哈罗横琴校长Dr. Max Caruso专访：以学生发展为核心，引领大湾区教育变革

导语

坐落于珠江口的横琴岛上，横琴哈罗礼德学校以其独特的区位优势和深厚的教育传统，给粤港澳大湾区的教育带来了新的生机与活力。这里不仅是繁华的澳门与充满活力的珠海之间的交汇点，更是东西方文化交流的桥梁。

哈罗横琴承袭了英国哈罗公学数百年的深厚历史与卓越教育传统，在充满活力的横琴地区，为学生开辟了一个充满探索与追求卓越精神的知识乐园。其优雅的校园环境、先进的教学设施与一流的教育资源完美融合，旨在培养具有国际视野的未来领袖，为他们的终身学习和成长打下坚实的基础。在这里，每一位学生都能感受到来自哈罗传承的精粹，与横琴这块创新土地的脉动同频共振。

在本期访谈中，京领有幸邀请到了哈罗横琴的校长Dr. Max Caruso马千里博士，来分享他对国际教育的深刻见解。作为一位具有丰富跨文化经验的教育者，Dr. Caruso将教育作为一种生活方式和使命，并因其卓越贡献被评为“亚洲最具影响力的领袖”之一。带着对国际教育的深入理解和领先理念，马千里博士将与我们展开关于学校建设、创新思维与未来展望的精彩对话。

校长名片

马千里 博士

横琴哈罗礼德学校 外方校长

马千里校长在澳大利亚维多利亚大学获得了教育学博士学位，他的研究侧重于领导力发展和机构性建设。作为一名拥有30多年教育经验的高级管理人员，马千里博士曾在亚太地区多所学校担任过高级领导职务。他在澳大利亚、迪拜和中国的丰富执教经历加强了他对亚洲家庭，特别是中国家庭的教育需求的理解。他的经验奠定了他的教育价值观体系，该体系以诚信、卓越、尊重、公平和服务价值观为基础，这也与哈罗的价值观密切相关。

2013年，马千里博士被澳大利亚教育领袖理事会授予 “学习领导奖”，以表彰他在学校领导力建设方面的卓著贡献。2020年，他被评选为阿联酋最具影响力的教育家之一。2024，因其卓越贡献被评为“亚洲最具影响力的领袖”之一。

学校介绍

横琴哈罗礼德学校（哈罗横琴）为横琴引进高端国际化教育的重要项目，是横琴首家具有纯正英式精英教育血统的K12学校。学校于2021年第一季度开学，与各位莘莘学子相约横琴，开启校园生活。哈罗横琴致力提高横琴及周边地区的英式双语教育水平，打造整个大湾区真正国际化的一流双语教育新标杆！

Harrow LiDe School Hengqin is the first bilingual and bicultural school in Hengqin to offer full K-12 education to both day and boarding pupils. They opened the doors in February 2021 in the prime location of Hengqing within the Greater Bay Area making it the perfect location for families from Zhuhai, Macau, Zhongshang and Hong Kong.

一、湾区典范，文脉相承：

以卓越领导力激发区位活力

2024年5月初，在澳门欧洲商会第十届年度晚宴上，哈罗横琴学校因其在推动大湾区中西文化交融方面的杰出成就，荣获“2024年大湾区中欧合作优越大奖”。自2021年建校以来，哈罗横琴一直致力于为大湾区，特别是琴澳地区学生提供了更多样化的国际教育平台，同时也推进了合作区教育发展的主轴，即促进基础教育的优质化、现代化和国际化。

马千里校长的远见卓识和领导力对于学校的快速发展和国际化进程起到了关键性作用。通过坚持教育国际化专业化，倡导文化交流和学术共享，哈罗横琴建立了一个多元包容的教育环境。哈罗横琴以独特的国际视角，链接区位资源，融合中西文化，满足了琴澳居民对优质教育资源的需求，同时也助力加快了粤港澳教育深度融合的实现。

