December 2023
DESIGN MEETS
PURPOSE: NEW EAST
CAMPUS PLAYGROUND
page 13
INDIVIDUAL
BEFORE
DISABILITY
page 22
UN NIGHT
AND
CULTURAMA
page 6
I hope to encourage people to view me and those with similar
experiences to mine, as person-first or identify-first, before they see
our disabilities. I strongly believe that fostering a positive and open
attitude towards people from all walks of life is crucial to achieving
greater inclusivity and belonging. Let’s educate ourselves and work
towards that goal.”
Luca, Grade 9, UWCSEA Dover
Read the article Seen and heard: individual before disability on page 22.
02
CURIOSITY AND
EXPLORATION
Nick Alchin,
Head of College
06
UN NIGHT AND
CULTURAMA
Meet our student
cultural ambassadors
10
STUDENT
AGENCY IN
ACTION
Students exercise
leadership beyond
the classroom
12
A SPACE FOR
DREAMING
Dedicated to Kaira
and all the dreamers
in our community
13
DESIGNED BY
STUDENTS
The new East
Campus Primary
School playground
14
INNOVATIVE
SPACES
Explore the playground
16
FOLLOW YOUR
CREATIVE SPARK
UWCSEA students
find spaces for
self-expression
18
CELEBRATING
UWC DAY
A look at UWC Day
celebrations for 2023
20
LEARNING
WITH ITIME
An innovative
approach to concept-
based teaching for our
youngest learners
22
INDIVIDUAL
BEFORE
DISABILITY
A journey towards
greater diversity,
equity, inclusion,
and belonging
24
HOPE THROUGH
EDUCATION
UWCSEA, PACE
and CSB Partnership
for Refugee
Empowerment
28
SETTING THE
STAGE, TELLING
THE STORY
A look at the creativity
behind UWCSEA
Theatre Productions
30
SPOTLIGHT ON …
The gardens of
UWCSEA East
31
A HEALTHIER
COMMUNITY
UWCSEA recognised
for Healthier Dining
Programme
32
LEADERSHIP
FOR CHANGE
The IB Systems
Transformation pilot
course designed for
the future of learning
34
COMING
FULL CIRCLE
Closing 15 years of
Green Gecko GC
36
SCALE NEW
HEIGHTS ON THE
HIGH ROPES!
Explore your
adventurous side with
our new East Campus
High Ropes and
Climbing course
COVER IMAGES
Front: Junior School
students playing
during break time on
Dover Campus
Back: UWCSEA
students playing
a friendly
football match
December 2023
Dunia is published two times a year by UWC South East Asia. Reproduction in any manner in
English or any other language is prohibited without written consent. Please send feedback to
dunia@uwcsea.edu.sg.
Editors: Sarah Begum, Sinéad Collins, Hazel Ong, Tara Diong, Shaiful Rashid, and Lucie Snape |
Photography: Janrius Rogers, Joseph Tan, Jules Wainwright and members of the UWCSEA
community | Design: Nandita Gupta and Grace Hong
UWCSEA Dover is registered by the Committee for Private Education (CPE), part of SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG)
CPE Registration No. 197000825H | CPE Registration Period 18 July 2023–17 July 2027 | Charity Registration No. 00142
UWCSEA East is registered by the Committee for Private Education (CPE), part of SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG)
CPE Registration No. 200801795N | CPE Registration Period 10 March 2023–9 March 2027 | Charity Registration No. 002104
Printed on 100% recycled paper with environmentally friendly inks | MCI (P) 035/02/2023 | MKT-2324
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Visit the newsroom of UWCSEA:
perspectives.uwcsea.edu.sg
Curiosity and exploration:
looking ahead with both
imagination and nostalgia
OPINION
By Nick Alchin, Head of College, UWCSEA
I was speaking with a Grade 12 student recently,
who had been with us for many years. He
enjoyed his time with us, but wished that he’d
had a chance to do the UWCSEA Grade 9 and 10
programme, as his sister was doing. We spoke for a
while, and at the end he said that he expected his
sister would one day say the same thing to me—
that there would be some new innovation that in
some distant future she would wish she had been
part of. I told him that I very much hoped that was
the case, that I would let him know if his sister did
indeed make the same point, and I would tell her
that her elder brother felt exactly the same way.
We laughed together, but he had a great point: it’s
true there is always room for improvement, not
least because the world around us is changing,
and as a College we will always retain our hunger
to continually adapt to better meet the needs of
students and broader society.
I believe we will indeed continue to work toward
the UWC Mission, to innovate and develop our
programmes and practices. Sometimes this can
involve incremental changes which adds up to
a lot over the years; progress in Concept-based
Teaching and Learning, moving to support greater
inclusion, developing technology—these and
many other things are all slow burns that we’ve
pursued over many years. Others have been more
discontinuous; becoming a K–12 school; using
our own curriculum instead of the Primary Years
Programme; moving away from IGCSEs. These
happen at a point in time, and such changes are
more rare, but equally profound.
