Ten Years at UWC Changshu China, Ten Shared Moments
Issue date：2025-10-31
A decade has passed, like the wind rustling through the reeds by Kuncheng Lake, gentle and fleeting, yet etched in every heart.
We remember the students who carried their bags into the mountains of Yunnan, their shoes dusted with red earth and their hands still warm from planting the seeds of “Learning by Doing.” We remember that remarkable summer of 2020 when young people from 68 countries reached through screens for a virtual handshake that transcended mountains and oceans. In that moment, distance did not divide us: it deepened our connection to one another.
We remember the earnest, heartfelt performances on Culture Night, the lab lights burning late during heated scientific debates, the sunsets over Kuncheng Lake as migratory birds carved paths across the sky. These moments, strung together like pearls on a thread, form the shared story of our years together.
A decade has passed. It’s time to look back and see how far we’ve come since setting sail from Kuncheng Lake. That wish we once made—to make the world a little better—has it been softened by time, or has it grown stronger, reaching ever closer to the sky?
These ten highlight moments are more than memories. They are the answers we have offered to time itself. In each one lives a youth that never fades, and a dream that never wavers.
On November 7, 2015, a grand opening ceremony was held on the newly constructed campus by Kuncheng Lake. The Chinese mainland welcomed its first United World College—and the world’s 15th—the United World College Changshu China. Distinguished guests from politics, academia, business, diplomacy, and philanthropy joined 129 students and faculty from 54 countries and regions to witness this milestone. Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan, then Honorary President of UWC International, attended and addressed the gathering.
Mark Wang, the founder of UWC Changshu China, spoke with deep emotion: the 15 years devoted to establishing the school were also 15 years of turning one person’s dream into a shared vision and a single conviction into fertile ground for education. He hoped to channel his own educational journey into creating a Chinese campus that would nurture students with ideals, purpose, and a global outlook in a multicultural environment.
The first “Zhi Xing” Project Week took students well beyond textbooks and into Ganhai Village in Yunnan. After flying from Shanghai to Kunming and then taking a bus to Wuding County, they shouldered their packs at the end of the road and hiked mountain trails to reach the remote village. As the pioneering cohort of UWC Changshu’s experiential learning program, they worked alongside villagers to build brick houses—bringing the spirit of UWC education to life in China for the very first time.
Since then, “Zhi Xing” has evolved into a multidimensional framework combining cultural immersion, service learning, and academic practice. It has consistently broken down barriers between the classroom and the real world, building students’ capacity to tackle systemic social issues—culminating in the 2018 international award for its HOPE project.
Today, the “Zhi Xing” program supports over 120 ongoing student-led projects, transforming the Eastern ideal of “learning by doing” into a sustainable, modern educational model. Students are encouraged not to rush to “become someone,” but to “discover who they are.” Learning takes root in the land, by the lake, in human connections, and across the globe—reshaping how students understand themselves, others, and the world.
In August 2016, the inaugural Mini-UWC Summer Program, initiated by the student group ASAP, was officially launched. Its creation stemmed from a simple aspiration of the founder Zhou Huahao (Class of 2017) and his team: the UWC experience was so transformative, yet accessible to so few. They wanted to break down barriers and share this journey of self-discovery and global connection with more young people.
Inspired by the vision of “opening a window for many,” they designed an eight-day program that captured the essence of UWC. Under the theme “Take Action, Change the World,” it brought together 50 participants from around the world. Through case studies, skill-building workshops, and partnerships with nonprofits, participants moved from simply recognizing social issues to actively designing solutions—helping to spread the spirit of UWC more widely.
Since then, Mini-UWC has remained true to its founding vision, growing into a well-rounded program that combines skills training, UWC campus life, and outdoor exploration. Each year it has introduced a new theme—ranging from 2017’s “Stepping Out, Challenge Yourself” to 2025’s “Windmill,” symbolizing growth and inner drive. Graduates of Mini-UWC join the wider UWC alumni network, allowing the influence that began in Changshu to spread across the world.
On October 19, 2018, UWC Changshu welcomed Their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway. Their visit revealed a powerful story of gratitude.
Two decades earlier, thanks to a scholarship established by Queen Sonja, a young Chinese student named Mark Wang—recovering in hospital after a plane crash—was able to study at UWC Red Cross Nordic in Norway. That experience changed the course of his life and inspired a dream: to one day bring UWC education to the Chinese mainland. In 2015, with the founding of UWC Changshu, that dream became reality.
When Queen Sonja visited the UWC Changshu campus, her presence was more than a diplomatic gesture—it completed a circle of kindness and support. Her generosity had not only transformed one young man’s future but also opened opportunities for students from over a hundred countries. It was a moment that embodied gratitude, legacy, and the enduring power of education: proof that a single spark can ignite countless others.
In June 2020, when the global pandemic made in‑person gatherings impossible, UWC Changshu organized an unprecedented hybrid graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020, scattered across 68 countries and regions. As classmates appeared one by one on the big screen, those on campus cheered and called out their names with excitement. Though they could only wave through a screen, the longing and blessings that crossed mountains and oceans felt especially heartfelt—piercing through pixels and touching hearts.
The four-hour livestream, which at its peak drew 5,000 viewers worldwide, became a unique moment among UWCs. With IB exams canceled and the community dispersed across the globe, it was the mutual trust and shared sense of mission between students and teachers that carried the school through and made the celebration possible.
