23 minute read
UWCSEA Governance and Leadership
OVERVIEW
UWCSEA is committed to the highest standards of corporate governance. The UWCSEA Board of Governors recognises good governance as critical in supporting the school in achieving its mission and educational goal. Good governance begins with the Board of Governors and requires that they set the tone for the organisation. The Board of Governors is one of the principal bodies with the fiduciary obligation to ensure that the College acts to further its stated objectives, and that the College has appropriate systems in place to properly account for and safeguard the funds and assets of the College. The Board of Governors works closely with the management and stakeholders of the College to shape the vision, chart the major directions, and develop programmes and initiatives to produce a strong and enduring impact for the College in Singapore and beyond.
UWCSEA BOARD OF GOVERNORS
The UWCSEA Board of Governors currently comprises 16 members. The Board includes respected business and industry leaders, academics, educators, entrepreneurs and professionals. All members serve on a voluntary basis.
Size, Committees and Meetings The maximum number of Governors is 21. The Board has seven committees: • Education and Talent, which sets and oversees education and talent management strategies • Foundation Investment and Disbursement, which provides strategic direction for the Foundation’s investments and oversight of its disbursements and investments • Finance and Infrastructure, which oversees the College’s finances and its physical and digital infrastructure • Governance, which is responsible for nominations and governance matters • Audit and Risk, which oversees audit and risk matters • Engagement, which is responsible for improving the engagement and outreach of the College locally and globally, including the UWCSEA Foundation • Committee of Chairs, which functions as a coordinating and management committee among the Chairs of the Board and Committees Governors periodically re-evaluate the committee structure to ensure it is effective, strategic and forward-looking. The Board meets four times each year. Each Governor is usually a member of one committee, which also meets a minimum of four times per year.
Board Effectiveness Review Following the Heidrick & Struggles report (made available to the College community in May 2019), a Constitutional Review Steering Group was set up in 2020 to address the following: • improving documentation to clarify the role of the Board and Management to all stakeholders • creating efficiencies by streamlining Board and committee papers • improving induction and support for new Governors and Advisers • providing useful and tailored training, engagement and team building opportunities for Governors, Advisers and management In 2020/2021 the Steering Group made progress in all areas outlined above; work is anticipated to conclude in the 2021/2022 year. It is envisaged that the outcomes of the review will include the formation of two new working groups; Governance Practice Working Group and Strategic Planning Working Group. Additionally, it is likely that the constitutions of UWCSEA and UWCSEA-East will be amended to incorporate changes to modernise language and clarify roles and responsibilities in order to create a more transparent governance structure.
Composition The Board consists of three groups of Governors: • Ad Personam Governors – the majority of Governors are appointed by the
Board itself through a rigorous selection process. Many Ad Personam Governors are parents of current students of the College. To ensure the Board benefits from independent thinking, there are also several non-parent Governors • Ex officio Governors – in 2020/2021, the College President remained
Carma Elliot, CMG OBE • Interested Party Governors – these are elected directly by their constituencies and include two parent-elects and two teacher-elects, one from each campus.
Governor Recruitment, Selection and Induction The Board recruits Ad Personam Governors through a robust process that responds to clearly defined skill requirements for the Board. Candidates are normally first co-opted as Advisers to Board Committees. New Ad Personam Governors are usually only selected from that pool of Advisers who have served on a Committee. Appointments are based on an assessment of the following factors: • professional skills and fit with Board requirements • role models for UWC values, culture and alignment with the mission • demonstrated ability to contribute to a Board • past contributions to UWC/service institutions • impact on Board diversity • leadership potential • positive impact on government relations There is a comprehensive induction programme for all Advisers and Governors that includes information about the College and the Board, an induction session with the Board Secretary, and meetings with the Chair of the Board and other Governors.
