Keynote to Finalsite University, Singapore Feb 2023.
Welcome everyone to the United World College of SE Asia, Dover Campus for two days at Finalsite University. As part of a global network of 18 Schools and Colleges, we know full well how important it is to share ideas, perspectives, to be prompted from our usual ways of thinking and we hope you will have a rich and rewarding time here. We can take this session as our matriculation event, and when we graduate in a couple of days I know we will all have been enriched by dozens of dozens of sessions covering the latest digital marketing and communication strategies and enrollment best practices, from Finalsite and colleagues from schools across the region.
My name is Nick Alchin, I am the Head here at UWCSEA in Singapore. As someone who joined as a young Maths teacher in 1995, newly-wed, pre-internet, fresh off the boat, as we used to say, I used to think I was quite an old-timer here. So it was a moment of humility for me, a few weeks ago, when we hosted some of our original alumni – some of whom graduated before I was born. And as I prepared for this brief introduction – The Challenges and Opportunities of International Education, the stories of these alumni stayed with me – and here I mean their life stories, for which school prepared them, and I was reminded, again and again that school is not just about school; school shapes people’s lives; for better or worse. It’s a dramatically powerful force in our societies; it shapes their very future. So, school has to be about something bigger than just school.
Of course, this is nothing new. Plato believed that education was one of the keys to eradicating evil. In the 15th century, Ignatious Loyola said “Give me the boy, I give you the man”. Last month the Singapore Education Minister Chan Chun Sing talked about “the ability to connect and bridge divides must be [schools’] defining characteristic, to value-add to a fragmenting and fractious world… Our definition of success must go beyond how much we achieve for ourselves, to how much we contribute to others and the larger good. That will be our mark of true distinction as a society.”
So I would suggest to you plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. – the more it changes, the more it’s the same thing. And that’s really my theme for today – that while there is, for sure, the need to meet new realities and challenges, there is also much that endures in what we know is good schooling, and what endures for our children, not least the basic human condition, and we should draw comfort – where we can – that progress is possible; indeed more than possible; it is manifest in many areas. But it is hard won and there is much to do.
So The Challenges and Opportunities of International Education. It’s really important that we educators, look at the big picture here. Rest assured those in other sectors are doing so (if we work in schools, we’re all educators, by the way, as far as I am concerned. Not just the teachers). And while we can debate exactly what an international education might be, one fundamental truth about international education is that it is enabled by, and is an enabler of, the phenomenon of globalisation. We do not always think of education like this – often we fancy education somehow sitting apart, in some rarefied sacred space. Well, I shall argue that education is indeed sacred in its own way, but that does not somehow exempt it from being part of our global system. People will not, generally, move around the world to live and work if in doing so they cannot educate their children in ways they want to. More positively, the chance to experience different cultures and systems, and for our children to do so, is a reason that many of us have moved around the world. I expect this is true of many of us in the room, it certainly is for me and my family.
That education is part of globalisation is not always part of our conscious narrative as educators. But listen to politicians and business leaders speak about education and it’s clear; and it is certainly true here in Singapore, where International Schools do not report to the Ministry of Education, but to the Economic Development Board, part of the Ministry for Trade and Industry, who see international schools as part of the national infrastructure.
So – in a different way to national education systems – we are explicitly all part of that process of interaction and integration among people, companies, and governments worldwide, which has accelerated and led to unprecedented international connectivity.
What might this mean for us? Are we happy with this? Are we happy that we have contributed to, and almost certainly benefited from globalisation? It’s not a question we often ask ourselves – as I have mentioned, we may see ourselves as apart from the system – but the situation we face demands we ask. What situation do I mean?
Climate emergency shows actual and potential collapse in our ecosystems
Global inequalities are increasing with wealth increasingly narrowly concentrated
Political instability and extremism are on the increase
The pandemic happened, and is still happening
The possibility that Artificial Intelligence will exceed human capability is being described as potentially “worst event in the history of our civilization.”
These situations are inextricably linked to globalisation.
On the other hand, zooming out a bit
Just 200 years ago, 85% of the world population lived in extreme poverty. Today that figure is 9%
In 1800, average worldwide life expectancy was 30 years. Today it is 72 years.
In 1800 the richest country in the world then (the Netherlands) had a life expectancy of 40 years. Today, there are no countries where life expectancy is below 50 years.
Every single country in the world today has a lower infant or child mortality rate than it had in 1950.
The number of people in extreme poverty has fallen by an average of 137,000 people every day for the past 25 years. That’s 50 million a year.
