Our Inaugural Parents as Partners Conference
In this time of rapid change, when parents, pupils and educators face shared choices, what paths best prepare us for the future?
On 13 December, under the theme Decoding the Future of Education Together, Wellington College Education (China)’s inaugural Parents as Partners Conference took place at Wellington College International Shanghai. Nearly 300 parents and pupils from Wellington and Hiba schools in Tianjin, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nantong, alongside prospective parents and industry leaders, gathered to explore the practice and possibilities of genuine home–school partnership.
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In a changing world order, what kind of talent does the future need?
As the lights gently dimmed, a warm and heartfelt video of pupil interviews slowly came into view, marking the opening of the inaugural Parents as Partners Conference. On screen, the children — some innocent and lively, others sincere and pure — painted tender portraits of their parents. In their words lay a quiet yet profound sense of gratitude and love, deeply moving all who watched.
Afterwards, Ms Joy Qiao, Chair of Wellington College Education (China), took to the stage to deliver an insightful opening address. She noted that shifts in the global landscape are reshaping what we mean by talent. Drawing on the OECD’s Education for Human Flourishing: A Conceptual Framework, she outlined five core competencies future talents should develop: understanding the world, appreciating the world, ethical competence, adaptive problem solving and acting in the world. She believed that these abilities are not only essential for children to develop, but also qualities that parents should cultivate and refine in their journey of guiding and accompanying their children.
“I hope we can, together, appreciate our children free from ambition, free from anxiety, and free from clinging, for they are the loveliest view in the landscape of our lives.”
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This perspective was echoed in the keynote by Mr Josh Ding, Managing Director and Partner at Boston Consulting Group. In A New Development Era of China: From Business to Talent, he combined data with cross-economy comparisons to map current economic and industrial trends. Even amid new geopolitical and industrial realities, he stressed, there is opportunity—provided we nurture a generation ready to seize it and embrace change.
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How can we ignite a child’s inner drive?
Compared with their parents’ generation, Generation Z grew up with greater material abundance and more relaxed conditions. Yet plentiful external resources can bring inner uncertainty. Blurred goals and a lack of direction may dampen the willingness to explore.
To address this, the conference hosted a panel discussion, Cultivating Inner Motivation: Empowering Pupils for a Flourishing Future. Moderated by Dr Yang Yang, Master of Wellington College Education (China) – Tianjin, parent representatives from across campuses shared life stories and career journeys, offering diverse perspectives on how to foster intrinsic motivation.
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When a pupil’s path is set, who should write their future?
Parents want to guide with experience. Pupils want to chart their own course. The conference brought this familiar tension to the stage, inviting parents and pupils to debate, listen and reflect together.
Arguing for the motion, parent representatives drew on law, philosophy, the humanities and science to affirm the value of parental involvement in life planning, speaking with reason and example. Arguing against, pupil representatives cited historical figures and personal convictions to assert that a life should be authored by the individual.
The debate was spirited and thoughtful. Its value lay less in winning than in learning to see from another vantage point. When family bonds are warm threads rather than binding chains, understanding and reconciliation become possible.
Accompanied by a singing and piano performance from a Wellington College International Shanghai pupil, the conference concluded. The ideas voiced and the exchanges shared will resonate with participants long after the event.
Returning to the opening question: There is no single solution in education. It is an ongoing conversation—seeking, through dialogue and collaboration, the approach that fits each relationship. The future is uncertain, but in the present we can choose to move forward together.
The Parents as Partners Conference offers space for parents, pupils and schools to listen to one another. Through such gatherings, Wellington College Education (China) widens channels of communication so that every exchange becomes a starting point for mutual understanding and every meeting of minds points towards a shared horizon. In a journey that mixes uncertainty with opportunity, Wellington College Education (China) remains committed to partnering with pupils and families now and in future.