Term Limits and Reviews Governors serve a maximum of two, three-year terms. Only the Chair may serve up to two additional terms of three years. The College and the Board holds its Governors and Advisers to a high standard and regularly evaluates each Governor against the following criteria: • is prepared for meetings • listens to and challenges others, when appropriate, while maintaining an atmosphere of respect • contributes and participates in a manner consistent with UWCSEA values • has made meaningful contributions to key decisions • attends most meetings and is highly attentive when present • contributes overall Whistle Blowing Policy The College has a Whistle Blowing policy through which members of the UWCSEA community may, in confidence, raise concerns about possible wrongdoing or improprieties in financial or other matters within the organisation. The Board thoroughly and appropriately investigates matters brought to its attention through the policy and takes appropriate follow-up action.
Conflict of Interest The College policy requires Board and staff members to disclose any conflict of interest in the performance of their duties. In the case of the Board, the policy requires Governors and Advisers to report potential conflicts to the Governance Committee, which may impose remedies specific to the situation.
Policies on corporate and individual behaviour The Board also adheres to the College’s policies on corporate and individual behaviour, including the Board of Governors Guidelines, Confidentiality Policy, Harassment Policy, Staff Safeguarding Code of Conduct, and the Equal Opportunities, Access and Disabilities Policy.
Commissioner of Charities Oversight The Board has adopted best practices in key areas of governance that are closely aligned with the Code of Governance for Charities and Institutions of a Public Character (the “Code”). In line with the Commissioner of Charities requirements, UWCSEA’s Governance Evaluation Checklist and new Transparency Framework can be found via the Charity Portal website www.charities.gov.sg.
All information correct as at 31 July 2021.
Madan Menon
(appointed 1 September 2020) Ad Personam Governor Chair of the Board Chair of Committee of Chairs
Benjamin Hill Detenber
Ad Personam Governor Education and Talent Committee
Stefanie Green
Interested Party Governor – Parent Elect UWCSEA Dover Education and Talent Committee
Pamela Kelly Wetzell
Interested Party Governor – Common Room of UWCSEA East Governance Committee
Heather Carmichael
Ad Personam Governor Chair of Education and Talent Committee Audit and Risk Committee Committee of Chairs
Priti Devi
Ad Personam Governor Chair of Engagement Committee Committee of Chairs
Vivek Kalra
(retired 21 January 2021) Ad Personam Governor Finance and Infrastructure Committee Finance and Infrastructure Investment SubCommittee
Ruby Lee
(appointed 21 January 2021) Ad Personam Governor Governance Committee
Mark Porter
Interested Party Governor – Common Room of UWCSEA Dover Education and Talent Committee
Seng Chee Ho
Ad Personam Governor Education and Talent Committee
Leon Toh
(appointed 21 January 2021) Ad Personam Governor Engagement Committee Finance and Infrastructure Committee Finance and Infrastructure Investment SubCommittee
Sajjad Akhtar Dimple Sanghi
(appointed 2 March 2021) Ad Personam Governor Chair of Finance and Infrastructure Committee Chair of Finance and Infrastructure Investment SubCommittee Chair of Finance and Infrastructure Facilities SubCommittee Committee of Chairs
Ad Personam Governor Interim Chair (to 31 August 2020) Vice Chair (from 1 September 2020) Chair of Finance and Infrastructure Committee (to 21 January 2021) Chair of Finance and Infrastructure Investment SubCommittee (to 21 January 2021) Interim Chair, Committee of Chairs (to 31 August 2020) Chair of Governance Committee (from 21 January 2021) Committee of Chairs
Subodh Chanrai ’82
(resigned 21 January 2021) Ad Personam Governor Chair of Governance Committee Committee of Chairs
Jonathan Forth
(appointed 19 July 2021) Ad Personam Governor Audit and Risk Committee
Surinder Kathpalia
Ad Personam Governor Chair of Audit and Risk Committee Governance Committee Committee of Chairs
Caroline McLaughlin
Interested Party Governor – Parent Elect UWCSEA East Engagement Committee
Kim Teo ’76
Ad Personam Governor Foundation Investment and Disbursement Committee Governance Committee
Carma Elliot CMG OBE
Ex-officio Governor – College President Education and Talent Committee Engagement Committee Foundation Investment and Disbursement Committee Finance and Infrastructure Committee Finance and Infrastructure Investment SubCommittee Governance Committee
Andrew Budden (resigned 31 December 2020)
UWCSEA BOARD ADVISERS
All information correct as at 31 July 2021.