1. 深层融合：在多元文化中学习

京领：您在中国或者大湾区的工作经历，是如何影响您对哈罗横琴的领导管理呢？

哈罗横琴马千里校长：我的职业生涯是一段跨国界的经历。我在中国的教育生涯始于2008年，先是引领国际学生项目，然后在上海附近一所新中英双语学校担任校长。这段经历让我首度体验中国的教育和中国公立学校的发展，对我个人领导力的提升、理解中国教育和文化有重要作用。在教育领域，中国孩子们有着独特需求，尤其从公立转入双语或国际学校的学生会遇到不同挑战和机会。这些经验影响了我在哈罗横琴学校的领导工作。

我们学校位于横琴，地处大湾区的核心位置，是澳门深度合作区的枢纽所在。地理优势拓宽了我的视野，使我深刻意识到孩子们有着与众不同的需求。作为一所秉承英式教育理念的学校，哈罗横琴并非仅仅追求东西方文化的浅层融合，而是致力于通过跨文化的教学方式和学习观念，去实现文化的深度融合。我们的教育旨在探索文化，并以文化为桥梁，进行教育的传递与创新。横琴的发展和与澳门合作的加深，为我们提供了更多教育创新的机会。

2. 哈罗荣光，横琴新篇

京领：回顾哈罗横琴的办学历程，最让您引以为傲的一点是什么？

哈罗横琴马千里校长：我们的学校拥有诸多令人引以为傲的方面。我们首先是一所哈罗学校。我们的首要任务便是确保学校名副其实地继承哈罗公学的卓越传统。对我们每一位成员来说，理解并拥抱学校的使命感和愿景，持续向前迈进，是我们共同的责任。哈罗学校建立在四项核心价值观之上，并由全人教育理念和英式关怀辅导体系所支撑。在哈罗横琴，我们重视在社交与学术方面塑造学生成为完整个体，以品格的培育作为基石。我深感自豪的是，我们能在如此短暂的时间里，打造出一个教育体系和成果，让我们的学子们能以自己独特的身份，在属于他们自己的空间里茁壮成长。这份成就感令我骄傲不已。

我亦非常荣幸，我们在哈罗横琴所提供的教育资源能够面向大湾区的孩子们开放——不论是来自香港、澳门、珠海本地，还是广东其他地区的孩子们。更有甚者，凭借我们一流的寄宿设施和精心设计的课程，越来越多的家庭从中国北方远道而来，他们听闻了我们的教育理念和取得的成就，特意选择将孩子托付给我们。我对我们的哈罗课程感到无比自豪，这个国际化的双语教学项目旨在培养学生的双语思维能力，为孩子们在学术领域提供了显著的优势。正如学习音乐一样，双语教育对大脑认知过程的积极影响，是幼儿发展学业、社交和情感的绝佳途径。

3. 教学革新与区位优势

京领：在目前的国际化教育领域，您认为校长普遍面临的问题是什么？应该获得哪些方面的支持？

哈罗横琴马千里校长：教育受到众多重要因素的影响，这些影响以多种方式显现。

回顾三四年前，疫情开始时，全球的教育工作者都被迫迅速改变授课方式。而如今，我们仍旧沿用“在线学习”的称谓，然而，它并非真正的在线学习。实际上，这种在线学习是由于缺乏线上教育的专业培训，我们必须自行摸索如何有效开展教学活动，因此，它更接近于一种应急的远程教学形态。这场变革带来的挑战与机遇同样巨大无比。目前，我们面临的一个核心挑战是将人工智能技术融入教学，并预测其对学习过程的潜在影响。这将重新塑造教学方法，转变学生的思考方式和教师的教学观念，并影响他们在教育环境中构建课程内容和项目的方法。我们正全体投入于适应这些迅速的变化，而它们的快节奏无疑对我们每个人都是一场考验。

