History

The UWC concept was conceived in the 1950s at the height of the Cold War. It was a bold plan, the realisation of German educationalist Kurt Hahn

Hahn believed that much could be done to overcome religious, cultural and racial misunderstanding and avoid conflict if young people from all over the world could be brought together. It was felt that students aged 16 to 18 would be grounded in their own cultures but still impressionable enough to learn from each other.
 
The first UWC – UWC of the Atlantic – opened in 1962 and today there are thirteen UWC schools and colleges across five continents. Almost 40,000 students from over 180 countries have studied at UWC and there are over 120 national committees. In the turbulent world of the 21st century, UWC’s aims and objectives are as relevant today as they were in 1962 – perhaps even more so.

1962 - UWC of the Atlantic opens in South Wales in 1962 and was hailed by The Times as "the most exciting experiment in education since the Second World War."

1967 - Lord Mountbatten becomes President of the organisation and the movement became 'United World Colleges'.

1971 - The Singapore International School was officially opened as an associate member of the United World College movement.

1974 - Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific opens. Lester B Pearson, former Canadian Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate had been the inspiration behind the founding of the college.

1978 - HRH The Prince of Wales becomes president of UWC

1970s - Increasing numbers of National Committees established to promote UWC within their own countries and to select students for the Colleges.

1975 - The Singapore International School becomes a full member of the UWC movement and was officially renamed the United World College of South East Asia.

1981 - Waterford Kamhlaba School in Swaziland, founded in 1963 as a multi-racial school in opposition to South Africa's apartheid policies, became Waterford KaMhlaba United World College of Southern Africa.

1982 - United World College of the American West (UWC-USA) in New Mexico, USA and the United World College of the Adriatic, near Trieste in Italy both open.

1988 - HRH  the Prince of Wales and agronomist Dr Luis Marcano Coello play a key role in the establishment of a College in Venezuela, the Simón Bolívar United World College of Agriculture.

1992 - Li Po Chun United World College of Hong Kong opens.

1995 - HM Queen Noor of Jordan and Nelson Mandela become joint presidents. Red Cross Nordic United World College in Norway opens, a joint venture with the Red Cross/Red Crescent organisation and the eight Nordic governments.

1997 - Mahindra United World College of India in Pune opens.

1999 - Nelson Mandela becomes honorary president of UWC.

1990s - Development of UWC short courses as a means of providing further opportunities for young people to share the UWC experience.

2006 - United World College Costa Rica, formerly the Costa Rica SOS Hermann Gmeiner International College joins UWC and UWC in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina opens.

2009 - UWC Maastricht joins UWC, merging two exisiting international schools, International School Maastricht, and the International Primary School Joppenhof.