Philip Motteram (resigned 31 December 2020) Steve Okun (resigned 12 January 2021) WT Cheah (resigned 31 December 2020) Brian McAdoo (resigned 5 March 2021) Prabhat Ojha (resigned 20 October 2020) Leon Toh (transitioned to Ad Personam Governor 21 January 2021) Jonathan Forth (transitioned to Ad Personam Governor 19 July 2021) Ruby Lee (transitioned to Ad Personam Governor 21 January 2021) Dimple Sanghi (transitioned to Ad Personam Governor 2 March 2021) Daire Dunne
Rahul Raj Tara Garson Flower Sharon Heller (appointed 10 December 2020) Vivek Kalra (transitioned to Board Adviser 21 January 2021) Hyunggee Chung (appointed 18 March 2021) Chas Pope (appointed 18 March 2021) Yukiko Izumi (appointed 17 June 2021) Anthony Hodge (appointed 17 June 2021)
UWCSEA/UWCSEA-EAST/UWCSEA FOUNDATION COMMITTEES
All information correct as at 31 July 2021.
Audit and Risk Committee Surinder Kathpalia, Chair Heather Carmichael Jonathan Forth Anthony Hodge (Adviser) Yukiko Izumi (Adviser)
Education and Talent Committee Heather Carmichael, Chair Seng Chee Ho Benjamin Detenber Carma Elliot CMG OBE Mark Porter Stefanie Green Sharon Heller (Adviser)
Engagement Committee Priti Devi, Chair Caroline McLaughlin Leon Toh Carma Elliot CMG OBE Foundation Investment and Disbursement Committee
Daire Dunne (Adviser), Chair Kim Teo ’76
Carma Elliot CMG OBE
Finance and Infrastructure Committee (FIC) Dimple Sanghi, Chair Leon Toh
Carma Elliot CMG OBE
Vivek Kalra (Adviser and Adviser to FIC Investment SubCommittee) Hyunggee Chung (Adviser and Adviser to FIC Investment and Facilities SubCommittees) Tara Garson Flower (Adviser) Rahul Raj (Adviser to FIC Investment SubCommittee) Chas Pope (Adviser to FIC Facilities SubCommittee) Governance Committee
Sajjad Akhtar, Chair Carma Elliot CMG OBE
Surinder Kathpalia Pamela Kelly Wetzell Kim Teo ’76
Ruby Lee
Committee of Chairs
Madan Menon, Chair Sajjad Akhtar Heather Carmichael
Priti Devi
Dimple Sanghi Surinder Kathpalia
UWCSEA STRATEGY 2018–2023
UWCSEA STRATEGY 2018–2023
During the 2020/2021 year, the campuses continued to enact the UWCSEA Strategy, based on the Strategic Vision which describes the intended five-year outcome in each of four Areas of Focus. The four Areas of Focus identify 10 strategies that have become strands that will help the College to realise these outcomes. These strands then guide planning and decision-making for campuses, schools and operational areas at the College. During 2020/2021, each campus and operational area continued implementing the multi-year plans for projects that are bringing these strategies to life. Some strands were prioritised to receive focus, while other strands received less focus as the outcomes were on track, and others were identified as being a focus in the final year. The priority was necessarily different on each campus given the operational maturity and priorities of each, as identified in the campus-specific strategies that are reviewed each year. The Board of Governors oversees progress through a report on an Area of Focus at each of the four meetings during the year, while the senior leadership teams monitor the detailed projects. The global pandemic continued to impact the operations of the College during the 2020/2021 school year, and as in the period March–July 2020, operational reprioritisation and strategic, compassionate response to the changed conditions for students, staff and families characterised much of the year. The following pages highlight the 2020/2021 outcomes of the campuses’ progress towards the UWCSEA Strategy 2018–2023 in each of the four Areas of Focus.
UWCSEA STRATEGIC VISION
Students will be equipped with the qualities and skills to become compassionate, engaged global citizens who seek to make a positive contribution towards peace and a sustainable future. To achieve this, a diverse, united and caring College community will focus creatively on students learning through a dynamic, holistic programme that supports individuals, their wellbeing and their readiness for an uncertain future.