在国际学校方面，经济的起伏同样需要我们予以关注。特别是对于一所纯粹的国际学校而言，涌入某特定区域的专家数量很可能受到当地公司和工厂数量的左右，这直接关系到该区域预期引入的儿童及其家庭的数量。对我们来说，由于我们许多学生都是中国籍，这在一定程度上为我们提供了保护。然而，中国经济的潮起潮落以及各地区的发展变化无疑会产生影响。得益于横琴与澳门之间日益加深的合作，哈罗横琴无疑是幸运的。

此外，一个家庭选择进入大湾区，很大程度上是因为该地区显著的拉动效应。大湾区的建设有目共睹，深圳、广州乃至整个广东省的发展成果显而易见，这无疑增强了它多方面的吸引力。我认为横琴尤其值得关注，因为它的发展速度惊人。同时，我与横琴的教育委员会保持着良好的联系，他们是学校的坚强后盾。我知道他们正在非常努力地推动这个区域的教育事业，这不仅为澳门的学校开辟了机会，也为学校在该地区的进一步发展创造了条件。这是非常积极的现象。如今，挑战已经转化为机遇。作为校长，如何识别并抓住这些机遇，顺应潮流而动便是最大的挑战。

4. 新角色，新机遇

京领：作为澳门澳洲商会的总监，您可以为我们描述您在组织中的角色吗？以及这个新职位会为哈罗横琴或是学生带来什么呢？

哈罗横琴马千里校长：这个机会源于五个月前我与澳洲商会的Billy Chen博士的偶然相遇，这对我而言是一个意外的机会。他是一位了不起的人，在我们成为朋友后，我有机会参与了一些澳洲商会举办的活动，包括与澳大利亚驻香港、澳门总领事共进午餐，并有机会与澳门地区的教育工作者和商界人士进行交流。进而，我有机会成为澳门澳洲商会的总监之一。在组织中，我作为哈罗的校长，能够进一步促进学校和澳门之间的深入交流。

最近，基于《教育观点》中关于我的文章，我做了一个演讲。演讲的60多位听众有商界人士、外交官、教授、教师、教育工作者和学生家长。在通过我的职业经历介绍哈罗横琴后，我和一些潜在的合作对象取得了联系，包括澳门的大学、家长和企业。同理可得，澳洲商会不是一个独立的组织，而是与其他多个组织广泛相连。因此，通过它，我可以与澳门、欧洲、英国的商会建立联系，进而为学校提供机会。这也是我接受这一新角色也是新挑战的原因。这是一个非常强大的合作来源，为学校和我们的孩子打开了大门。

二、理念引领，视野无界：

培育时代未来领袖

哈罗横琴不仅忠实于哈罗公学的悠久教育使命，更将其教育精髓与中华文化精粹深入融合，推动教育的本土化发展。学校致力于为每位学生打造个性化的学习路径，重点培养他们面对二十一世纪挑战所需的全方位素养。作为全球哈罗教育网络的一部分，横琴哈罗礼德学校正凭借其影响力和创新力，成为区域性双语教学的典范。

京领：“育以至善，卓以领航”的教育理念和四大价值观在实际的办学过程中有哪些体现？

哈罗横琴马千里校长：这些价值观是言传身教的，这意味着我们帮助学生将这些价值观融入生活之中。比如，当你参观学校，穿行于校园各个角落时，你会发现大多数孩子都会与你目光交流。他们会友好地问候：“欢迎光临”、“你好”或是“你好吗？”一些孩子会主动接近你，自我介绍。这正展示了我们学校的价值观——谦和与互助。这些价值观既被明确教导，也通过日常实践体现出来。我们的全人教育理念打造了一个环境，让这四项核心价值每天都得以在生活和体验中实现。得益于我们的英式关怀辅导机制和垂直的院舍制度，这些核心价值观在每日生活中得到不断地践行和体验。

