United World College of the Adriatic
Encyclopedia
45.7733 °N 13.6053 °W
United World College of the Adriatic (UWC Adriatic or UWCAd ) is a part of the United World Colleges
, a global educational movement that brings together students from all over the world – selected on personal merit, irrespective of race, religion, politics and the ability to pay – with the explicit aim of fostering peace and international understanding. The school is attended by around 200 students, all on full scholarship, from over 80 different countries, aged 16–19, who study the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, a two-year internationally recognized pre-university program.
The school is hosted in the village of Duino
, between Trieste
and Monfalcone
, in North-Eastern Italy
in the Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, less than 5 km from the Slovenian border. It was founded in 1982, by the Region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia
, with the support of the Italian
Government and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who are still the major financial supporters of the College.
, that covers all costs for full board and tuition for the two years
.
The Italian National Committee for United World Colleges acts under the patronage of the President of the Italian Republic
and is responsible for communication with the international organisation and for the selection of Italian pupils
.
In academic year 2011-12, the school will host 184 students, of which approximately 15% are Italian, 15% come from Western Europe
, 20% from Eastern Europe
, 15% from the Americas
, 15% from Africa
and the Middle East
and 20% from Asia
and Oceania
.
Teachers are also hired on an international level. Apart from being responsible for classroom teaching they act as personal tutors for a group of students and contribute to the residential nature of the College and the running of activities and services.
, founder of the UWC movement, believes in a holistic approach to education which makes personal development of the student central. The United World College of the Adriatic offers the International Baccalaureate (IB), a two years pre-university program offered by more than 2500 schools around the world and recognized for university
entry in over 80 countries. Courses at the College are taught in English
. Many students have however entered the College in the past with very poor English and have managed, with great determination, to master the language. These students are offered extra tutoring at the beginning of the academic year for as long as necessary. The Italian National Committee does not consider knowledge of English a prerequisite for application.
All students must fulfil the requirements of the IB diploma, taking at least six subject from different subject areas. In addition the College places fundamental importance on the Creativity Action Service (CAS) requirement, which means that each student is required to commit him/herself to weekly involvement in at least one creative activity, one physical activity and one social service.
The College offers a wide varieties of subjects for students to chose from, in the limits imposed by the IB requirements (all students, unless special exception, take English
, their native language, a humanity course, a science course and a mathematics course). In addition, all students at the College are required to study Italian
. Most do so as beginners in the language and take Italian as part of their IB programme. For a minority it may be a seventh subject. One of the College's most popular subjects, "World Arts and Cultures", has been developed in the College by Prof. Henry Thomas, initially as a school based syllabus, and is now taught by IB schools in several countries.
The College is also renowned for its collaboration with the Scuola Trio di Trieste, which offers a high level of music education. To foster excellence in music the College used to accept 5 students a year under a special music scholarship. The practice was recently discontinued in academic year 2009-10 in an attempt to standardize admission procedures.
The fundamental importance of creativity, action, service
(CAS) is reflected by the wide varieties of activities organized in the College. The physical activities program aims at taking advantage out of the location of the College, close to the Alps
and the Adriatic Sea
, thus including activities such a cross-country and downhill skiing
, hiking, kayaking
and sailing
.
The creative activities program offers a wide variety of choices, ranging from drama to Art, pottery, choir, photography.
Community service lies at the heart of the UWC
philosophy, and the College offers students a wide choice of services, which substantially contribute to creating a bond between the college and the local community.
Students at UWCAd also take part in a variety of initiatives that go beyond the IB curriculum
The College does not have a closed campus, rather it is integrated in the village of Duino. Currently it consists of several building, including:
In addition Adriatic College has six residences, each different and with its own atmosphere. The smallest houses 12 students, and the largest just over 50. The biggest residence, known as "Foresteria", hosts the Mensa and used to belong to the nearby Duino Castle. Four residences house both male and female students, on separate floors or in separate villas. At the moment the students live in six residences: Palazzine, Old Offices, Ples, Scholz, Lucchese and Foresteria.
The rooms are primarily for two, three, or four students, along with a small number of single rooms. Each student is given a bed, desk and closet. Each residence has a residence tutor—a teacher who lives in a flat in, or close to, the residence, who is responsible for the smooth running of the residence, and offers a wide range of support for the students. Residence life is a central aspect in the UWC experience and rooms are usually allocated so to mix students from different backgrounds as much as possible.
One of the current College residences used to be a Hotel and is widely believed by the student population to be the place where the Physicist Ludwig Boltzmann
hanged himself in 1906. Students generally sit their IB Physics
exams in the building.
Students at the College are eligible, after graduation, to participate in the Shelby Davis Scholarship
programme, which funds undergraduate study, based on need, for UWC students at over 90 universities in the United States
, including most Ivy League
universities.
United World College of the Adriatic (UWC Adriatic or UWCAd ) is a part of the United World Colleges
United World Colleges
UWC is an education movement comprising thirteen international schools and colleges, national committees in over 130 countries and a series of short educational programmes. The UWC movement aims to make education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future...