Both modes of change are important, and
both are captured in our new Strategy under
the Curiosity and Exploration commitment. It
captures an essential part of our identity–our
relentless determination to adapt and be better.
The critical question is, of course, is better in what
ways? How? When? At the expense of what else?
and I have seen two attitudes to this change.
One attitude is to point to the rapidly changing
world as a reason for stability and tradition in
our education. The other is to see it as a source
for creativity and exploration. Both attitudes are
right. Educator Neil Postman captured it well
when he wrote two books; Teaching as a Preserving
Activity and Teaching as a Conserving Activity.
We can think of this as approaching the future
with two attitudes; one of nostalgia and one of
imagination. The nostalgia attitude is one we
feel when we remember our own childhoods,
and perhaps feel angst about the possibility of
radically different things ahead for our children.
There’s love and care and desire for continuity
here. But an attitude of nostalgia risks the
implication of few expectations, aside from the
hope of preserving the status quo or reverting
to less technological times; it may overlook the
progress we have made in the intervening years
since our youth. The imagination option arises
when we see possibility and promise, and yearn
for things to be better for our children than
they were for us. It stresses optimism and more
meaningful opportunities than we experienced,
or perhaps than we can even imagine. Again,
there’s love and care behind this approach; but
an attitude of imagination risks overlooking the
cost of perpetual progress, and may overlook how
much value there is in what we already have.
This is not just a debate playing out in education.
Life today differs a great deal from life 50 years
ago in so many ways that it’s hard not to think
there will be further rapid change ahead. At
the same time it’s also hard not to question
the very foundations on which this change
has been built. We can no longer confidently
rely on technologies as an unqualified good;
nor unquestioningly assume confidence in the
processes and leaders of our public institutions;
nor take for granted infinite natural resources, a
stable climate, or social change that benefits all.
The choice, therefore, cannot be between
fearlessly marching into the future or backing
into it with the same tools and ideas we have
today. The task of shaping the future is open only
to those who are ready to adopt imaginative
attitudes, while deeply understanding our history
and the directions in which we are already moving.
We must not, therefore, jettison either
imagination or nostalgia, for they both have
things to teach us.
This notion of looking in two directions at once
struck me forcibly when I came across the New
Map of Life from the Stanford Longevity Centre.
Today’s conceptions of old-age, and the reality
December 2023 Dunia | 3
OUR
WORLD
CLASS UWC
EDUCATION
We will continue to
provide
exceptional
educational
experiences,
guaranteeing a
holistic and
values-driven,
rigorous
education that will
contribute to a
peaceful and
sustainable future.
UWC
MISSION
UWC makes
education a
force to unite
people,
nations and
cultures for
peace and a
sustainable
future.
EXCEPTIONAL
PEOPLE AND TEAMS
We will attract, retain
and grow outstanding people
and teams, and build
our organisational strength
and capacity.
IMMERSIVE
LEARNING
We will ensure that our
students’ learning is rich in
experiences, relationships, and
connections to people, places,
organisations and ideas.
A SENSE OF
BELONGING
We will create and sustain a
sense of belonging for all
members of our community,
past, present and future.
CURIOSITY AND
EXPLORATION
We will leverage our sense of
curiosity and pioneering spirit
to drive incremental and
disruptive innovation, and
sustainable change.
UWCSEA STRATEGIC
COMMITMENTS
2023–2030
I don’t know what the future may hold, but I know who holds the future.”
Ralph Abernathy, Civil rights activist and Baptist Minister
of life for many elderly folk, rightly give us reason to look
back (nostalgically) at multi-generational living and lament a
loss. Drawing on this, and with a profound understanding of
demographic realities, the report (imaginatively) outlines a
compelling vision for the future whereby rather than dwelling
so anxiously on the costs incurred by an ‘ageing’ society,
we should reframe the conversation around measuring and
reaping the remarkable dividends of a society that is, in
fact, age-diverse. It is this type of approach that we seek in
education—not one that dismisses the past, that seeks to
wipe the slate clean and start again in technological utopia,
but one that honours and builds from where we are, even
though we cannot be sure of the exact destination. As
Antoine St Expury said as for the future, [our] task is not to
foresee it, but to enable it.
Finding the golden mean between nostalgia and imagination
in education will determine the way we expand the values
and capabilities of today’s children, to create what is to come.
Civil rights activist and Baptist minister Ralph Abernathy
stresses our responsibilities when he writes I don’t know what
the future may hold, but I know who holds the future.
The surest guarantors of our future are individuals and
the ideas they have in their heads, including their values—
intellectual, moral, and social. So that leads us to the first of
our strategic commitments: Exceptional People and Teams.
We must continue to attract outstanding people.
We want to attract the most outstanding people to join
us. So we will foreground our Mission as we want values-
driven people; we will remove systemic barriers to increase
the diversity of our candidate pool; we will work on our
recruitment practices; we will seek to diversify our staff body
to reflect that our of community; we will show flexibility
and compassion for those in need; we will be inclusive in
consultation (recognising that this requires vulnerability and
risk, and the presumption of positive intent) and transparent
in decision-making.