不久前，我非常荣幸地给我们的一位学生颁发了一项罕见的“校长奖”。这个奖项每年仅在特定情况下授予那些充分展现我们四项核心价值观的学生。就在最近，这位杰出的学生在一家购物中心里发现一个迷路的小孩。他没有选择视而不见，而是帮助联系了工作人员，并协助他们一起找到了孩子的父母。孩子家长随后联系学校，向我们表达感激之情：“他完全可以置身事外，但他选择了伸出援手。在所有人中，他是唯一一个帮孩子联络上我们的。”这样的行为无疑彰显了他作为学生典范的荣誉、勇气、谦和和互助精神。

京领：作为哈罗家族的一员，哈罗横琴是如何融入哈罗全球网络的，以及这种连结为学生带来了哪些具体影响？

哈罗横琴马千里校长：随着疫情结束，这方面的工作迎来了一个新的局面。在过去的一年里，我们已经与世界各地的哈罗公学学校建立起了实地的联系，其中包括重庆、北京、伦敦、香港和曼谷。各校教师之间的互访交流已成常态，形成了一种相互连接的状态。学生们在体育、音乐和学术方面进行互动交流。我们还举办了首届哈罗学校中文辩论赛，各校学生齐聚横琴参与决赛，这为孩子们提供了难得的机遇。比赛本身极具意义，它不只是让学生们聚首一堂，更是一个相互交谈、互动和了解的过程。正是这种实地的联系，让“哈罗家族”的概念得以成为现实。

首届哈罗学校中文辩论赛

现在，他们不再只是在脑海中有概念——“那是另一个城市的哈罗学校”，而是真正地彼此了解。在夏季，哈罗横琴的教师们将前往伦敦进行专业发展培训。我们曾有过一个绝佳的机会，那就是伦敦哈罗学校的管弦乐团来与我们共度了一个下午的时光。我们邀请了哈罗公学首席音乐总监，他指导孩子们以及来自伦敦的少年们举办了一场精彩的大师课。孩子们坐在观众席上，沉浸在这场美妙的音乐教育中，体验了一次真实的表演和音乐会。哈罗横琴的乐团虽然成立不久，还很年轻，但伦敦哈罗的音乐水准是世界级别的。因此，对我们孩子来说，通过与这些伦敦学生的互动，能够学到很多宝贵的东西，反之亦然。而对于我们的教师而言，在那一个下午的相聚中，一生友谊的纽带被紧密地编织在了一起。

哈罗公学管弦乐团来访

京领：您认为双语教育真正的内涵是什么？以及它为中国学生带来了哪些机会？

哈罗横琴马千里校长：双语教育至关重要。正如我之前所强调的，它不仅培养了学生的双语思维模式，还增强了他们的思考和行动能力。此外，双语教育促进了批判性分析能力的发展。全球范围内，在双语学习环境中的学生这这方面都表现得更好。

对于中国学生以及那些拥有中国国籍的学生来说，普通话作为母语无疑是他们沟通的强大工具。然而，英文在学术研究和职场发展中仍然占有重要地位。尽管如此，随着中国在全球舞台上的影响力持续增长，中文的国际地位和重要性也在全球层面日益凸显。

对于我们的中国学生而言，掌握英语并培养英语思维对于形成全球化视野同时保持与民族文化的深厚联系至关重要。实现这种平衡是教育的根本。同样地，对我们学校的非中国籍学生来说，学习中文具有同等的重要性。我注意到许多中国籍人士因多种原因纷纷返回祖国，他们更偏爱将孩子送往双语学校接受教育。这些学生可能已具备了英语能力和对西方教育体系的认识，但他们也寻求重新认识和融入中国的思想、文化及语言传统。另一方面，在西方国家的孩子们也怀揣着同样的目的，期望踏入中国，深入体验中文和中国文化。

