Dipont High School Program Conference 2025

On November 6 and 7, Wuxi Dipont School of Arts and Science welcomed the 14th Dipont International High School Program Conference. The conference reunited leaders from nearly 30 partner schools across China with Dipont Chair Huang Yingzi, CEO Zhang Bowen, the senior leadership team and Dipont’s program leaders based in schools. The theme for this year was “True to Our Roots, United in Purpose: Building a New Ecosystem for International Education.”

It was a moment to celebrate more than two decades of pioneering work in international education in China, and to look ahead to the next ten years with fresh energy.

Two decades of pioneering

Chaired by Vice President Zhu Feiyi, the conference opened with CEO Zhang Bowen, who traced Dipont’s journey in international education from 2003, when it became a Cambridge International affiliated center and introduced A-levels. From there, Dipont brought A-level, AP and IB programs into Chinese public schools, and led the way in introducing US-style university and career guidance, welcoming admissions officers from top US universities to China and running university application summer camps.

The numbers tell the story: 31 partner schools, 39 international curriculum centers, up to 8,500 students at a time, more than 500 international teachers, and over 40,000 graduates.

A bold vision for the next decade

Looking ahead, Zhang Bowen set out six priorities:

1. Educating the whole person: developing future leaders with strong roots in their own culture, a global outlook, creativity, collaboration and social responsibility.
2. Bringing the best of both worlds: combining China’s focus on character education with Western approaches to student development.
3. Raising the academic bar: going beyond A-level, AP and IB, with three expert teams: competition coaches who are graduates of Tsinghua and Peking universities, Oxbridge-educated tutors, and an interdisciplinary research team led by professors from leading US universities.
4. From good to outstanding: personalized, skills-focused support for every student.
5. Guidance for life: extending university guidance into wider career and life planning, and building links with universities overseas.
6. Stronger together: pooling teaching talent and curriculum resources with partner schools.

He called on everyone in the room to move forward together, with conviction, innovation and close collaboration.

Professor Xiang Xianming, Dean of the Institute of Educational Theory and Policy at Nanjing Normal University, picked up the theme, showing how traditional classroom teaching still carries the stamp of the industrial age. The future, he said, belongs to learner-centered, inquiry-based education that puts creativity first.

Jonathan Burdick, former Vice Provost at Cornell University, brought the view from US admissions. Through three student stories, he showed what leading universities look for: strength across many subjects, sustained contribution to the community, deep knowledge and original thinking in a chosen field, and a clear ambition to tackle complex problems. His message to students: combine rigorous academic training with learning driven by curiosity, and meet uncertainty with resilience.

Ideas in action

Li Zhen, Principal of Beijing Renze High School, shared how her school is embracing the age of AI, moving from teacher- and textbook-centered lessons to learning built around students, real problems and collaboration between people and technology.

An in-depth roundtable brought together Dong Zhengjing of Wuxi Dipont School of Arts and Science, Liu Yan of RDFZ Xishan School, Chen Limin of Hangzhou No. 14 High School, Wei Hua of Tianjin Foreign Languages School, and CEO Zhang Bowen. Their shared conclusion: international education is no longer just a route to overseas universities. It is about helping every student grow, in every sense.

Fiona You, Executive Principal of Wuxi Dipont School of Arts and Science, closed the session with “IN BETA,” a look at the school’s whole-person approach. Balancing academic progress with personal growth, it helps each student find their own path, and, true to its name, it is always evolving.

Powering our centers

Dipont’s own experts then shared the support behind the network’s success:

• Oxbridge preparation: Xu Jin, Managing Director of Dipont International (UK), and economics tutor Lawrence Biggs introduced Dipont’s Oxbridge program, now supported by a team of Oxford and Cambridge graduates, and the core skills Oxbridge looks for.
• Great teachers: Recruitment Managers Zhang Yini and Robin Watts explained how Dipont sources and selects teachers, through assessment and background checks, backed by training and career development.
• Academic competitions: Li Qishi, Director of Dipont’s Academic Competitions Center, showed how high-level competitions, summer programs and research help students stand out.
• University guidance: Mindy Rose, Director of Global University Outreach, and Tang Peiying, Co-Director of College Counseling Quality, described how Dipont builds connections with universities worldwide and supports nearly 200 university counselors.