We want to develop and grow all our people so that they
all leave saying (as some currently do) “I learnt more in
my years here than I did in the rest of my career”; we will
retain professional learning as an expectation and a right,
not a privilege or reward for individuals; we will review and
recognise development through each contract; we will run
annual tiered leadership courses open to all, not just leaders;
we will support postgraduate study.
We will continue to focus on our culture, foregrounding our
values. We will seek to reinforce the spirit of active listening
to understand (pausing, paraphrasing and asking mediative
questions); we will rely on our Community Agreements
to reinforce the culture we want; we will depersonalise
differences by pointing to data; most of all, we will be kind
and open and vulnerable.
Within Exceptional People and Teams and Curiosity and
Exploration lies the daily experience of our students and
our community, which are further defined through two more
strategic commitments.
Immersive Learning focuses on ensuring that our students
have rich experiences at school, within and beyond the
classroom. Our definition of immersive learning is when
students are deeply engaged in the challenge and joy of deep
and holistic learning; when the school experience speaks
not just to the intellect but also to values, character and
aspirations. Immersive learning leads to lifelong impact, and to
the sense of obligation to apply learning for the greater good.
Sense of Belonging allows that schools are defined by the
relationships that exist within them. UWCSEA is committed
to being a community where all individuals have a sense of
belonging, and where different identities and ways of being
are respected and valued. We recognise belonging for all as
an outcome of our individual and collective behaviours, and
that just as our current community finds belonging, so too
must our past community (alumni), and future community
(potential families and staff members).
Organisational theorist Henry Mintzberg once described
strategy as being akin to the blinkers on race horses—
something necessary to stop us from getting distracted. For
us, the UWCSEA Strategy is our Mission come to life, for
today and for the near future. It helps us to take the best of
the past and create a new future. Our Mission and Strategy
together provide the blinkered focus on both our deeper long-
term purpose and on the students in front of us today.
It would be wonderful to be able to set out a full roadmap of
the upcoming decade, one that clearly indicates the precise
steps and processes we can follow. In truth such maps are
impossible; but because we know our destination, we will
create the path by walking it. In the coming decade the
UWCSEA Strategy will ensure our gaze is looking forward and
backwards simultaneously, and that we carry the best of our
past with us, as we journey to the future.
References
Gardner, J. (1993). On Leadership. The Free Press. | n.a. (2021). New Map
of Life. Stanford Centre for Longevity. | Toulmin, S. (1990). Cosmopolis.
University of Chicago Press.
December 2023 Dunia | 5
6 | Dunia June 2023
From culture to choreo
Meet our student cultural ambassadors
for UN Night and CultuRama
When ticket sales for United Nations (UN) Night and CultuRama open, snagging tickets is always a mad rush for anyone who’s ever
wished to attend. Ask any of our lucky showgoers about their experience, and they’ll gush about the mind-blowing extravaganza
on stage, with several student-led performances representing the many countries that make up our UWCSEA community.
These yearly celebrations are more than just a showcase of spectacular performances by our students, they highlight our
community’s dedication towards embracing our diversity and valuing unity. What’s the secret behind the scenes, or perhaps the
question should be, WHO is behind the scenes? Meet the brilliant minds backstage—our cultural ambassadors! This dedicated
group of students are the masters of their own choreography, pouring their utmost effort into authentically portraying their
culture and traditions. Their goal is to cultivate a sincere understanding and appreciation for diverse cultures, fostering genuine
cultural awareness in every captivating performance.
MOHAMED ABEID, Grade 12, CultuRama Tanzanian Dance Cultural
Ambassador, East Campus
We represent a bridge between our country’s cultural heritage and the world. We
play a pivotal role in shaping creative decisions on the promotion and preservation
of the culture. I think the role of a cultural ambassador is important because it
ensures the preservation and accurate representation of the unique traditional
heritage of the specified culture.
I highly value open communication, which includes facilitating cultural workshops
to address concerns, clarify doubts, and emphasise the importance of respecting
and being sensitive towards cultural representation; this ensures we all share a
common understanding. From the moment I applied as a lead creator, I started
visualising the performance and drew inspiration from memories of my family and
my tribe’s cultural dances. I carefully selected songs that I believed embodied and
represented my culture.
After all the hard work, imagination, and hours of rehearsal put into the
performances, seeing it come to life on stage was the most captivating moment of
my experience. The dance moves, the music, and the smiles coming from my group
having fun as one big family were my favourite parts.
I will always cherish the profound sense of unity and collaboration that permeated
every aspect of this project, spanning from the intense rehearsals to the amazing
final performance. It was truly heartwarming to witness individuals from diverse
backgrounds and cultures uniting with a shared passion for representing Tanzania’s
culture as their own.
This experience has strengthened my connection to the broader
UWCSEA community by highlighting the power of shared values and the
mutual understanding that transcends differences, fostering a stronger
sense of belonging and a collective purpose within our community.”