京领：您认为现在中国的国际学校面临的最大挑战是什么？

哈罗横琴马千里校长：目前，中国国际学校正面临诸多挑战。其中一个普遍存在的挑战便是创设一个教育方案，既要与我们所处地域的文化理解相吻合，又要与地区身份认同相匹配。在哈罗横琴，我们不仅要深刻洞察中国学生的需求和家长的期望，还必须深入掌握当地具体的教育要求。我们深知家长们怀有强烈的愿望：他们希望孩子们在学术上取得杰出成就，期望他们通过考试获得优异成绩，梦想着孩子们能够进入世界顶级大学深造。

然而，学校还应该关心：孩子们的成长路径、他们的个人品质以及性格的塑造。随时间孕育的文化韧性对于孩子们成功迈入大学校门至关重要，这种文化韧性同样对他们从中国学成毕业后的未来生涯发展极为关键。而这种文化韧性，正是中国国际教育所应该培养的。

三、童心所向，教育所往：

将学生置于所有工作的中心

在哈罗横琴，马千里博士精心营造了一个充满信任和价值认同的社区氛围，强调团队的凝聚力与开放的沟通渠道。学校聚焦学生的批判性思维、创造力和韧性三大品质，以学生的成长需求作为教育变革的动力。哈罗横琴致力于建造一个促进学生全面成长的教育生态。

京领：学校创新变革的源泉是什么，如何完成课程、师资、升学等方面的创新变革？

哈罗横琴马千里校长：创新的源泉正是我们的孩子，他们是创造力的最大动力。正如我之前所强调的“将儿童置于所有员工思想和努力的中心”。在国际课程的融合中，我们必须考虑到孩子的多样性，同时忠实于中国国家课程和哈罗公学的课程。我们要探索如何在课堂上创造条件，以拓展丰富的中国国家课程，并在这样的环境中激发创新的学习方式。在这个专业的学习社区中，我们的教师不会盲目追求变化，因为单纯追求变革与创新并无实质意义。真正的创新是关注孩子深层次的需求，思考如何以创造性的方式促进他们的成长和发展。因此，我们追求的改变不是为创新而创新，而是为了产生深远的影响。这种创新必须对孩子的学习和全人教育的目标产生积极的推动作用。

京领：您提出的“将儿童置于所有员工思想和努力的中心”，在具体的工作是如何体现的呢？

哈罗横琴马千里校长：我们有一个共识，即每个人都是教育者，在与孩子的每一次互动中，我们都扮演着教师的角色，要共同营造一个充满教育意义的环境。这一理念强调将孩子置于我们思考的核心位置。

若我现在考虑对领导结构进行调整，我的出发点必须明确。是出于提升员工福祉的考虑吗？还是为了打造一个更符合学校课程的高效架构？然而，这些变动最终如何影响到孩子才是关键所在。这样的变化是否会为孩子们在学校的生活带来积极的影响？它又是否会对孩子的学习成就、社交能力和情感发展产生积极的效应？这才是我们思考的核心。

当学校运转良好时，我们也根据战略分析，来推进变革。比如，学校从横向的英式关怀辅导机制和方法，过渡到来纵向的类似于伦敦哈罗公学的院舍制度。这个变化是因为我们认识到垂直院舍制度的好处，比如它能够加强对学生的个人辅导，学生们在自己的院舍里表现出更大的幸福感，更强的归属感和更高的同理心。这种环境促进了合作、互助，并体现了我们的四个核心价值观。那么，为什么要接受如此重大的结构性变革呢?因为战略思维的核心永远是儿童。

京领：“培养一个学生与员工都能茁壮成长的社区”的精神，是如何影响学校文化和教育方法的呢？

哈罗横琴马千里校长：要实现这个目标，最佳途径便是为我们的学生创造参与机会。所谓参与，即意味着他们能在决策过程中拥有一席之地。我们通过院舍制度建立了社区，这些院舍构成的社区是更广泛整体的一部分——哈罗横琴。同学们以院舍为单位开展合作。这不只是简单的院舍间竞争，重要的是他们在我们活动理念中获得了什么。