, a global educational movement that brings together students from all over the world – selected on personal merit, irrespective of race, religion, politics and the ability to pay – with the explicit aim of fostering peace and international understanding. The school is attended by around 200 students, all on full scholarship, from over 80 different countries, aged 16–19, who study the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, a two-year internationally recognized pre-university program.
The school is hosted in the village of Duino
Duino
Duino is a town at the Adriatic coast in the municipality of Duino-Aurisina, part of the region of Friuli – Venezia Giulia in the province of Trieste, north-eastern Italy....
, between Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
and Monfalcone
Monfalcone
Monfalcone is a town and comune of the province of Gorizia , located on the coast of the Gulf of Trieste. Monfalcone means "Mount of Falcon" in Italian....
, in North-Eastern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in the Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, less than 5 km from the Slovenian border. It was founded in 1982, by the Region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Friuli–Venezia Giulia is one of the twenty regions of Italy, and one of five autonomous regions with special statute. The capital is Trieste. It has an area of 7,858 km² and about 1.2 million inhabitants. A natural opening to the sea for many Central European countries, the region is...
, with the support of the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Government and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who are still the major financial supporters of the College.
Students and Staff
All students of UWCAd are selected by UWC national selection committees in their home countries, through a severe selection process on the basis of academic achievement, leadership potential, extracurricular activities involvement and personal qualities. The students selected are awarded a full scholarshipScholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
, that covers all costs for full board and tuition for the two years
.
The Italian National Committee for United World Colleges acts under the patronage of the President of the Italian Republic
President of the Italian Republic
The President of the Italian Republic is the head of state of Italy and, as such, is intended to represent national unity and guarantee that Italian politics comply with the Constitution. The president's term of office lasts for seven years....
and is responsible for communication with the international organisation and for the selection of Italian pupils
.
In academic year 2011-12, the school will host 184 students, of which approximately 15% are Italian, 15% come from Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
, 20% from Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
, 15% from the Americas
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 15% from Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and 20% from Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
.
Teachers are also hired on an international level. Apart from being responsible for classroom teaching they act as personal tutors for a group of students and contribute to the residential nature of the College and the running of activities and services.
Life at UWCAd
UWCAd, following the ideals of Kurt HahnKurt Hahn
Kurt Martin Hahn was a German educator whose philosophies are considered internationally influential.-Biography:...
, founder of the UWC movement, believes in a holistic approach to education which makes personal development of the student central. The United World College of the Adriatic offers the International Baccalaureate (IB), a two years pre-university program offered by more than 2500 schools around the world and recognized for university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
entry in over 80 countries. Courses at the College are taught in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. Many students have however entered the College in the past with very poor English and have managed, with great determination, to master the language. These students are offered extra tutoring at the beginning of the academic year for as long as necessary. The Italian National Committee does not consider knowledge of English a prerequisite for application.
All students must fulfil the requirements of the IB diploma, taking at least six subject from different subject areas. In addition the College places fundamental importance on the Creativity Action Service (CAS) requirement, which means that each student is required to commit him/herself to weekly involvement in at least one creative activity, one physical activity and one social service.
The College offers a wide varieties of subjects for students to chose from, in the limits imposed by the IB requirements (all students, unless special exception, take English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, their native language, a humanity course, a science course and a mathematics course). In addition, all students at the College are required to study Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
. Most do so as beginners in the language and take Italian as part of their IB programme. For a minority it may be a seventh subject. One of the College's most popular subjects, "World Arts and Cultures", has been developed in the College by Prof. Henry Thomas, initially as a school based syllabus, and is now taught by IB schools in several countries.
The College is also renowned for its collaboration with the Scuola Trio di Trieste, which offers a high level of music education. To foster excellence in music the College used to accept 5 students a year under a special music scholarship. The practice was recently discontinued in academic year 2009-10 in an attempt to standardize admission procedures.
The fundamental importance of creativity, action, service
Creativity, Action, Service
Creativity, action, service is a mandatory core component of the IB Diploma Programme. It aims to provide a 'counterbalance' to the academic rigour of the educational programme. Before the 2010 examination there was a 150 hour requirement, with an approximately equal distribution of creativity,...
(CAS) is reflected by the wide varieties of activities organized in the College. The physical activities program aims at taking advantage out of the location of the College, close to the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
and the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
, thus including activities such a cross-country and downhill skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
, hiking, kayaking
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
and sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
.
The creative activities program offers a wide variety of choices, ranging from drama to Art, pottery, choir, photography.
Community service lies at the heart of the UWC
UWC
UWC may refer to:*United World Colleges, an international group of schools*Ulster Workers' Council, a grouping of loyalist and unionist workers in Northern Ireland responsible for the 1974 Ulster Workers' Strike...
philosophy, and the College offers students a wide choice of services, which substantially contribute to creating a bond between the college and the local community.
Students at UWCAd also take part in a variety of initiatives that go beyond the IB curriculum
-
- Project Weeks. One week a year where students plan and carry out their own in-depth project, related to some part of the UWC mission statement.
- Focus. Student-run presentations on issues of particular national or international relevance. Focuses usually run weekly every Sunday evening.
- International Affairs. Lectures and presentations involving a bi-weekly speaker series, encompassing academics and international organization professionals, poets, writers and journalists, politicians, diplomats, NGO workers and scientists.