The ceremony virtually reunited the community by Kuncheng Lake, sending out warmth and reassurance. And it offered graduates one final lesson in the “unity of knowledge and action”: that in a world full of uncertainty, we must continue to hold on to our ideals, embrace challenges, and move forward with resilience.
The One World Concert has long been a cherished tradition at UWC Changshu. In line with UWC’s mission of “uniting people, nations, and cultures through education,” it seeks to foster cross-cultural dialogue and understanding through music and the performing arts. As an important platform for arts education at the school, the concert is planned, organized, and performed entirely by students each year. It brings together artistic expressions from around the world, showcasing the beauty of cultural diversity and coexistence—where differences spark dialogue rather than build walls.
During the pandemic, when the world was physically divided, the theme of that year’s concert—“Building Bridges”—carried even deeper meaning. It became an emotional bond connecting hearts across distances. From the classical elegance of Vivaldi’s Winter to the heartfelt performance of Schubert’s Trio, from the explosive energy of the hip-hop dance Tomboy to a joint rendition of Ocean, My Hometown by students of many backgrounds, the concert demonstrated how art transcends language and geography, giving voice to emotions shared by all humanity.
On August 6, 2022, UWC Changshu and the Shanghai Noah Foundation entered into a strategic partnership through a donation agreement. As part of this collaboration, the Foundation established the Equal Educational Opportunities Fund, whose proceeds will sustainably support UWC Changshu’s scholarship program—removing financial barriers for outstanding students from diverse backgrounds.
The Noah Foundation’s mission to “support disadvantaged groups” resonates deeply with UWC’s vision of “uniting people, nations, and cultures through education to promote peace and sustainable development.” This partnership, grounded in shared values, demonstrates how philanthropy and education can amplify one another. It ensures that more young people will not be denied transformative opportunities simply because of financial constraints.
Since its founding, UWC Changshu has received strong backing from across society for its commitment to equitable education. This support has allowed the Scholarship Program to thrive, enabling talented students—regardless of family income—to complete their studies successfully. In doing so, the school has turned the principle of educational equity into lived reality, opening its doors to every young person with potential.
After a temporary hiatus, UWC Changshu welcomed back nearly 100 international students from more than 60 countries and regions. This has restored the vibrant diversity of a "mini-UN" to the campus by Kuncheng Lake, signaling the full resumption of the school’s international educational exchanges—and finally closing the chapter on the days of separation.
As buses loaded with new students rolled in slowly, one teacher remarked, “We’ve never met these students before, but we felt a deep longing while waiting for them—like waiting for members of our own family.”
Over the past ten years, UWC Changshu’s Chinese Culture Evening (CCE) has grown into a signature celebration of the school’s ethos: “most international, yet most Chinese.” Led by Chinese students and joined by peers from around the world, the event is both a platform for leadership and a vivid expression of UWC’s mission to promote cross-cultural understanding and peace. Through collaboration and shared experiences, students from diverse backgrounds step into each other’s cultural worlds.
The ninth edition, themed around the Year of the Dragon, set out to tell the story of China. The evening unfolded like a living scroll of civilization, with culture serving as a bridge between hearts and minds. Thai student performed scenes from the Kunqu opera The Peony Pavilion; Chinese and international students showcased martial arts together; and a guzheng–cello duet of Butterfly and Blue filled the hall with rich resonance. These were more than performances: they were moments of cultural dialogue, breathing new life into ancient traditions on a youthful stage.
Behind the scenes, more than 200 students and faculty spent five months preparing: arranging music, refining costumes, choreographing movements, and designing sets. Every detail reflected a commitment to sharing Chinese culture with the world. Each participant became an ambassador of exchange, bringing to life the vision of civilizations learning from and enriching one another.
In September 2024, UWC Changshu launched the world’s first Nobel Laureates Innovation Workshop tailored specifically for high school students. This 10-month program offers participants the opportunity to explore cutting-edge scientific topics, collaborate with leading researchers, and develop the skills and mindset needed to become future Nobel Prize-winning scientists.
Thirty students from 15 countries took part in courses led by Nobel Prize laureates in Physiology or Medicine and in Economics. Together, they conducted research and engaged in deep discussions—an experience that was both a meeting of minds and a catalyst for scientific discovery.
Inspired by this, a group of students led by Karen Tao (Class of 2025) launched the UWC Science Collective to share these opportunities with a wider community. From this effort came two initiatives: the inaugural UWC Virtual Scientific Conference and the Science Mentorship Program.
On June 23, 2025, the first UWC Virtual Scientific Conference opened under the theme “Science and Humanity.” It featured 27 UWC alumni speakers from leading global institutions, covering fields ranging from neuroscience to plasma physics. The first Mentorship Program paired 20 mentors from academia and industry with students from 13 UWC campuses and several universities. By turning scientific exploration into real research opportunities and career guidance, the spark of science spread beyond campus walls, lighting the way for young seekers of knowledge around the world.
✨A decade has passed, and UWC Changshu’s story is filled with countless shining moments. Here, we’ve shared only a glimpse.
📢Now, the “My UWC CSC Moments” collection begins:
Share your photos—whether campus scenery, event snapshots, or photos with teachers and friends. Add a short caption telling the story behind your photo, or share your most cherished UWC memory.
🎁 Special anniversary gifts await:
Top 3 posts by likes: Limited-edition 10th Anniversary hoodie
Posts ranked 4th–10th: UWC Changshu commemorative gifts
🌟 Submission deadline: 12:00 PM, November 7th. Winners will be announced in the comments. We can’t wait to see your unique UWC moments—together, let’s add another vibrant brushstroke to our decade-long journey.
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