院舍歌唱比赛和院舍电影竞赛让孩子们再次围绕着四大价值观之一聚集在一起，主要是出于对“荣誉”价值观的认同。通过电影这一媒介，他们构建自己的理念，塑造角色和故事。我们通过体验式学习来产生全人教育的概念。孩子们还可以通过戏剧这一渠道来扮演、创造或体验不同角色，加深对自我的了解和认识。《安妮日记》就是我们目前关注的一部戏剧作品。这个充满悲伤的故事让孩子们深入感受到二战时期那个小女孩的真实生活，不仅促使他们对角色的性格有更深的理解，还鼓励他们以真挚的方式去演绎和表达自己。除此之外，我们通过为孩子们提供演奏乐器和在舞台上表演的机会，让他们参与到合唱团、管弦乐队和各类乐队中。据我所知，哈罗横琴是这一地区唯一在一年级和二年级就开设小提琴课程的学校。教授这种乐器对孩子的成长和发展大有裨益，这一切都丰富了孩子全面发展的教育理念。

院舍活动

院舍电影比赛

京领：您的职业生涯跨越了不同的国际环境，您也强调了培养全球公民的重要性。那么哈罗横琴是如何培养学生们的全球公民意识与文化理解的呢？

哈罗横琴马千里校长：我注重那些培养技能与能力的教育活动以及其对创新思维的积极作用。作为一所国际化学校，在具有广泛影响力的校园文化和教育方式基础之上，我们的教育英国开启他们的心智和思想之门。让孩子们接触到丰富的知识、存在感以及思考方式，促使他们形成全球视野和全球公民意识。

因为我们的目标是培养未来的领导者，我们期待他们的领导力建立在对世界的深刻理解之上，而这种理解又深深植根于对自己国家的洞察。因此，我们自己的文化极为重要。我不希望我们的孩子仅以西方人或英国人的视角来看待世界。当他们未来成为有影响力的人物时，我希望能够通过他们自己的中国视角、民族和文化背景来理解世界，从而保持自己的影响力。我认为这至关重要，这是我们独特之所在，也是让我们与众不同的特色。

English Version

01

Bay Area Model, Cultural Continuity:Invigorating Regional Vitalitythrough Leadership

01

Deep Integration: Learning

within a Multicultural Context

KingLead: How has your work experience in China or the Greater Bay Area influenced your leadership and management of Harrow Hengqin?

Head Master of Harrow Hengqin Dr. Caruso:My career is an international one. My journey in China started in 2008, leading international student programmes and then progressing to the appointment as the headmaster of a school that was a new Chinese-British bilingual school near Shanghai. This experience gave me my first taste of Chinese education and the development of a public school system in China, which is a very nurturing experience in terms of my personal leadership improvement and my understanding of Chinese education and culture. In the field of education, Chinese children face unique needs, especially those who move from public schools to bilingual or international schools, with different challenges and opportunities. These experiences have influenced my leadership at Harrow Hengqin School.

Our school is located in Hengqin, the heart of the Greater Bay Area and the hub of Macau's deep Cooperation Zone. Geographical advantages have broadened my horizons and made me deeply aware that children have unique needs. As a a British international school, Harrow Hengqin does not pursue the superficial integration of Eastern and Western cultures, but rather through what I call a transcultural methodology and learning –an approach where we learn about culture and through culture itself.Hengqin's development and deepening cooperation with Macau have provided us with great opportunities and resources of educational innovation.

02

Harrow's Glory Shines Bright in Hengqin

KingLead: Looking back on the history of Harrow Hengqin, what is the proudest aspect of the school at present?