- National Weeks. Period of time during the academic year where students who belong to certain national and linguistic groups present their culture to other members of College.
- International Shows. Several times during the year students give shows consisting of dance, music and sketches. Shows might be organized to support a charity. Traditionally three shows are organized during the year to mark special event: the Introductory show at the beginning of the year; the so-called "EE-show", usually shortly after the deadline for submission of the Extended EssayExtended EssayThe extended essay is a mandatory core component of the IB Diploma Programme. It is a research paper of up to 4,000 words giving students an opportunity to conduct independent research or investigation on a topic that interests them...
, right before the beginning of Winter Break and the IB show, right after the IB exams in May.
College and Facilities
- The School building, where most classes take place.
- The Laboratories (Physics, Environmental Systems, Biology and Chemistry).
- Art Centre, Music Room, Auditorium, Office Building (also hosting the Library).
In addition Adriatic College has six residences, each different and with its own atmosphere. The smallest houses 12 students, and the largest just over 50. The biggest residence, known as "Foresteria", hosts the Mensa and used to belong to the nearby Duino Castle. Four residences house both male and female students, on separate floors or in separate villas. At the moment the students live in six residences: Palazzine, Old Offices, Ples, Scholz, Lucchese and Foresteria.
The rooms are primarily for two, three, or four students, along with a small number of single rooms. Each student is given a bed, desk and closet. Each residence has a residence tutor—a teacher who lives in a flat in, or close to, the residence, who is responsible for the smooth running of the residence, and offers a wide range of support for the students. Residence life is a central aspect in the UWC experience and rooms are usually allocated so to mix students from different backgrounds as much as possible.
Curiosities
UWCAd was the first United World College to be opened in a non-English speaking country, and is currently one of the very few schools in Italy having English as a working language. This particular situation created a "Duino slang" which usually consists in italinising English worlds. Certain Italian terms are also widely used, for example the terms "secondo/a" to indicate a second year student and "primo/a" for a first year student.One of the current College residences used to be a Hotel and is widely believed by the student population to be the place where the Physicist Ludwig Boltzmann
Ludwig Boltzmann
Ludwig Eduard Boltzmann was an Austrian physicist famous for his founding contributions in the fields of statistical mechanics and statistical thermodynamics...
hanged himself in 1906. Students generally sit their IB Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
exams in the building.
Students at the College are eligible, after graduation, to participate in the Shelby Davis Scholarship
Shelby Davis Scholarship
The Shelby Davis Scholarship is granted to graduates of the United World Colleges to study at universities in the United States. The Davis family's contribution to the United World Colleges, in scholarships and grants for building projects, represents the biggest contribution to international...
programme, which funds undergraduate study, based on need, for UWC students at over 90 universities in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, including most Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
universities.
Notable alumni
- Chrystia FreelandChrystia FreelandChrystia Freeland is the Global Editor-at-Large of Reuters news since March 1, 2010, having formerly been the United States managing editor at the Financial Times, based in New York City. Freeland received her undergraduate education from Harvard University, going onto St Antony's at University...
(born 1968), Reuters editor. - Marina CatenaMarina CatenaMarina Catena, is a Lieutenant of the Italian Army and Director of the United Nations World Food Program in Paris. "A GMO: half 'humanitarian" and half "soldier ', is the definition that some media gave, stressing how her unusual history is emblematic of contemporary asymmetric conflicts where the...
(born 1968), Italian UN official. - Karen MokKaren MokKaren Joy Morris, known more commonly in the Sinosphere as Karen Mok or Mok Man-Wai, is a three-time Golden Melody Award-winning Hong Kong-based actress and singer-songwriter.- Biography :...
(born 1970), Hong Kong singer. - Ghil'ad ZuckermannGhil'ad ZuckermannGhil'ad Zuckermann is an Israeli-Italian-British-Australian linguist, expert of language revival, contact linguistics, lexicology and the study of language, culture and identity...
(born 1971), Israeli linguist. - Tara SharmaTara SharmaTara Sharma is an Indian actress. She is half British and half Indian.-Personal life:Sharma is the daughter of the well-known author and actor, Partap Sharma, and Susan Sharma, and is an alumna of the London School of Economics and of the United World College of the Adriatic. She is married to ad...
(born 1977), Indian actress. - Juan Pablo Di PaceJuan Pablo Di PaceJuan Pablo Di Pace is an Argentine-born actor, model and director.Juan Pablo Di Pace studied in Europe and speaks Spanish, Italian, and English...
(born 1979), Argentinian actor.
External links
- UWCAd Official Site
- UWCAd Ex-Students' site, generation 2002-2004
- UWCAd Ex-Students' site, generation 1997-1999
- Sito della Commissione Nazionale Italiana per i Collegi del Mondo Unito
- http://svetlahorsk.belarda.org/index.php?mod=news&id=51У міжнародныя каледжы прыняты новыя навучэнцы з Беларусі // 2009.05.02 (Be)Belarusian languageThe Belarusian language , sometimes referred to as White Russian or White Ruthenian, is the language of the Belarusian people...
]