Investigating Impacts of Educational Experiences

Investigating Impacts of Educational Experiences was a multi-year collaboration with United World Colleges (UWC), a global network of seventeen international schools. UWC’s mission is to “make education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.” To fulfill this vision, UWC schools assemble diverse student populations (particularly in terms of national origin and socioeconomic status) in order to encourage cross-cultural exchange, celebration of difference, respect, and personal integrity. UWC is guided by the philosophy of Kurt Hahn, who believed that education has the power to not only prepare students for a full and ethical life but to prevent future conflicts as well.

In this study, Project Zero researchers used surveys, interviews, and on-site observations to investigate the impact of UWC’s educational model on two cohorts of students within UWC schools and on alumni post-graduation. The researchers also worked with a diverse set of similar mission-driven, service-oriented schools located internationally.

The research captured and analyzed various ways in which particular educational experiences affected students in the short-term and alumni in the long-term. The results have informed UWC’s practices and those of the other involved schools and contributed to knowledge about diverse international schools and the effectiveness of their missions. View the results of this study by downloading the final summary report, titled "Educational Experiences and Outcomes at the United World Colleges: An Investigation of Impact."