Effective operational practices provide for the College’s long-term future in Singapore.
EDUCATION AS A FORCE PEACE AND A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
UWCSEA STRATEGY
AREAS OF FOCUS A UNITED COMMUNITY
OUR STRENGTH AND CAPACITY
Education as a Force At UWCSEA, we educate our students to impact on individuals and society in accordance with the UWC mission. Through a holistic Learning Programme, students develop the skills and qualities (which meld to form the UWCSEA Learner Profile) to fulfil their potential and become life-long learners and ethical agents for change. We understand educational excellence to be manifested by student learning across all five elements of our Learning Programme. This spirit of excellence, balanced with a serious commitment to wellbeing, will help inspire our community to rich experiences and high achievement. Our innovation will align with our values. We will take scalable, safe-to-fail approaches to probe and test the boundaries of our strategies and practices. Within the contexts of Singapore and our Learning Programme, we will seek to be inclusive and diverse, in accordance with our definitions of these concepts, and we will recognise the importance of intercultural competence. Key developments during 2020/2021 year:
Strategy E1: Extending Excellence
• Adoption of new guiding statements following consultation across learning leadership • Grade 9 and 10 First Language programme curriculum development • Planning and development of blended learning models to support remote learning, including teacher professional development
Strategy E2: Deliberate Innovation
• Extensive course and curriculum development for
UWCSEA Grade 9 and 10 programme on both campuses • Development and delivery of on-campus Outdoor
Education programmes • Innovation@East initiative launched to stimulate entrepreneurial student activity
Strategy E3: Diversity and Inclusion
• Language Policy review completed and established language philosophy • Commenced review of the written curriculum through a DEI lens • Development and implementation of ARDEI plan • All leaders participated in Courageous First Steps training • Continued pilot programme to raise teacher capacity to support individualised learning styles
Peace and a Sustainable Future EDUCATION Our community is AS A FORCE strengthened by diversity and united in common purpose. On local, national and global platforms, we will seek to engage with and impact positively on individuals and communities who hold similar, disparate and diverse ideas. All members of our community should understand Peace to include concepts such as justice, equality and human rights and to be more than the absence of conflict. Our Learning Programme will help seed and nurture these concepts. We aspire to promote Peace in all of its contexts—for the individual, our communities and our global societies. We will embed structures to support learning for Peace and its systematic implementation across the College, and develop meaningful links with like-minded organisations that are in pursuit of the same goals. Sustainability as a systemic response means aligning ourselves to the UN Sustainable Development Goals to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all within the means of nature. We will engage with these challenges by deepening our intellectual and moral capacities, and building our collective wisdom. We will develop our curriculum to ensure that sustainability is woven into all five elements of our learning programme from K–12. We will also develop our community’s capability in systems thinking. Key developments during 2020/2021 year:
Strategy P1: Working for Peace
• Pilot of early childhood Peacebuilding Unit of Study on Dover Campus
Strategy P2: Sustainability as a Systemic Response
• Further embedded Sustainable Development topics within the learning programme eg Grade 9 and 10 First Languages course • Extension of environment-focused learning spaces on both campuses including completion of Stage 1 of Dover Green Heart and installation of recycling centre on East • Marine conservation learning initiatives installed on both campuses • Initiation of sustainability mapping project • Focus on systems thinking, including professional learning for teachers
PEACE AND A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
A United Community A strong College community, based on shared values, is fundamental to our success. Our community members will demonstrate respectful attention to diverse needs and perspectives, and compassionate engagement with others. We seek to promote the educational significance of UWC residential life and will seek to harmonise the best of the day and residential experiences. We will strengthen relationships with one another, between campuses and with those outside our immediate community of students, staff and parents. We will build strategic relationships that extend our reach and deepen our impact. We will intensify the focus of the UWCSEA Foundation, enhance Alumni engagement, and continue to dedicate an agreed percentage of our annual turnover to scholarships. Our fundamental responsibility to our community members is to keep them safe, well and secure at all times and in all situations. We will continue to develop robust safeguarding practices, and empower our community to identify and respond to safeguarding situations. We will implement policies, practices and programmes to support staff and student wellness and safeguard everyone in our community. Key developments during 2020/2021 year:
Strategy C1: Strengthening our Community