Head Masterof Harrow Hengqin Dr. Caruso:There are many proud aspects of our school. The fact that we are first and foremost a Harrow school. For all of us,the first thing everyone does is embrace its mission and vision to move forward. It's supported by robust holistic and pastoral structures. So in Harrow Hengqin, the education focuses on forming holistic development socially and academically, and it is underpinned by the development of character. So, I'm very proud of the fact that we have been able to create, in such a short space of time, an educational system and outcomes that allow our children to thrive in their own identities and spaces. I'm very proud of this achievement.

I am also extremely proud that the provision we offer at Harrow Hengqin is open to the children of the greater bay area—whether they are from Hong Kong, Macau, local Zhuhai residents, or from the Guangdong region. Furthermore, in fact, because of our excellent boarding facilities and programs, many families are coming from northern China. They are hearing about us and deliberately choosing Harrow Hengqin for the education that we provide. I am very proud of our Harrow curriculum, an international bilingual curriculum designed to foster a bilingual mindset, providing children the opportunity to be academically superior. As with learning music, the effect of bilingual education on cognitive processes in the brain is an excellent way for young children to develop academically, socially and emotionally.

03

Education Innovation and

Regional Advantage

KingLead: In the current field of international education, what are the common problems faced by Head Masters? What kind of support should be obtained?

Head Master of Harrow Hengqin Dr. Caruso:Education is subject to a multitude of significant influences, which manifest in various ways.

When the pandemic rampaged three or four years ago, educators globally were compelled to swiftly change the way of educational delivery for our children. Today, we kept calling it 'online learning,' but it wasn't true online learning. In fact, this kind of online learning is due to none of us were trained to provide education online, we had to learn how to do that, so it is more akin to emergency remote teaching. These changes posed as many challenges as they did opportunities. One of the most substantial challenges we currently face is the integration ofartificial intelligenceand its potential impact on learning. This will affect the delivery of methodologies, influencing how children think, how teachers conceptualize, and how they develop educational programs or curricula within their learning environments. We are all navigating these changes, and the pace of this change is indeed a challenge for all of us.

Then, in terms of international schools, the peaks and troughs of the economy are also things that we have to deal with. Because if it is a purely international school, then the number of specialists coming into a particular area may be influenced by the number of companies and factories, which in turn brings in the expected number of children and families to an area. For us, we are slightly more protected around that because many of our students are of Chinese nationality. Nevertheless, the ebb and flow of the economy and the various developments across China's regions will undoubtedly have an impact. Harrow Hengqin is undoubtedly fortunate due to the increasingly deepened collaboration between Hengqin and Macau.

In addition, a family chooses to enter the Greater Bay Area largely because of the significant pull factor of the area. There are great things happening in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and the whole of Guangdong Province. I think Hengqin in particular is worth watching because it's growing at an amazing rate. At the same time, I have a wonderful connection with the education board in Hengqin, the right supporters of the school. I know that they are working very hard to promote education in this region, which not only opens up opportunities for schools in Macau but also creates conditions for further development of schools in the region. This is a very positive phenomenon. Today, the challenge becomes an opportunity. As a headmaster, how to identify and seize these opportunities and follow the trend is the biggest challenge.

04

New Opportunities

Come with the New Role

KingLead: As the director of the Austcham Macau, could you please describe your role in the organisation and how your new position will benefit Harrow Hengqin and the students?

Head Master of Harrow Hengqin Dr. Caruso:This opportunity originated from my occasional encounter with Dr. Billy Chen of the Austcham five months ago, which was an unexpected opportunity for me. He was a wonderful man, and since we started to interact and became friends, I have had the opportunity to attend the numerous activities that were held by Austcham, including lunch with the Australian Consul-General in Hong Kong and Macau, and the opportunity to be amongst educators of and business people from the Macau. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to become one of the directors of Austcham Macau. In the organization, as the headmaster of Harrow, I am able to further promote in-depth exchanges between the school and Macau.