COMMUNITY NEWS
6 | Dunia December 2023
SOKTHEARA, Grade 11, UN Night Cambodian Dance Cultural
Ambassador, Dover Campus
As cultural ambassadors, our role extends beyond planning, time management, and
execution. We’re responsible for representing our countries and people in a manner
that is both authentic and respectful.
Fostering a supportive learning atmosphere was my priority and I was committed
to creating a positive experience for all dancers, regardless of their backgrounds. I
gradually introduced the performance routine and checked in on everyone during
rehearsals. To me, success lies not only in sticking to the plan but also in our ability
to overcome challenges as a united team that respects one another. It also requires
adaptability to address any unforeseen circumstances that could occur during the
performance, such as wardrobe malfunctions or the dancers’ unfamiliarity with my
traditional costumes.
When preparing for the performance, I spoke to older members of my family and
even professionals in my country. I spent hours online researching and studying
cultural appropriateness and worked towards best representing my cultural attire
with tailors.
During the long break, I dedicated time to perfecting my dance, with the help of my
mum and grandma. I had up to two rehearsals weekly with my team, lasting up to
1.5 hours each. I also managed logistics, reviewed recordings and communicated
with the Drama department. We work closely with our dancers too, encouraging a
positive approach to learning new choreography with which they are not familiar,
and they meet us halfway with their readiness to learn/explore new cultures;
building our communication as a team beyond just dancing skills.
My favourite moment in this entire journey was right before our last performance.
My team members’ spirits and commitment ignited something in me, which is
almost indescribable. Even under incredible pressure, nerves, and exhaustion from
the back-to-back performances, we all were still cheerful and eager to give our best;
it made me truly appreciate and admire the team.
My determination to bring my culture onto the stage goes beyond my
own worries and fears, and it made me feel seen in our large, diverse
community. By embracing my own culture and learning from others who
were on the same journey, I realised that the support from members of
our community, made me feel so much more connected to UWCSEA,
and I’m already thinking of ways to give back to our community.”
Embracing our community
Being part of this richly diverse community presents us with the opportunity to explore, exchange and engage
with cultural ideas from around the globe. With UN Night and CultuRama, the world truly is our stage, where our
backgrounds and identities cross paths. Here, we get to dive into a melting pot of cultural ideas, exchanging and
engaging with one another to bring our diversity to life through dance. Once the curtains close, these experiences don’t
just entertain; they empower, enlighten, and leave us with a sense of unity and respect for one another that lasts far
beyond the applause.
December 2023 Dunia | 9
Shaping learning
and leadership beyond
the classroom
Leadership Symposium | Maia, Grade 12, East Campus
The Leadership Symposium is a club of passionate and driven students who are
dedicated to serving as the bridge between student leaders, club members, and
school staff. Our mission is to inspire, educate, and empower our peers by providing
a platform where they can connect with prominent leaders in Singapore, learn
valuable leadership skills, and build a strong community.
The Leadership Symposium offers a unique and immersive experience that
complements the UWC Mission and UWCSEA’s Learning Programme. We work
on ways to connect students with accomplished leaders in their fields, learn from
their journeys and explore various leadership styles and approaches. Beyond the
individual benefits, the symposium also plays a crucial role in building a sense of
community at UWCSEA. Throughout the year, we organise activities such as public
speaking workshops, team-building activities and reflection exercises that offer
students hands-on experiences. We also host an annual symposium, where we
invite influential leaders from various fields, such as business, entrepreneurship, and
social activism, to share their experiences, and provide insights and practical advice
to students on how to navigate the complex world of leadership. By participating in
these activities, students can develop their leadership skills, gain exposure to real-
world leadership scenarios, and create networks with experts in their chosen fields.
Our motivation is to instil the belief that leadership is not solely about titles but
about making a meaningful impact, developing essential skills, and fostering a
supportive culture and community.
As the founder of the Leadership Symposium team, I noticed a need for a support
system for student leaders at UWCSEA. This insight inspired me to initiate the
symposium, where I’ve provided strategic direction, collaborated with a dedicated
team, and organised events to empower student leaders, foster community, and fill
this gap in our school’s student leadership landscape.
What if you could transform your interests into an extracurricular activity
and have it integrated into the UWCSEA Activities Programme? Follow Maia
and Frank, student activity leaders on both East and Dover campuses, as they
share first-hand how they facilitate student agency through after-school
activities and experiences. Together with their activities leaders, they’re
committed to enriching the after-school activities programme with unique
student-led interests and ideas.
It’s important to us that students at UWCSEA have the guidance and
resources they need to thrive in their leadership roles and make a
positive difference in our school community and beyond.”
Being a part of the Leadership Symposium has been an exciting learning experience
for our team, we’ve discovered with many different paths to effective leadership
through collaboration, adaptability, and effective communication. We fully intend
to apply these skills as we navigate our education at UWCSEA and when we then go
on to graduate and face the challenges of the world beyond.