• Adoption of new values after Values in Action review; began work on Community Agreements • Implementation of recommendations of external
Residential Boarding programme review • Community engagement plans implemented in partnership with parent community groups • Implementation of alumni internship programme
Strategy C2: Keeping People Safe and Well
• Campus visitor management and safe work processes adapted to COVID-19 requirements • Continued focus on extending Activities programme through term-time and holiday enhancements • Investment in staff and student wellbeing programmes and initiatives • Policies, protocols and practices for Work From Home developed and implemented for administration staff • Professional learning programme in support of
College Safeguarding policy and practices extended to all associated staff Our Strength and Capacity
A UNITED COMMUNITY UWCSEA puts people, not systems, first. Our plan for sustainable growth will be transparent and support our community, while reflecting and responding to current realities and future possibilities. We will guarantee the financial security of the College while balancing present and future educational, environmental and organisational needs. In order to retain education as our focus, we recognise the necessity of humane, sustainable and effective systems. We will develop operational systems that set a positive, data-informed culture around rigorous practices, adhering to all external regulatory requirements. In adapting to any changes, we will support our community and protect the College’s ethos and values. We will establish decision-making processes and leadership structures that enhance operational effectiveness while retaining flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances. Key developments during 2020/2021 year:
Strategy S1: Ensuring Long-term Financial Sustainability
• Investment sub-committee implemented process of reviewing management of College reserves • Reconstruction of Science Block on Dover Campus following a fire
Strategy S2: Embedding Effective Systems
• Launch of new website, portal and communication platforms for staff and parents • Launch of online procurement system • Commenced review of application management systems • Review of EAL application review processes to create alignment with strategy
Strategy S3: Establishing Effective Decision-Making Structures
• Recruitment of Head of Risk and Safety • Commenced UWCSEA Foundation renewal project • Establishment of Tender Evaluation Committee • Streamlining of College policies management and review process • Continued progress on Constitutional Review by working group
OUR STRENGTH AND CAPACITY
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
Our goal is to educate individuals to embrace challenge and take responsibility for shaping a better world. In order to prepare our students to meet this ambitious goal, our holistic learning programme has been deliberately designed to encompass five interlinking elements: academics, activities, outdoor education, personal and social education and service. These elements combine to provide our students with a values-based education that develops them as individuals and as members of a global society. Through the learning programme, students develop disciplinary knowledge, skills and understandings alongside the skills and qualities of the UWCSEA Learner Profile. Opportunities to develop the skills and qualities identified in the UWCSEA Learner Profile are embedded in all five elements of the programme. Where a meaningful connection is made, intentional development of a specific aspect of the UWCSEA Learner Profile is explicitly linked to the associated benchmark, indicating the profile skill or quality that is being developed. These are used in our communication to teachers, students and parents.
STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT: DEFINING AND EMBEDDING MISSION COMPETENCIES
In 2020/2021, the competencies identified in the previous school year through a Learning Programme review conducted by the Learning Leadership Team were agreed in consultation with staff and the wider community and have been embedded in the UWCSEA Guiding Statements. Mission competencies are actions that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, understanding and dispositions students gain from our learning programme. They emerge when students, and our alumni, mobilize their learning in complex, real-world situations in service of the mission. The competencies reflect both the breadth of our holistic learning programme and the myriad ways that students and alumni can be seen to be enacting the mission: • Essential Literacies – Critically and creatively integrating and adapting literacies essential to supporting communication and problem-solving in local and global contexts. • Interpersonal and Intercultural Understanding – Engaging with the cultures, politics and identities of self and others, including the norms and values that underlie one’s actions. • Peacebuilding – Building peace in local and global contexts. • Sustainable Development – Engaging with complexity, understanding multiple futures, taking the role of steward and developing sustainable solutions within environmental, social, economic and political systems. • Self and Community Wellbeing – Building wellbeing in self and others, whilst supporting a sense of connectedness and autonomy. These mission competencies were used in the development of courses to be offered in the UWCSEA Grade 9 and 10 Programme, several of which were introduced on Dover Campus in the 2021/2022 school year.
