UWC Asia-Pacific Committees meet in Hanoi
UWC Asia-Pacific Committees meet in Hanoi
Sunday, 13 July 2008
Every two or three years, the UWC National Committees from the countries of the Asia-Pacific (like the other regions of the world) meet together. The aims of the meetings are manifold, including to maintain personal and professional contact with the personnel of the UWC International Office in London, to maintain excellent, frank and open relationships with the Heads of the Colleges, to engage in professional development, to hear about proposed changes in the UWC Movement and to contribute to the consultative processes surrounding proposed changes.
The UWC National Committees are one of the wonderful, unique and (for some) surprising facets of the United World Colleges Movement. Although the precise structures and functions vary from country to country, these voluntary groups are responsible for publicising United World Colleges in their respective countries, for fundraising, and perhaps most importantly, for selecting the students on merit who will be awarded places to attend one or another of the United World Colleges. I understand that about 6000 people work voluntarily with the 122 National Committees around the world each year - some in the selection process, others in administration, fundraising, publicity, and so on.
The Asia-Pacific committees met in Hanoi this week, and together with representatives from several of the other Colleges, I felt privileged to attend the meeting, both in my capacity as Head of Li Po Chun United World College in Hong Kong, and as Secretary of the UWC Hong Kong Selection Committee. This was the second meeting of Asia-Pacific Committees I have attended, the previous one being the meeting I hosted a few years ago on the campus of Li Po Chun UWC.
The agenda for the meeting was very full and diverse, covering such areas as processes used to select students, preparing students for residential College life, recent developments in the International Office and the International Board, fundraising, various methods of funding full or partial scholarships, learning about the new UWC that will open in Maastricht (Netherlands) in August 2009, the work of the National Committees Development Committee, looking towards the Global National Committees meeting in February next year, and examining the sustainability of National Committees.
As always, one of the most widely appreciated sessions was the question-and-answer session with the Heads who were present. Among the issues raised during this discussion were pastoral support for students, the need for firm rules and policies, discipline of students, selection of students (especially those who do not fit into ‘usual’ profiles) and communication between Colleges and National Committees. Of course, from my perspective as a Head, a great deal of very valuable communication also occurred over meals, tea breaks and dinners; these informal chats are always extremely valuable, and the highly encouraging and extremely affirming comments received on a one-on-one basis about Li Po Chun UWC from all the National Committees present were music to my ears. It will be a great joy to share the appreciation expressed to me with my staff and colleagues when we meet in about five weeks from now to start the new academic year.
It was humbling to share time with the members of the Asia-Pacific National Committees this week in Hanoi. They are an extraordinarily gifted, committed and caring group of volunteers who give generously of their time and energies with no thought whatsoever of personal reward, other than knowing that they will provide unique life opportunities for meritorious young people who could never otherwise have such an opportunity to receive a quality education. It is a privilege to be a partner in educational formation with such fine people.