Now, why have I started today with these topics? (Sorry if it’s a bit soon after breakfast for such indigestibles). I remember an ex-colleague feeling rather exasperated by the big issues, saying ‘we’re just a school!’. But I think he was completely missing the point. All the global developments I’ve mentioned are based on intellectual and social developments used the right way; and all global threats I have mentioned can either be solved or exacerbated through intellectual and social developments, used in either the right way or the wrong way. So morals are critical. And we, as educators, play a critical role in both the intellectual and moral development of our students. So the triumphs I have mentioned (there are plenty more) arise in part from education. The threats also (and there are plenty more there too) arise from education. We have a role to play here
There is much there for us, as educators, to be proud of. And much that we must seek to improve. We are all part of the globalised system; even if we are trying to change it. In fact, I would say – not all will agree I know – that we have the best chance of changing the system, guiding it to better ends, from within. For us, our role is developing the next generation to be better than we are, and our primary means is through the intellectual and moral growth of our students. So let’s look at each of these in turn, and ask what it means for us.
Intellectual Growth. You might argue that the intellectual aspect of schools is uncontested. And I think, to be honest, in International Education more than some national systems that may be largely true. But not entirely. There are plenty of pressures on international schools. There is, clearly, pressure to excel in exams at the expense of deep learning (as an aside – it’s one reason we are developing our own Mission-aligned Grade 9, 10 programmes to replace GSCSEs, and why we are partnering with IB on their development of a different, even more explicitly values-driven joint UWC-IB Diploma; the first IB development of this type in 50 years and one that we hope will roll our globally in due course). We need to avoid the testing tail wagging the curricular dog; that’s a well-trodden path and I won’t say much more about it here other than to say we need to do better, and teach systems thinking, sustainability and peace alongside history, maths, theatre and the like.
And there is the wholesale view of education as simply a service to other “more important” sectors. Let me quote then-CEO of Exxon (and subsequently U.S. Secretary of State) Rex Tillerson: “I’m not sure… schools understand . . . that we, the business community, are your customer. What they don’t understand is they are producing a product at the end of that high school graduation”. It’s not an uncommon sentiment, heard at many levels, even within schools, but I think it’s profoundly mistaken. It’s not that schools need to be wrapped up in the proverbial ivory tower, insulated from the realities of what students will face, but the truth is that no-one knows precisely what the future is, and often those who tell us the future is so uncertain are often those most certain of exactly what we need to do – or more often buy – to prepare for it.
This is a communications conference, not one on pedagogy or curriculum, so let’s ask simply
what do we communicate to our colleagues, teachers or support staff, students, and parents about our commitment to intellectual growth?
Do we somehow convey the message that grades or university acceptance data are the same thing?
Do we accept quirky people with specific passions? Do we model intellectual curiosity and willingness to engage in debate and even change our minds?
Do we ask ourselves tough questions: why are we teaching that? Is that still relevant? Does it serve some foundational purpose, imbue some essential skill or develop some conceptual understanding? Does knowledge always come wrapped up in subjects, or can we be more creative?
And if you are not a teacher, it’s still for you to ask these questions – perhaps you can see more clearly than we teachers, who may sometimes be so close to things that we need your help to allow us to step back and reevaluate.
Of course the knife of intellectual growth can cut two ways, so let’s turn to the second consideration – moral wisdom. Now, to some extent each generation has to re-invent wisdom, as it’s a different category to information, or knowledge. But here again, for all the folly we see in the world, there has been progress in education – not least that schools increasingly have Missions and curricular goals that extend beyond the vacuous “future-ready” or values neutral “leaders who can make a difference”. The basic expectation of our profession should be, and increasingly, is that we develop character, and values, as well as impart knowledge. The ubiquity of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, of Human Rights and of Environmental issues speaks to an increasing awareness of the normative, moral imperative on us. So again, as communications professionals we can ask
are we discussing our moral positions internally? How can we strike the right balance between respecting all views and having strong specific moral beliefs?
Are we projecting our moral beliefs transparently and coherently to our whole community?
Are we sufficiently foregrounding the moral dimensions of our work?
Are we offering our students a scaffolded, developmentally appropriate progression through experiences that are likely to lead to deeper moral thinking? And how do this while avoiding indoctrination, which is to say, becoming a cult?
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I have spoken about intellectual growth and about moral wisdom. And it’s not even 10AM. Both are, at root, about being part of something bigger than yourself; about recognising the world, and other people, nations and cultures, and ultimately oneself, as joined in one immense interconnected system. If we can get these two aspects right, or at least not too badly wrong – then the next generation may, via intellect, guided by wisdom, do great things. Some students will amplify and accelerate the good aspects of globalisation; some will question, slow down, and mobilise to dampen the unwelcome aspects. None of this happens quickly, but with steady determination, much can be achieved. Bill Gates allegedly said we should not overestimate what we can achieve in two years, but we should not underestimate what we can achieve in ten. This is a profound truth.