LEARNING IN ACTION
The five elements of our learning programme complement each other to create a whole that is greater than the sum of the parts. This is a carefully planned and purposeful process, where students develop understanding in disciplinary and interdisciplinary ways. For example, students gain deep disciplinary understanding in our academic programme, which may be applied in outdoor education or service when students encounter and grapple with real world situations.
The case studies included in this section of the report were selected to illustrate the learning taking place across the College, highlighting both the concept-based nature of the curriculum and the intentionally interconnected nature of the five elements of our learning programme.
UWCSEA STORIES
STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT: CREATING INTENTIONAL LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY
Linguistic diversity is an important part of how the College understands diversity; deliberate consideration of a students linguistic profile helps to inform our admissions decisions and the multi-year programme to expand and enhance the College’s language frameworks made further progress in the 2020/2021 year. In 2020/2021, the review of the languages policy resulted in an agreement between the campuses of a shared Languages Philosophy and Policy, and further action to communicate these shared definitions and to embed understanding across the community about the extensive and nuanced languages programmes offered by UWCSEA took place. The cross-College Language Philosophy aims to ensure that, as far as possible, the diversity of languages spoken by our students are valued and utilised in learning, and that there are adequate opportunities for students to maintain and develop these languages. The focus of the work this year therefore remained on becoming a more inclusive and interculturally competent community and building capacity in staff, resources and facilities so that speakers of languages other than English in our UWCSEA community are encouraged to maintain and celebrate their home language and culture. You can read more about these efforts in the Academics and Personal and Social Education pages of the Student Achievement section report, as well as in the Community section. During the 2020/2021 school year, curriculum development for a new UWCSEA First Languages course for Grades 9 and 10 was completed; details can be found in the Academic section of this report. Further initiatives to support students across the school took place; a language survey for incoming Infant School students was extended to include all incoming students, and a linguistic landscaping project was planned. Artwork and translated signage, which was created in a collaborative project involving students, language teachers and both campuses facilities committees, was installed during the 2020/2021 end of year holiday. This focus on supporting students’ first language development has seen far reaching and long term programme development, and the strengthening of initiatives such as the previously reported Home Languages Programme (HLP), which supports learners as young as K1 to maintain their home language through lessons in small classes with a qualified teacher. In 2020/2021, the HLP on East Campus further developed to include: • Community Languages Programme for staff and parents who want to learn or develop a language and understanding of the cultural norms and customs of a linguistic group and who are beginners in the language • Foreign Language and Culture Programme (FLCP) for students in Grades 2-12 who want to learn the language and culture of a linguistic group, and are beginners in the language
OPERATIONAL RESPONSE: READYING AND RESOURCING FOR AN UNCERTAIN YEAR
As the College commenced its new school year with uncertainties regarding the ability of families and students to obtain entry to Singapore (whether via relocation or when returning from holidays) the need to provide learning continuity and a smooth start to the school year became a more pressing priority as the uncertainties created by the pandemic wore on. The two overall guiding principles for the College’s response to the challenges of COVID-19 response and the need to support students (and their families) who had to commence the year in remote learning were: • provide continuity of education for students, applying best practice in remote learning, while continuing to adapt and change according to student, parent and teacher feedback • prioritising providing emotional support and mental health initiatives, while ensuring the sustainability of the College for future generations As the challenges of responding to the needs of remote learners who were scattered throughout the globe became apparent, the College leadership ensured staff and students were able to continue learning by putting in place measures to resource and support the community. This included hiring a number of additional teachers, creating a permanent pool of relief teachers to provide support for students not yet able to come to Singapore, as well as provide continuity for students in the school should their teachers become ill or need to travel for compassionate reasons. When students and families arrived into Singapore, the online support became a transition programme designed to help students settle into their classrooms and campus, and for families to join our school community. In this report, each of the elements of the learning programme contains a highlight story on the College’s operational response to in the challenging conditions created by the uncertainty of the global pandemic.
