally developing linguistic diversity
continued with working group establishing language
frameworks and reviewing the language policy
• Structures supporting LGBTQ+ community established
• Launch of antiracism statement and ARDEI
implementation plan
• Design and testing of a pilot programme to raise teacher
capacity to support individualised learning styles
Peace and a Sustainable
Future
Our community is
strengthened by diversity and
united in common purpose.
On local, national and global
platforms, we will seek to
engage with and impact positively on individuals and
communities who hold similar, disparate and diverse ideas.
All members of our community should understand Peace
to include concepts such as justice, equality and human
rights and to be more than the absence of conflict.
Our Learning Programme will help seed and nurture
these concepts. We aspire to promote Peace in all of its
contexts—for the individual, our communities and our
global societies. We will embed structures to support
learning for Peace and its systematic implementation
across the College, and develop meaningful links with like-
minded organisations that are in pursuit of the same goals.
Sustainability as a systemic response means aligning
ourselves to the UN Sustainable Development Goals to
end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity
for all within the means of nature. We will engage with
these challenges by deepening our intellectual and moral
capacities, and building our collective wisdom. We will
develop our curriculum to ensure that sustainability is
woven into all five elements of our learning programme
from K–12. We will also develop our community’s
capability in systems thinking.
Key developments during 2019/2020 year:
Strategy P1: Working for Peace
• Development of an Initiative for Peace (IfP) toolkit to
facilitate implementation of IfP by other schools
Strategy P2: Sustainability as a Systemic Response
• Embedding Sustainable Development within Service
Learning Programme on East Campus
• Development of environmental sustainability learning
spaces on both campuses
• Both campuses awarded Greenmark Platinum Super
Low Energy certification
• Further progress with Sodexo caterers on sustainable
approaches to food service
• Parents’ Associations and Ambassadors developed
sustainability awareness-raising initiatives for parent
EDUCATION
AS A FORCE
PEACE AND
A SUSTAINABLE
FUTURE
18 | UWCSEA Annual Report 2019/2020
A United Community
A strong College community,
based on shared values, is
fundamental to our success.
Our community members
will demonstrate respectful
attention to diverse needs
and perspectives, and compassionate engagement with
others.
We seek to promote the educational significance of
UWC residential life and will seek to harmonise the
best of the day and residential experiences. We will
strengthen relationships with one another, between
campuses and with those outside our immediate
community of students, staff and parents. We will
build strategic relationships that extend our reach and
deepen our impact. We will intensify the focus of the
UWCSEA Foundation, enhance Alumni engagement,
and continue to dedicate an agreed percentage of our
annual turnover to scholarships.
Our fundamental responsibility to our community
members is to keep them safe, well and secure at all
times and in all situations. We will continue to develop
robust safeguarding practices, and empower our
community to identify and respond to safeguarding
situations. We will implement policies, practices and
programmes to support staff and student wellness and
safeguard everyone in our community.
Key developments during 2019/2020 year:
Strategy C1: Strengthening our Community
• Values in Action community consultation process
• External review of Residential Boarding programme
• Parents’ Association developed additional programmes
to further support College initiatives
• Comprehensive professional learning programme for
administrative and support staff rolled out
Strategy C2: Keeping People Safe and Well
• Visitor management process and systems reviewed
• Wellness and Counselling Centres further resourced
on each campus
• Embedding Circles of Vulnerability Critical Incident
and Crisis Management process
• Cybersecurity training delivered as compulsory
module for all staff
• Establishment of Financial Relief Programme for
families experiencing short-term financial challenges
Our Strength and
Capacity
UWCSEA puts people, not
systems, first. Our plan for
sustainable growth will be
transparent and support
our community, while
reflecting and responding to current realities and future
possibilities. We will guarantee the financial security
of the College while balancing present and future
educational, environmental and organisational needs.
In order to retain education as our focus, we recognise the
necessity of humane, sustainable and effective systems.
We will develop operational systems that set a positive,
data-informed culture around rigorous practices,
adhering to all external regulatory requirements.
In adapting to any changes, we will support our
community and protect the College’s ethos and values.
We will establish decision-making processes and
leadership structures that enhance operational
effectiveness while retaining flexibility to adapt to
changing circumstances.
Key developments during 2019/2020 year:
Strategy S1: Ensuring Long-term Financial
Sustainability
• Investment sub-committee implemented process of
reviewing management of College reserves
Strategy S2: Embedding Effective Systems
• Implementation of finance systems to streamline
invoicing and payment systems
• Preparation for online procurement system to point
of launch
• Introduction of Managebac for online planning,
assessment and reporting
• Review of application processing procedures to create
alignment
• Critical Incident and Crisis Management protocol
review and training for leaders across the College
(education, administrative, operational)
Strategy S3: Establishing Effective Decision-Making
Structures
• Recruitment of Head of East Campus
• Streamlining of UWCSEA Foundation leadership structures
• Establishment of Tender Evaluation Committee
• Streamlining of College policies management and
review process
• Establishment of Constitutional Review Working Group
A UNITED
COMMUNITY
OUR STRENGTH
AND CAPACITY