Student
agency
in action
COMMUNITY NEWS
10 | Dunia December 2023
As students, we’re always looking for opportunities to contribute
meaningfully, and by fostering connections among our peers, and the wider
community outside the classroom, we hope to take more steps in making
our education at UWCSEA a collaborative journey where we get to shape our
learning experiences.
We are part of the Student-Led Activities Wiki (SLAW) team, a group of students
responsible for reviewing new student activity proposals to ensure the quality
of sessions and then the promotion of these activities to students. Although
independent, we work closely with the Activities Department and other
student organisations to make sure our efforts are recognised and beneficial to
the community.
SLAW has a mission to ‘connect the student community’: matching the supply
of passionate activity leaders with the demand of equally enthusiastic student
members, to make the best and the most efficient use of their materials. Our team
understood the struggle many students face when it comes to deciding which
activity to join and what that process was like. We needed to raise awareness about
the various student-led initiatives offered under the Activities Programme, which
is a key component of our UWCSEA education. To us, successfully connecting with
the student community is when student leaders feel content and supported with
running their activities, especially with a group of engaged members.
To boost peer engagement, we worked with Mike Staples, the Director of Activities
on Dover Campus, to create the initial SLAW website for activity leaders. Building
the platform required web development skills and mobilising student and staff
resources. SLAW is now a dedicated team overseeing all aspects of Student-Led
Activities (SLAs), including website maintenance and updates; proposal reviews and
approval meetings; leadership training; activity promotion; sign-up and attendance
feedback. Following this year’s successful LifeCON, our first Student Life Convention
at Dover Campus, featuring student leaders from over 40 activities, we plan to host
it again to promote clubs and attract new student members.
Launching an initiative that is now integrated into the school processes has
been transformative. It has been a collaborative effort involving our team and
various school departments (Activities, Facilities, Communications, and more).
We’re determined to continue serving the community through SLAW, fostering
cooperation and empowering students to achieve more, by encouraging their
involvement in our student-led activities as a way to explore and nurture their
leadership potential.
Student-Led Activities Wiki (SLAW)
Frank, Grade 12, Dover Campus
I believe that with the overflowing talents and diversity that make up
our student body, the most valuable resource we have is each other.”
December 2023 Dunia | 11
A space for dreaming
The story of UWCSEA is a story of people and ideas. It is a story of successive generations of students, staff and parents, and of
countless acts of courage, resilience and purpose. Above all, it is the story of an idealistic mission, brought to life by people who
dreamed of a more peaceful and sustainable future for everyone, and took action to make it happen.
Our College today is the legacy of those who came before us, and today’s students are building their legacy for the next
generation. Just as we honour and remember those who have left our community, we must also create a space where this
generation can dream and plan the future.
Out of this belief in the importance of remembering the past while we dream of the future, the concept of a Dreaming Space
on Dover Campus was born. It is being built in part to remember Kaira Karmakar, our beloved Grade 11 student whose life was
cut tragically short last June. Kaira was an exceptional student who embodied the UWCSEA values and embraced everything
the College had to offer. She was an editor of Interscol, Secretary General of MUN, Chair of Ladakh Global Concern (GC), had
published her first book in 2020 and left behind a set of over 150 artworks. As she blazed a trail, no friend or acquaintance was
left behind. She collaborated, helped, supported, and shared her blessings freely.
The loss of a young person of such promise and potential feels like the loss of a whole future of possibilities. But Kaira’s dreams
and actions are not lost. They live on in her friends, in her work with Global Concerns groups, in her contribution to the Arts, her
care for others and her commitment to making a difference. In the same way, all those that our community has lost live on, and
the Dreaming Space is a place where we can go to remember them all and to dream of the future.
The space will be next to the Tent Plaza and will be sheltered by the four trees that currently stand on its edge. To this natural
space, we will add foliage and plants: Lantana to represent liveliness, energy and positivity; Sandpaper Vines to promote peace
and wellbeing; Plumeria for creation and recreation; Palm for resilience and openness. At the centre will be a Peace Lily, the
perennial, a symbol of hope and harmony. Benches will allow the community to sit in quiet contemplation before they take the
action the world needs, while solar-powered lights will make the space stand out in the darkness at the end of the day. A quiet
space in the hum of daily life on campus reminds us that all great action begins with an idea, often thought up during moments
of quiet.
A plaque in the space will remind us of its purpose. Construction is beginning and the space will be opened after the December
term break. We are proud to honour our former community members this way, and hope the space will inspire this generation to
build a legacy that matches the one they inherited.
If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.”
Isaac Newton
This Dreaming Space is dedicated to Kaira and all the dreamers and doers in our
community, past, present and future, especially those who went before us and
created a vision of a better future. We hope everyone who comes here will look
up at the sky, dream and look forward with hope. This hope should lead to action,
a commitment to building a better world for everyone.
“When she was young, she used to fly above the
green ground, and now she flies in the deep blue sky.”
From ‘Chasing Wind’
KAIRA KARMAKAR, 2006–2023, student, friend, author, dreamer
FEATURE
12 | Dunia December 2023
Design meets
purpose: new
East Campus
playground
Designed for students,
by students
The realisation of the playground for the
students, many now in Middle School, is
an example of providing authentic and
meaningful opportunities for students
to take ownership of their learning and
see the results of their hard work, effort
and agency come to fruition.
