United World College (UWC) is a Global Education Movement offering world class education to students from over 100 nationalities.

Education, Private Schools

October 11, 2023

3 min read

Lorrie Holmes

UWC (United World Colleges) includes a network of international schools, colleges and national committees working to make education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.

UWC schools and colleges deliver a challenging and transformational educational experience to a deliberately diverse group of young people guided by UWC’S core values.

UWC’s CORE VALUES

Celebration of difference
Personal responsibility and integrity
Mutual responsibility and respect
Compassion and service
Respect for the environment
A sense of idealism
Personal challenge
Action and personal example
International and intercultural understanding

UWC’S GLOBAL EDUCATION MOVEMENT INCLUDES A UNIQUE NETWORK OF UWC SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

Inspired by the pioneering German educationalist Kurt Hahn, UWC was founded in 1962, with the aim to promote peace.

Today, 18 UWC schools and colleges on 4 continents offer world class education to students from over 100 nationalities. While four of them include children and young people aged 2-19, the majority focus on the 16-19 year old age group and teach the worldwide recognized International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. Community services, creative activities and outdoor challenges play an integral part of UWC’s experiential approach to education.

AN EDUCATION INDEPENDENT OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC MEANS

UWC believes in deliberate diversity and the importance of education being independent of the student’s socio-economic means. Currently, over 80% of National Committee-selected UWC students in the IB Diploma years receive either full or partial financial assistance.

A VOLUNTARY-RUN SYSTEM SELECTS STUDENTS LOCALLY WORLDWIDE

UWC students are selected based on potential through UWC’s unique national committee system: a network of more than 4,000 dedicated volunteers who promote the UWC movement, find, interview and select students in more than 155 countries. Learn how to apply here!

Through a wide range of strategic partnerships with governments, educational organizations, youth organizations, orphanages and refugee camps, UWC reaches a high proportion of students who would not otherwise have access to high quality academic programmes. Younger applicants to UWC schools also undergo selection at local level.

MAKING AN IMPACT

A UWC education is the beginning of a lifelong journey guided by the UWC mission to contribute to a more peaceful and sustainable future. To date, UWC has inspired a worldwide network of more than 60,000 alumni, working and acting across the globe in a vast spectrum of areas towards a more peaceful and sustainable future.