UWC Changshu China appoints Head of School
The interim Board of the proposed UWC Changshu China is delighted to announce the appointment of its founding Head of School, Robert Clarence. Robert will join UWC Changshu China in August of 2014 from Kongsberg International School in Norway.
Mark Wang, Chair of the interim Board of UWC Changshu China, notes that the appointment comes at the end of a thorough and extensive recruitment process. “We are delighted to appoint Robert to the role of the founding Head of UWC Changshu China. He brings with him a wealth of experience – for instance, in founding Beaulieu College and in bridging social gaps in post-apartheid South Africa. He has always placed the highest value on the sort of holistic, experiential and personally challenging education that the United World College movement is known for and he will be instrumental in defining the ethos of the newest UWC campus in China.”
The Director General of UWC Changshu China, Xiaohang Sumner, adds, “We are very excited to welcome Robert into our founding team. Robert is a true team player who engages deeply with local community and culture. His collaborative and multicultural skills will contribute to the success of this unique UWC with a Chinese character.”
Robert’s extensive career has seen his holding Head of School positions in four countries: South Africa (his native country), Spain, Portugal and Norway. In post-apartheid South Africa, Robert was Headmaster of St John’s College, one of the country’s leading independent schools, before he became the founding Head of Beaulieu College. In Portugal, Robert was the Principal of St Dominic’s School, a world renowned International Baccalaureate school.
Robert completed a Bachelor’s Degree (Honours) in English and History at Rhodes University (South Africa) before proceeding to the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, where he was awarded a Master’s Degree in English.
“I am profoundly honoured to be appointed as the founding Head of UWC Changshu China. I have always admired the UWC movement as a force for positive change in our world. It will be wonderful to be part of the dynamic team which will establish UWC Changshu China in one of the most vibrant areas on our planet. I am privileged to be entrusted with the task of helping to realize the dreams and aspirations of the people who have helped to create the UWC Changshu China project,” says Robert.
UWC Changshu China is established by the UWC National Committee of China with the generous support of the local Changshu government in Jiangsu Province in eastern China. UWC Changshu China aims to use education as a force to unite people and nations in the pursuit of peace and a sustainable future. Once established, more than 500 students, aged 15-19, will be selected from around 100 countries to study and live together in a purpose-built lakeside facility. The school will build a purposefully diverse student and staff body and create opportunities for students and staff to engage in meaningful dialogue about differences in values, beliefs, traditions and viewpoints. UWC Changshu China aims to help not only the outside world to understand China better, but also young people from China to engage with and better understand the world in which they will play an increasingly significant role.