The journey from idea
to realisation
From request to completion, the East
Campus playground has been a student-
led project. Students were involved in
all stages of the process, from the initial
vision of what they would like their
play spaces to look like, collating and
organising student ideas, to deciding
on which of the different tenders and
proposals to choose.
With the goal of improving the student
play experience, the Student Council
have initiated many improvements
to their playground. This has included
adding a loose parts section for
imaginative and creative play,
purchasing other playground equipment
such as table top games, the addition
of a ‘community’ piano and the
development of a Friendship Corner.
As far back as September 2021 (yes
that’s at least how long the students
have been campaigning for this) the
Student Council Reps surveyed their
Primary School friends and collected
their ideas over many months. They
worked together knowing this was the
most effective way to make a difference.
With over 1,000 students in the East
Primary School, this was no easy task.
There were lots of different opinions
and ideas but it soon emerged there
was a need for different zones, namely
a Chill Zone, Creative Zone, Challenge
Zone and Zen Zone.
The process provided great learning.
Not all students agreed, some students’
ideas were even met with strong
resistance from other students and, as
expected, some ideas were not quite
practical; a Merry-Go-Round, water
park and an electric fence around a
football pitch, to name a few!
Pauline Markey, Primary School
Principal, East Campus (an excerpt)
Whose playground is it anyway?
Over many years, students on the
East Campus Primary School Student
Council have campaigned to have
improvements made to the playground,
gathering feedback, ideas, hopes,
dreams and suggestions from their
fellow students through their Student
Council Representatives (Reps).
The playground now stands as a
tangible outcome of students’ agency,
empowerment and leadership in their
learning journey. Through their hard
work and effort, they were able to turn
their ideas into a real playground that
mirrors their journey as changemakers—
curious, capable, and competent
individuals with rich potential and
valuable experiences in learning.
We strive to create the conditions for
students to be active participants in
their learning; competent in knowing
how to learn and how to act as co-
creators of their learning journey
and future. We want them to feel
empowered and have the efficacy and
desire to enact positive change and
inspire others to do so too, as our UWC
Mission compels us to do. We call this
student, or learner, agency.
Viewing students as curious, capable
and competent young people, rich
in potential who bring with them a
wealth of experience to their learning,
is a key feature of student agency.
There were also discussions about this
space and other playspaces and the
purpose of each.
Our Facilities Department were partners
in the journey. Aman Chauhan, Director
of Campus(es) Development and Elvin
Kwek, Facilities and Operations Manager
shared the ideas we collected with five
different companies who brought back
design proposals. This was reduced to
three designs that were then shared with
students to gather their feedback once
again.
The Facilities Team then took over,
attending to finances, budgets, country
of manufacturing, sustainability lenses
or, what the students termed, ‘the other
boring stuff … blah blah blah’. One key
requirement expected from the company
that would be awarded the tender, was to
be able to utilise some of the equipment
that was to be removed to make way
for the new playground, elsewhere for a
community that would benefit from the
equipment. We are pleased to share that
the company agreed to this commitment
and many parts of our old, previously
loved, equipment are being enjoyed by
children in a City Charity programme in
the Philippines.
After two long years, students returned
in August 2023 to a playground that
has transformed into a series of zones
where the opportunities for imaginative
and challenging play are endless. As
requested by the students, there are
areas dedicated to low, medium and
high intensity play. From ‘Gardens by the
Bean Bags’ to ‘Changi Airport – get ready
to fly’, this year’s students have been
involved in naming the different zones.
Over the past three months what has
become clear is that looking at the
physical features of the playground
nowhere near captures the scope.
This is only revealed by observing the
students’ interactions with each part
of it and how varied this is on any given
day. Only then do you capture the
true transformation; something quite
magical, where creativity, challenge and
imagination really come to life.
FEATURE
December 2023 Dunia | 13
INNOVATIVE SPACES
East Campus
Primary Outdoor Playground
Designed for curious young minds, the redeveloped playground on East Campus encourages
explorers to investigate the world at their own pace and with their own unique intentions.
Zones were set up to suit a variety of activity levels—from low to high intensity play.
Monkey swings
‘Creative’ spot
‘Chill’ spot
Swing set
Flying fox
‘Creativity Cove’
low active zone
These are dedicated spaces for low
intensity play and are made up of
smaller ‘Chill’ and ‘Creative’ spots
where students can dream up new
tunes on the community piano,
build the next miniature skyscraper
with building blocks or lounge in our
Gardens by the Bean Bags with a
good book. Students can take time
out to relax and chill in these spaces
whilst still enjoying themselves.
Climbing nets
Hammocks
Slides
‘Slidescrapers’
active zone
For children aged 6 and above,
this is the zone for high intensity
play with various challenging
components including
hammocks, climbing nets,
monkey swings, and slides.
