Our Vision

Our vision has three parts:

• Vision for our place
• Vision for our people, and
• Vision for New Zealand as our host

Vision for our place

“Our UWC will be a place of inspirational learning, personal challenge, and global awareness for talented young people, from around the world, with a passion to make a difference”

It will be a global village offering future young leaders freedom to excel, and the personal enrichment of living and working together.  Our UWC will value and promote:

• Curiosity, tenacity, team-work, and compassion¹
   
• Intellectual rigour² and competition of ideas
   
• Action, energy and creativity
   
• A rich understanding of complex global issues, and diverse cultures
   
• Experiential learning³ in our extraordinary natural environment
   
• A deep connection to New Zealand – its people, its environment, and the challenges it faces, and
   
• Participation based on talent and potential, without regard to background or means

1.  The first dot point above is taken from Kurt Hahn’s words: “...an enterprising curiosity, an undefeatable spirit, tenacity in pursuit, readiness in sensible self denial and, above all, compassion." - Kurt Hahn, 1941 – founder of Outward Bound and United World College movements

2.  'Intellectual rigour' includes high standards of critical thinking, academic achievement, and emotional intelligence. ‘Critical thinking’ means thinking for oneself (not following others); clearly distilling the underlying issues in a problem; gathering and analysing all relevant evidence; recognising any built-in biases; critically evaluating (with an open mind) the options and competing arguments; and only then, reaching a conclusion

3.  Experiential learning will be provided in conjunction with Outward Bound NZ, with whom we will have a close working relationship

Vision for our people

“Our UWC will produce outstanding global citizens with a passion to give back to others”

We will equip our graduates with:

• Rich global perspectives
   
• Excellent academic achievement and strong personal development
   
• The capacity to think about challenging issues with rigour and insight
   
• The courage to take action based on their independent thought, even when it is not popular or safe to do so
   
• The determination to strive to do the best they can, in every field of endeavour, and
   
• The desire to live with a generous heart, seeking to give back to others as a priority in life

 

With these tools –

“Our UWC graduates will give to the world a wonderful variety of innovative ideas and courageous actions that will improve the well-being of others around the globe”

 

 

 

Vision for New Zealand as our host

“Our UWC will: Project New Zealand to future young leaders across the globe  Forge invaluable relationships that extend and strengthen New Zealand’s connections to places of learning, trade, culture and friendship around the world, and  Establish New Zealand as an international centre of excellence in the development of global leadership for young people”

As John Allen, CEO NZ Post, has stated: 

“There is a real opportunity to leverage our people capability, landscape, and heritage of country to create something remarkable – something the world will look to and learn from”.  

We believe our UWC is such an opportunity.

 

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