As a result of our work and the work of previous educators, lifespans have been and will be further lengthened; diseases have been and will continue to be cured; poverty has been and will be further alleviated; environmental issues have been and will be solved; injustices have been will continue to be addressed. Many lives will be changed; some will be saved.
Our job as educators and communications professionals is to do the work; advertise it’s value; bring others into it; spread the results. Our job is to persuade, enlighten and inspire. These are the Challenges and Opportunities of International Education. It is noble work, and I know this conference will help us to do it better.
Thank you.
6 Responses
Dear Nick,
It is a source of great delight to bear witness to and admire the abundant and diverse range of viewpoints that you have proffered. However, in my considered opinion, your argument, while elegantly expressed, is deficient in terms of tangible evidence and compelling logical reasoning.
The notion that schools must operate within the confines of something greater than the educational sphere is a perspective that has been around for centuries. This is certainly not a revolutionary concept, and it is not one that requires additional academic debate or dialogue. Moreover, even though it is conceded that the challenges besetting our world are intertwined with globalization, I contend that this perspective is far too broad and lacks any substantial foundation.
Your argument would be strengthened by providing examples of how schools have contributed to improving the global system through intellectual and moral development. The absence of such concrete evidence in your discourse may lead some to conclude that the ideas you have presented are based on mere conjecture and generalizations. In addition, the significance of your statements regarding the importance of moral development and the dangers of indoctrination must not be overlooked. However, you have not specified how exactly one might differentiate between indoctrination and the development of moral character.
Your commentary implies that education constitutes a crucial component of the global system, yet it is not entirely clear how this supposition is grounded. What are the mechanisms through which schools contribute to the greater good, and how exactly can schools influence global politics, the economy, and social structures? In my estimation, a more extensive and intricate exposition is indispensable.
Although the concepts you have advanced are undeniably stimulating and deserving of further scrutiny, the absence of specific illustrations and persuasive corroboration undermines the cogency of your arguments. I suggest that a more rigorous and substantiated approach may allow for a more significant and valuable contribution to the discourse on international education.
(My reply will be in two sections as it is too long for one! Here is part 1)
Hi, thank you for taking the time to read and respond to my post. I can see you’ve given it considerable thought and in the spirit of healthy discussion, I will respond to your points one by one.
“The notion that schools must operate within the confines of something greater than the educational sphere is a perspective that has been around for centuries.”
I entirely agree and made this point most explicitly in para 3 where I said “Of course, this is nothing new”
“Your argument would be strengthened by providing examples of how schools have contributed to improving the global system through intellectual and moral development”.
So the systems underpinning globalisation are things like aviation; shipping; technology; the internet; food preservation; crop-enhancement… These are all dependent on advances in physics, engineering, mathematics, biology, chemistry, economics – all of which begin at school.
The moral position is that we are now increasingly likely see all humanity as valuable – this was not true several hundred years ago where casual cruelty and prejudices were not just practised, but accepted as the norm (of course it’s far from perfect now, but there is least some truth to the initial chapters of Pinker’s Better Angels of our Nature where he undertakes a toe-curling examination of the past). Most schools now teach moral frameworks, thinking and action in some form or another. It seems likely to me that these two things are linked.
“ However, you have not specified how exactly one might differentiate between indoctrination and the development of moral character.”
You are correct and I did not set out to achieve that (difficult) task. I agree that it is an important distinction and one that I have from time to time addressed obliquely in various blogs, but perhaps I should address it directly in a future post.
In the case of this post, it was never intended to be a deep unpacking of social systems and nuances of moral development (which is a great topic, though, for sure); it is a 10 minute keynote speech delivered to a room of communications professionals who were, I am sure, eager to get on with a full day of networking, ideation and learning.
part 2:
“Your commentary implies that education constitutes a crucial component of the global system, yet it is not entirely clear how this supposition is grounded.”
Again, I agree and I would not say that I implied this; I would say I assumed it. You are of course at liberty to make a different assumption; but suppose every school and teacher disappeared tomorrow, by magic. What effect would there be on the global system in 10 years, 20 years, 50 years? I suggest it would be vast. Or to put it another way; why do many parents invest so many resources (financial, moral, time) into their child’s education? I assert / assume it’s because they think it makes a huge difference to life’s trajectory (that’s my position as a parent, certainly). So if we aggregate all those huge differences for millions of children, and these children grow up in a global system, I think it a reasonable position to say that education constitutes a crucial component of the global system.
“What are the mechanisms through which schools contribute to the greater good, and how exactly can schools influence global politics, the economy, and social structures? In my estimation, a more extensive and intricate exposition is indispensable”.