‘Changi Airport–
Get Ready To Fly’
semi active zone
This zone is for medium intensity
play, suited for 5–12 year olds.
Within this zone children can
play on the flying fox, a swing
set, trampolines, spinner bowls,
wacky spinners and rock climbing
cubes. Needless to say, this is
a popular zone with students
during break time.
Scan the QR
code to read the
article in full
December 2023 Dunia | 15
By Kristjan, Grade 12, Dover Campus
and Jose Zarate–Mancilla, Head of
High School Film, East Campus
Grab the microphone and roll the
auto-cue! Self-expression takes centre
stage as students turn our everyday
spaces into outlets for entertainment
and creative expression.
Dover Campus:
Open Mic—a night of
spoken word
Get ready to be captivated by the
electric atmosphere of the Dover Open
Mic Night! Promising an unforgettable
showcase of talent, this newly-launched
monthly series hosted at the Heritage
Cafe, features staff and students
showcasing their creative prowess
through music, spoken word, and
comedy performances.
The reason I started Dover Open-
Mic was because I felt the lack of a
platform where students and other
members of the school could perform,
speak, and share their ideas. To quote
our events manifesto, “To give our
school community more possibilities
to perform and tackle the challenge
of publicly performing, a skill we’re
encouraged to master in school.” The
goal is to provide our community with
a platform for open performances
and the only thing that I would want
the audience and performers to take
away from the event is to feel that
their voices are heard, along with the
opportunity to connect with people
around them beyond the classroom.
“When I first heard about Kristjan’s
proposal to establish the Open
Mic event I was excited. The aim to
create an iconic event to increase
opportunities for quieter voices to
be showcased to the Dover Campus
community truly aligns with who we
want to be. One of the things I love
about working in a UWCSEA is that
student initiatives are encouraged, and
so the fact that this was coming from
a student was also very special. The
event was a joy to support—as Kristjan
was collaborative in his approach. We
know that storytelling and the Arts are
powerful ways for us to engage with
our differences and this event is perfect
for that. We hope to turn the Open
Mic event into a permanent feature
within our Dover Campus community
and by encouraging initiatives like this,
it showcases how brilliant ideas can
spread, amplifying their impact.”
– Ellie Alchin, Director of Teaching
and Learning
As High School students, we find
ourselves in a critical stage where our
independence and responsibilities are
growing. I feel that it’s important that
we have an avenue for self-expression,
FEATURE
to explore public speaking and
performance in an environment like
UWCSEA, that is warm and inviting.
This serves as a valuable springboard
for diving into the deep waters of
our future.
I hope to encourage more participation,
tapping into the hidden talents within
our community. With the involvement
of teachers in the performance
aspect, I want to break the notion that
teachers are just tools for academic
success, and through Open Mic, it is an
opportunity to showcase the diverse
qualities beyond their role as educators.
The atmosphere filled with cheerful,
encouraging people and helpful staff
gives a positive experience that every
performer needs.
I am hoping to get more and more
people involved with the event as
there is definitely more talent in our
community than any of us could think
about, and hopefully continue to grow
the Open Mic family.
Scan the QR code
for an Open Mic
recap:
Follow your creative spark!
UWCSEA students
16 | Dunia December 2023
East Campus:
tune in to the DragonsTV news
and variety show!
Have you tuned in to DragonsTV yet?
Get your weekly download of all things
newsworthy from their 10-minute
episodes! Run by students, this news
and variety show covers a range of
topics from school bulletins to fun
segments such as the adorable Pets
of East. With thoughtful, critical, and
occasionally casual discussions, our
student presenters both inform and
entertain their audience, delving into
topics ranging from student life to
global events and beyond. Letting our
audience in on the creative side of our
students, the show gives our students
a platform to express themselves
creatively while at the same time,
offering hands-on experience on how to
put a news show together.
Each episode is guided by three
essential questions: Does the content
empower, educate, and/or entertain
our audience? While it’s not mandatory
to address every point, every segment
should aim to cover at least one.
What makes this student-led activity
so unique is its ability to tackle both
educational and entertaining content,
allowing students the flexibility to
pursue and engage their passions and/or
interests in a professional environment.
Whether it’s facts about the weather
or animals, or behind-the-scenes roles,
everyone contributes by anchoring,
editing, or narrating segments aligned
with their interests and comfort levels.
The content showcased goes through a
vetting system we’ve put in place, and
the choice to implement any feedback
is offered to students, allowing them
the freedom to either incorporate it
or maintain their creative vision. It’s
acceptable if some segments don’t take
off; what matters is the learning process
and the commitment to keep trying.
Through persistence, trial and error, and
applying their lessons to subsequent
projects, students can eventually
produce a segment they take pride in
and that we can feature.
