2021 Tencent International Schools Awards

The 2021 “Echoing China” Tencent Education International School Forum was successfully held in Beijing on 21 November. International education experts, representatives of educational research institutions, founders and principals of International Schools gathered to discuss the changes to the internal and external environments of international schools and share the latest ideas and experiences of school operations, all under the theme of “Embracing Change and not Forgetting the Original Aspirations”.

During the ceremony, Harrow Beijing was laureated ‘2021 International School of Reputation and Influence in China’. Head and Assistant Heads of Harrow Beijing were also awarded individual awards.

Mrs Rachel Dent, Head of Harrow Beijing, was given the ‘Most renowned Head of School in China’ award.

Mr John Hopkins, Assistant Head of Harrow Beijing, was given ‘Excellent Contributor to Integrating Chinese and Western Education’ award.

Mrs Shelley Zhao, Assistant Head of Harrow Beijing, was given the ‘Outstanding Leader of International School’ award.

Harrow Beijing shares the core values of Harrow School in London, while offering a well-rounded education to students. We are deeply rooted in the city of Beijing, where Chinese culture is essential to our proud identity. Integration of Chinese and Western cultures is an important part of our educational practice. Mr John Hopkins, Assistant Head of Harrow Beijing, shared during the roundtable, “We used to think that the two cultures, Chinese and Western, are in conflict, because Confucius set the baseline of Chinese education and the Western inherited the critical thinking from Socrates. But Confucius had many diverse ideas and Chinese textbooks also include the views of Socrates, so we should consider many aspects of the two systems to be complimentary. And where there are differences that is an opportunity to learn. Our students implicitly understand this. They do not judge, they just acknowledge that different countries have different cultures and different systems. It seems as natural as breathing for them.”

Head of Harrow Beijing, Mrs Rachel Dent, participated in the forum on the localisation of international education based on the characteristics of Chinese students. Mrs Dent said, “I think Chinese students are extraordinary. All our students have quiet but courageous ambitions for their lives and their futures. It’s critical to harness that ambition and that courage to get these students to think outside the box, retain intellectual curiosity, not to be afraid to make mistakes, and to keep their education as broad as possible. With that said, we would like to prepare the students for living and working in Beijing, to make sure that they continue to feel akin with their own culture and their own identity. Harrow has been educating students for 450 years, and I believe China has been educating students for thousands of years. I think when you mix those two together, you create some wonderful opportunities. So that’s what I would put at the heart and do put at the heart of our educational offering.”