More extensive and intricate exposition *is* needed, I couldn't agree more with your estimation. My own view – as a parent, Head, and professional who has taught, visited or consulted in dozens of schools – is that I have faith in the UWC pursuit of Mission; we educate children in a rigorous and values-aligned academic framework. That is what we do. There is less proof there than I would like – just as we as parents have faith that we make a difference to our kids. We know it; but hard to quantify in extensive and intricate exposition. If this post was a doctoral study rather than a keynote speech then I hope I would have done this topic due justice.
“Although the concepts you have advanced are undeniably stimulating and deserving of further scrutiny, the absence of specific illustrations and persuasive corroboration undermines the cogency of your arguments. I suggest that a more rigorous and substantiated approach may allow for a more significant and valuable contribution to the discourse on international education.” Fair enough – “stimulating and deserving of further scrutiny” is perhaps the purpose of a keynote, so I’ll take that as a compliment :-). A further aim might be to invite others to the conversation if so, it has succeeded in that it has drawn you in!
Like the proverbial vegetarian in a butcher’s shop; if you are looking for something in this post that I was not seeking to provide then you will most certainly not find it. I do believe that you may have mistaken the purpose of this keynote, but I am equally delighted that you have taken an interest and have brought plenty of thinking to the table. Perhaps I can address some of these ideas in future blogs. Thank you.
Sincerely
Nick
Hello Mr. Alchin,
It's always such a great pleasure to read your writing and thinking on education… have missed your regularly weekly posts.
What you wrote here highlighting the moral dimension of education is hugely important but seems to me to face an uphill battle in modern society. As you mentioned, there exists a certain utilitarian fashion to reductively view education as being in service of industry and business, and perhaps of this, an unhealthy focus on the tangibles – exams results, university admissions – that threaten to drown out the intangible – moral growth, intellectual curiosity.
And with regards to what the previous commentor pointed out on the challenge between distinguishing moral education and indoctrination, I am reminded of an short-lived episode in the 1980s where the Singapore ministry of education ministry introduced a compulsory course in secondary school called Religious Studies with six options drawing on the Judeo-Christian, Islamic, Confucian, Sikh, Buddhist, and Hindu traditions. High-profile international scholars and academics ranging from history to ethical philosophy descended upon Singapore as consultants on the project (I recently found out one of my intellectual heroes, Yu-Ying Shih, was involved), but after six years it was scrapped due to increasingly complex issues that had to be navigated from various religious and advocacy groups, parents, and teachers.
I wonder if this highlights a challenge that may present as an opportunity for UWC and international education in general. The schools are professedly secular which is of course is right and necessary. However, its students often come from backgrounds situated in their various religions, cultures, and moral frameworks, and if not engaged with, these important parts of their identity retreat into the background of their education just as globalization threatens to bring about global cultural homogenization. While a global set of common values has arisen and enabled humanity's recent progress and could form the foundational basis for a moral framework in education, maybe a more active engagement with the ethical traditions is what is necessary to reinvigorate and inspire that deeper experience of moral and intellectual growth.
This would bring about one of the great potential virtues of globalization, that of bringing neglected perspectives and voices to the light of day. Some of my most deeply enlightening experiences have been discussions with peers coming from different backgrounds on their perspectives about different topics. Those that I still remember vividly – arguing (in good faith) on the just punishment for different crimes with a classmate from Tanzania, and a deep discussion with a Chinese friend on the contrast between Western theories of universal justice and Confucian situated ethics of care.
I remember at East there was a discussion going on about how we could make diversity less performative, and perhaps the intentional introduction of moral or ethical education, drawing strength from the diversity of our community, could be key. Instead of relegating engagement with moral or ethical traditions being limited to language and literature classes (valuable as they are to this aim) or the ultimately academically-focused TOK, why not make it a central aspect of education without being shackled by tangibles. Discourse and action on peace and sustainability can be informed and enrichened by not shying away from authentically engaging with these difficult questions (and from what I heard from my peers who were involved, that is something that IFP does well). Maybe that is how we avoid become a "cult." No one has a monopoly on truth, much less moral truth.
Cheers!
Anthony '22
Ah, Anthony. Well, as a recent graduate your post is a sure sign that we are getting something right!
I absolutely agree with you; and I'd say that moral matters are woven into fabric of what we do in many ways, perhaps so much so that they are hard to see. Your post needs a bit of thought to reply fully, so let me ponder. My initial thinking is that the idea of drawing on diverse traditions is an explicit and central part of PSE, Critical (once Global) Perspectives, and many aspects of the Primary Units of Study. But there is always room for improvement, and anyway, I need to think further here.
I hope you might at some point consider education as a profession Anthony. I think I've said it before; you have the makings of a great educator.
Thank you for sharing