“DragonsTV is a great place to find a
like-minded community of people who
like film, public speaking, and working
behind the camera. It’s a great learning
environment where you’re involved in a
variety of tasks, whether it’s designing
the website, setting up lighting, or
filming an episode. It’s just a really fun
activity and it’s a great community with
people who are really supportive and
friendly.” – Chiara, Grade 8
What makes DragonsTV an inviting
space is that it is open to students
from Grades 6–12. This cross-grade
collaboration encourages a think-
Catch their episodes
here (Google sign-in
required):
outside-the-box mentality. It is very
hard, at any school, to make friends
outside of your grade level, having
students from all levels of Middle
School and High School in one room
allows the older students to mentor
the younger students and build
relationships. This is particularly
poignant when Grade 12 students are
on their way to graduate and have to
pass the mantle to their next group
of leaders.
“Since joining DragonsTV, it has now
become one of my favourite activities.
As an anchor and scriptwriter, I learned
a lot about current global issues. Being
an anchor has also taught me to learn
how to improvise if something goes
wrong. And the way we work through
making each episode connects us as a
team and with our audience.”
– Diya, Grade 6
find spaces for self-expression and entertainment
December 2023 Dunia | 17
Every year on 21 September, we celebrate UWC Day. The annual
celebration of the UWC Mission and values is an important day for all 18
UWCs around the world, as we collectively celebrate the UWC Mission.
Aligned with the theme, Shaping a Sustainable Future, our Dover
Campus held engaging activities like mulching for Primary School
students and a peace concert in the Middle School. High School
students connected with Heron Halloway, a World Wildlife Fund
speaker during their assembly time.
Simultaneously, East Campus students bonded across grades with
their buddies, enjoying diverse activities. These activities served to
develop a deeper shared and personal understanding of shaping
a sustainable future and included peer-to-peer talks, individual
reflections and shared activities. There was also an assembly featuring
music, circus, and gymnastics performances celebrating the talents
within the UWCSEA East community.
Let’s always cherish the strength and potential of our UWCSEA
community in fostering global peace and sustainability!
Celebrating
UWC Day!
Shaping a sustainable future
COMMUNITY NEWS
In collaboration with all UWC schools and colleges, the
UWC Sustainability website was initiated by UWC Robert
Bosch College, and endorsed by the UWC International
Office. Explore the website to discover our College’s
sustainability journey, along with insights from other
UWCs, the topics we care about, our activities, initiatives, and progress
towards achieving our goals for peace and a sustainable future!
18 | Dunia December 2023
December 2023 Dunia | 19
Learning for
today and the
future with iTime
By Andrea Strachan, Primary School Curriculum
Coordinator, Curriculum Research and Development Lead
and Geraldine Brogden, Primary School Instructional
Coach, Dover Campus
Every international school wants to educate their students to
meet the challenges of the future that they will live and work
in. At UWCSEA, this is embedded in our Mission: to educate
individuals to embrace challenge and take responsibility for
shaping a better world. But how do we design a curriculum,
and models of teaching and learning, that will help students
reach these goals?
At UWCSEA, we offer a bespoke curriculum that is tailored
specifically to the needs of our unique College and is
responsive to the diversity found within our community of
learners. It is informed by current research from around the
world in connection to learning outcomes and instructional
practices, and is concept-based. We also leave space for what
can be described as ‘the emergent curriculum’—this is the
curriculum that emerges from the child.
We are committed to finding space for this emergent
curriculum, and for students to have voice, choice and
autonomy over their learning. We want students to explore
their own interests and passions while developing both
academic and intellectual learning outcomes. Academic
outcomes are content-driven, and consist of acquiring
smaller bits of information (e.g., learning the alphabet
or multiplication facts). Intellectual outcomes are based
on the development of the mind, with an emphasis on
critical thinking, reasoning and wonder. Both academic and
intellectual outcomes are essential for preparing students for
learning and life both today and in the future.
The World Economic Forum has identified ‘skills on the rise’
in terms of competencies that are becoming increasingly
important in our changing world. These skills include creative
thinking, analytical thinking, technological literacy, curiosity,
lifelong learning and other essential literacies. UWCSEA has
also articulated its Mission Competencies which are the
knowledge, skills, understandings and dispositions that can be
identified as demonstrations of our Learning Programme in
OPINION
action. They emerge when students, and our alumni, mobilise
their learning in complex, real-world situations in service to
our Mission.
The five UWCSEA competencies described here reflect both the
breadth of our holistic Learning Programme and the ways that
students and alumni can be seen to be enacting the Mission:
• Essential Literacies: Critically and creatively integrating
and adapting literacies essential to supporting
communication and problem-solving in local and
global contexts
• Interpersonal and Intercultural Understanding: Engaging
with the cultures, politics and identities of self and others,
including the norms and values that underlie one’s actions
• Peacebuilding: Building peace in local and global contexts
• Sustainable Development: Engaging with complexity,
understanding multiple futures, taking the role of steward
and developing sustainable solutions within environmental,
social, economic and political systems
• Self and Community Wellbeing: Building wellbeing in
self and others, whilst supporting a sense of connectedness
and autonomy
In response to a need to create space for emergent curriculum,
and opportunities to nurture the development of our Mission
Competencies, students at Dover Campus Primary School are
provided with weekly opportunities to take part in iTime.
20 | Dunia December 2023