Wellington Shanghai Celebrates its 10th Anniversary
Wellington College International Shanghai opened its doors on 24 August 2014, welcoming its first pupils and carrying on our vision of pioneering education to serve and help shape a better world. This year, we are excited to celebrate 10 years of building a global community through excellence in education.
Since its founding, Wellington College International Shanghai has grown into a thriving global community of over 1,600 pupils and 400 dedicated staff and faculty as well as alumni spread across the world. Today, we are proud that the second school to open in the Wellington College China family is now recognised as a leading international school in Shanghai as well as one of the top-ranked in the world.
Joy Qiao, Founder and Chairman of Wellington College China, remarked, "10 years ago, we embarked on an incredible journey when we founded Wellington College International Shanghai. We envisioned a school that would not only provide children with a world-class education but also foster international-mindedness and mutual respect through deep cultural understanding. As we look to the future, I'm filled with excitement and a profound sense of purpose. Our commitment to pioneering education to serve and help shape a better world has never been stronger. We are determined to continue being a beacon of excellence, not just for Shanghai, but for China and beyond."
In the past decade, Wellington Shanghai has marked many key milestones on its journey.
2012.11
Wellington College International Shanghai's groundbreaking ceremony.
2013.02
Shanghai Lujiazui Group signed a strategic partnership with Wellington College in England.
2015.10
Shanghai Lujiazui Group New Bund Investment Co., Ltd. signed the Wellington College Bilingual Education Framework Agreement with Wellington College in England.
2016.09
Ms Anna Shotbolt, then First Secretary and Head of Education and Skills of the UK's Department for International Trade, visited Wellington College International Shanghai.
2017.06
The College was already celebrating its first cohort of graduating pupils.
2018.02
Ms Theresa May, then UK Prime Minister, listened to our pupils' science project presentations.
2019
The grand opening of the Wellington College International Shanghai Early Years Centre.
Each step brought Wellington Shanghai closer to realising our vision of building a world-class school at the heart of Shanghai.
"As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Wellington College International Shanghai, I am delighted to congratulate Wellington College China, Wellington College's first global partner," said Sir Anthony Seldon, Founding Director of Wellington College Education. "Our global network has opened up exciting opportunities for our pupils and staff at Wellington College China. They have been able to learn, grow and develop through connections with sister schools around the world. I'm thrilled to continue our long-term collaboration, as we build upon the strong foundations laid over the past decade."
Along the way, our school has remained steadfast in its commitment to holistic education in academics, sports and the arts. Our pupils consistently excel, achieving outstanding examination scores and gaining admission to top-ranked universities, like Oxford, Cambridge, Brown and Caltech.
Beyond academics, Wellington Shanghai develops the whole child, nurturing their intellectual curiosity, creativity, character and wellbeing, all firmly rooted in our Wellington College China values of kindness, responsibility, respect, courage and integrity.
"Wellington has grown in so many profound ways over the past 10 years, and I don’t just mean enrolment numbers," said Brendon Fulton, Master of Wellington College International Shanghai. "With each successive year, our community has grown wider and stronger. We are increasingly better equipped to be a force for positive change in our community and the wider world, and that is the ultimate goal of a holistic education."
Wellington Shanghai has a full year of 10th-anniversary festivities planned. October, for instance, saw the College's inaugural Wellbeing Festival, in which pupils and community members engaged in workshops, talks and activities focused on themes like being active, learning, connecting, being mindful and driving positive change. The event was yet another example of Wellington's longstanding commitment to holistic education which has been a hallmark of the entire Wellington College Education network since its founding in the UK. The Wellbeing Festival culminated on 1 November with a special 10th-Anniversary Celebration Day, which brought the community together on campus.
At the heart of Wellington Shanghai is its flourishing and diverse community, which radiates from its home in the Qiantan New Bund Area to the rest of the world. For 10 years, Wellington Shanghai has nurtured a community of caring citizens who engage in ongoing charity and outreach activities that benefit communities locally and globally, demonstrating Wellington College China's unique ability to make a positive impact.
Xu Erjin, Chairman of the Lujiazui Group added, "In the past decade, we have been delighted to collaborate with Wellington College China, and it has been such a fruitful partnership. Looking ahead, we will strive to provide high-quality services to more global enterprises and organizations as we work together to build an international community in Pudong Qiantan New Bund. We look forward to building an even stronger partnership with Wellington College China as we open this new chapter of development."
As Wellington begins its 10th-anniversary year, we reflect with gratitude on the incredible families, staff and partners who have helped make this journey possible. It is thanks to them that Wellington Shanghai has blossomed into the thriving institution it is today. Looking ahead, more exciting developments are in the works too, as Wellington College China expands its global reach with Hiba Academy Bay Area, our first bilingual international school in the US. With this new addition to the group, Wellington College China will nurture even more global talents with its innovative bilingual education model. Here's to another decade of remarkable achievements and shared success.
