Every year, a dynamic series of Worldwise Events unfolds across our family of schools — from the performing arts Shakespeare Festival to game design challenges, from the Diversity Art Series to Maths and sports competitions. In collaboration with world-renowned artists, practitioners, and industry leaders, these events offer students wide-ranging platforms to explore their passions, develop new skills, and express who they are. More than just experiences, Worldwise Events are designed to connect students from across the globe — fostering interaction, healthy competition, and shared learning. As the academic year 2024/2025 draws to a close, we sat down with Edgar Zillmann, Head of Events and Educational Partnerships for a rapid-fire Q&A, uncovering the journey, reflective moments, unexpected surprises and stand out highlights that shaped this year's signature events.
Expansive. Creative. Transformational.
This year was all about growth — more schools, more events, and more student impact. We welcomed new schools from across the globe, including Green School New Zealand, Hochalpines Institut Ftan in Switzerland, and Sherfield School in the UK, all participating in their first Worldwise Events projects. We saw new formats emerge, like the EiM Poet of the Year competition, and deepened global partnerships, especially with organisations like Ubisoft Shanghai and the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). But what stands out is how these experiences continue to transform not only skills, but how students see themselves — as leaders, creators, and global citizens.
We delivered over 200 event days across the group, reaching more than 8,000 students — our largest footprint to date. Dehong Xi'an hosted a spectacular Worldwise Primary Games, bringing together over 400 sport-loving students and 200 visiting parents from 9 schools. Our MADD Festival in Suzhou celebrated creative expression, while the Worldwise Game Jam with Ubisoft empowered students to design, prototype, and pitch real games.
We also delivered the first-ever RSC Residency programme involving all 11 Dulwich and Dehong schools, a powerful step in expanding access to world-class drama education. Our Shackleton Lectures with explorer Céline Cousteau reached thousands of students, teachers, and parents across all 11 campuses, sparking important conversations about leadership, exploration, and global responsibility.
And through projects like the EiM Anthology — featuring over 100 student poems — we kept the student voice firmly at the center of everything we do.
That students will always surprise you — with their creativity, their initiative, and their ability to lead when given the chance. Whether watching a nine-year-old deliver Shakespeare, seeing students pitch games to professional developers, or hearing the raw honesty in their poetry, one thing is clear: when we trust them with real opportunities, they rise to meet — and exceed — expectations.
The Student Leadership Conference at Dulwich College Seoul brought everything together. We had students from 15 schools connecting for the first time — from Green School New Zealand to Sherfield School UK, from Hochalpines Institut Ftan in Switzerland to Dulwich Colleg ein London. At the same time, our Worldwise Alumni Advisory Board Annual Conference took place, with nine alumni leaders flying in from across the globe.
Over 100 students, spanning several generations of the Dulwich and Dehong family, came together — and it wasn't just talk. One of the most meaningful initiatives saw students working alongside Banpo Elderly Community Centre and HOPE IUM Charity to prepare 150 banchan lunch boxes for elderly residents living alone in Seoul. Each box, filled withbulgogi, soy eggs, kimchi, mung bean jelly, and anchovies, was a powerful reminder that leadership means action.
The connection and sense of belonging were real: "We made so many friends at the leadership conference, and it was so fun!" shared Emi and Jia from Dulwich College Seoul.That's what Worldwise is about — shared growth, across borders, across generations.
When you manage global events with different schools, partners, and time zones —unexpected challenges are part of the journey. A single flight cancellation can cause a domino effect. The key is collaborative planning — working closely with schools and stakeholders to cover every angle — and staying adaptable on the ground. But most importantly, we always keep students at the centre of every decision.
There were many — but seeing students perform their original poetry during the EiM Poet of the Year final was unforgettable. It might seem like a small virtual event, but it was years in the making. We worked hand-in-hand with poet Mark Grist to build this platform — and seeing students, supported by their teachers, deliver heartfelt, powerful work made me incredibly proud.
Two renowned British poets, Theresa Lola and Harry Baker, joined us to judge, and they were genuinely impressed — so much so that choosing a winner was no easy task. It was a fantastic achievement, and I can't wait to take this to the next level at our first in-person EiM Poetry Festival next year. This project perfectly shows what happens when we embed events into the curriculum and nurture student voice year after year.
Inspiring — and humbling. You learn so much from their disciplines and global perspectives. But what makes it special is how they engage with students — not just performing for them, but working with them, challenging them, building their confidence, and opening their eyes to new possibilities. The value for students, teachers, and schoolsis immeasurable.
Because the world evolves — and so do students. If we stay static, we're not preparing them for what's next. Worldwise Events is about relevance, creativity, and pushing boundaries — whether that's bringing new partners onboard, expanding to external audiences, or reshaping formats. Sticking to "what worked before" limits growth; innovation keeps us, and our students, future-ready.
Next year will be exceptional — packed with new projects, bold ideas, and milestones.
We'll celebrate the 10th Anniversary of our Royal Shakespeare Company partnership, including a groundbreaking Worldwise Shakespeare Festival co-hosted by Dulwich College Suzhou and Dulwich International High School Programme Suzhou — bigger, bolder, never seen before.
Dehong Shanghai will host its first major Worldwise Event, the Worldwise Festival of Music, in partnership with the Royal Northern College of Music — capped by a stellar concert at the Jaguar Shanghai Symphony Hall.
Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi will host the annual Student Leadership Conference, while Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong will welcome the first Worldwise Poetry Festival, and Dulwich College Seoul will host the first in-person Worldwise Game Jam, in collaboration with Ubisoft Shanghai and the University of Utah Asia Campus.
For the first time, our EiM - ANU Planet Hack will open to external participants — a huge step in sharing Worldwise with the world.
We'll also welcome familiar and new faces in the Diversity Arts Series, including performers from the globally renowned Sleep No More production in Shanghai. Big year ahead — and this is just the beginning.
A mosaic. Because every event, every student, every school adds their unique piece — and together, it creates something bigger, richer, and globally connected.
Worldwise Events stand for: Global Experiences, Real Impact and Worldwise Learners.
