IN FOCUS: NICK ALCHIN, HEAD OF COLLEGE, UWC SOUTH EAST ASIA

by Lucy Haydon, Editor Photos UWCSEA

UWC, which operates on two campuses here in Singapore, has a unique mission to educate their students to embrace challenge and take responsibility for shaping a better world. In this interview, the recently appointed Head of College outlines his vision and hopes for the future leaders they educate.

Tell us a little about the UWC learning journey.

It’s different for every student of course, but the journey is always focused on peace and sustainability. Our mission is to educate individuals to embrace challenge and take responsibility for shaping a better world.

We want every student to make a journey towards that goal, so that they become at peace with themselves as people, able to work with others from all different backgrounds and able to engage with those with differing views. The challenge is to help them to become adaptable and flexible as adults, without losing their own sense of identity.

They must be able to work in the world, the way the world is, but never to lose sight of the way they want the world to be. Maintaining that sense of optimism while being deeply pragmatic is an important lesson for us to pass along.

You recently stepped into the role of Head of College – what are your hopes and goals for the future?

I would say it’s less about my own personal goals, and more about how I can help move us towards our mission for the future. The extent to which I am successful or not is the extent to which I help move that mission forward. We want to work in partnership with parents, so one aim is to mobilise the community and ensure our families understand what we are striving for, and support decisions about priorities in our plans to reach those goals.

There is always the possibility for more radical rather than incremental change a group working with the Apex Harmony Lodge, which is a house for people with dementia I have personally been involved with. This has evolved over time into a project aiming to create a Music Therapy healthcare solution that is scalable and accessible, with the potential of reaching dementia patients across Singapore and beyond. rather than- for example we have just announced our plans to move away from GCSEs in the future. If there is a different type of education which still delivers those goals, we should be open to considering that as an option.

The correlation between dementia patients and music is already established, and our students began looking at which genres of music bring the most positive responses, curating Spotify playlists. Now, they are looking into an AI app to use algorithms to build on this, based on the patients’ responses. These changes are being driven by students aged between 14-18 years, having to consider IP, legal implications, using sensors to monitor neurological reactions…. it’s incredible how much they can achieve through their passion, curiosity and with the right support.

What topics have captured the students’ attention and imagination the most this year?

The standout topic would be sustainability, not just in climate change but more broadly, in how we can run our own business practices in the most sustainable way. We can see students’ anxiety about the future, and their passion and interest to make positive change.

For example, spending time in countries with those from a different socio-economic background, and making a significant difference over time, aligns well with our mission of service, but this would be difficult when there are GCSE teaching and exam timelines to consider. Opportunities like these could give our students a considerable advantage with new experiences and new perspectives.

How does UWCSEA interact with and support the local community?

In so many different ways with a range of projects! The idea behind all our community programmes is to identify a genuine need which the students can support through service, so that both parties genuinely benefit.

We try to have meaningful interactions with our students so that they engage with people they may otherwise not cross over with. For example, we have

A few years ago, we redesigned our uniform, going all the way through our supply chain in evaluation, and the students helped with that project. One of our sister schools has since also adopted the uniform as a result. In another example, we work with our business partners to teach our enterprise classes. How do you look at food waste? How can we measure and operate efficiently in our use of energy? Students can understand through this holistic approach how they can make an impact in a corporate environment.

We have made both of our campuses smart buildings, with sensors and a control center in each. These have been designed to be student-friendly for all ages as a teaching tool, from primary students understanding through basic charts how Singapore’s weather makes a difference to our solar panel output, to older students using the data in their research projects. We can measure water leakages, air quality, energy output, etc., and we have had interest from the Singapore and Malaysian Governments in our approach to facilities management. For our solar panel installation, which is one of the largest in Singapore, out students pitched the concept to our Board and then worked on the physics and practicality of the currents needed to operationalise it.

The second theme would be innovation. We’ve recently built innovation hubs on each campus and have been involved in competitions around Singapore with various projects from sustainability solutions to robotics. Innovation doesn’t just have to be led by technology, but of course it is often connected. It’s about problem-solving, being curious, and seeing the possibilities for changing things for the better, which again leads back to our wider mission.

How do you see the commercial side of our member network working together with the students in the future? Are there key skills and topics which our members could support with?

I would love to see increased engagement between the business community and our students, to partner with us outside of the academic curriculum and open students eyes to future careers and experiences. Internships for Grade 10 students and career fairs are opportunities we welcome for the benefit of both sides, as well as welcoming business leaders to speak to the students on topics they are passionate about, or opportunities for students to join the audience at events where they can learn.

About UWCSEA

UWC South East Asia is a united, welcoming community that embraces students and their families from around 100 different nations. The second member of the UWC Movement, the College was opened by Lee Kuan Yew as Singapore International School in 1971. SIS became the United World College of South East Asia in 1975 and has gradually expanded to become the K–12 international school of over 5,600 students across two campuses that it is today. For more information visit uwcsea.edu.sg