Recently, I was asked to deliver a speech based on an article that was written about myself through the Knowledge Review magazine. The speech was delivered to an audience of more than 60 people who are business people, diplomats, professors, teachers, educators and parents. After introducing Harrow Hengqin through my professional experience, we made contact with a number of potential partners, including universities in Macau, parents and enterprises. By the same token, the Australian Chamber of Commerce is not an independent organisation, but is widely linked to a number of other organizations. Therefore, through it, I can establish contacts with the Chamber of Commerce in Macau, Europe and the UK, which in turn provides opportunities for the school. That's why I accepted the position and the challenge directly. This is a very powerful source of collaboration that opens up doors for the school and for our kids.

02

Forward-thinking Vision,

Boundless Horizons:

Cultivating Future Leaders

KingLead: How is the "Educational Excellence for Life and Leadership" and four core values reflected in the actual implement of Harrow Hengqin?

Head Master of Harrow Hengqin Dr. Caruso:These values are taught by words and deeds, which means that we help students incorporate them into their lives. For example, if you visit the school and walk through its corridors, most children will look you in the eye. They'll say "welcome," "hello," and "how are you?" Some will even come up and introduce themselves to you. It speaks to the values of our school, which include Humility and Fellowship that are both explicitly taught and implicitly implied. Our holistic education creates the conditions for these four core values to be lived and experienced every single day. Our pastoral care system and vertical house system allow for these four core values to be lived and experienced daily.

Recently, I had the pleasure of presenting one of our students with the rare "Head Master's Award." This award is given only occasionally throughout the year to students who exemplify our four core values. This particular student was at a shopping mall when he noticed a little child who was lost. So he approached the child, summoned the staff, and helped the child and the staff find the parents. The parent of the lost child contacted the school and told us, "He could have ignored it, but he reached out his hand. And among all the people there, he was the one who helped my child reconnect with us." This student exemplified the best of our values, showing great Honour, Courage, Humility, and Fellowship.

KingLead: As a member of the Harrow family, how does Harrow Hengqin integrate into the Harrow global network, and what specific impacts does this connection bring to your students?

Head Master of Harrow Hengqin Dr. Caruso:Since the pandemic has ended, this emerging aspect has become increasingly relevant. Over the past year, we have been able to physically connect with Harrow schools around the world, including those in Chongqing, Beijing, London, Hong Kong, and Bangkok. Teachers from various schools can visit each other to communicate, creating a state of interconnectedness. The children are involved in sports, music, and academic interactions. We hosted thefirst-ever Harrow Chinese debate competition, where Harrow schools sent representatives to Hengqin for the finals. This was a fantastic opportunity for the children. The competition itself was significant; it wasn't just about bringing students together—they chatted, interacted, and got to know one another. The concept of the "Harrow family" became tangible as they were physically connected.

the Harrow Chinese Debate Competition

Now, instead of merely thinking, "This is a Harrow school in another city," they are genuinely getting to know each other. Harrow Hengqin's teachers travel to London for professional development during the summer. Previously, we had a great opportunity when the Harrow School London Orchestra came and spent an afternoon with us. We collaborated with our music director, and together they delivered an exceptional masterclass for our students and those from Harrow, London. The children were in the audience, experiencing the wonderful musical learning opportunity and the real performance and concert. The Harrow Hengqin orchestra is quite young, having only started this year. However, the music at Harrow London is world-class, so there is much our students can learn from interacting with these London school boys, and vice versa. For our teachers, bonds of lifelong friendship were woven through the interactions during that afternoon gathering.

Harrow School London Orchestra

KingLead: What does a bilingual education truly represent and what opportunity does it provide for Chinese students?

Head Master of Harrow Hengqin Dr. Caruso:Bilingual education is extremely important. As I have mentioned previously, it cultivatesa bilingual mindset, which createsa capacity for thinking and doing. Moreover, it enhancescritical analysis. Globally, students in bilingual learning environments perform better in this aspects.

For Chinese students and those of Chinese nationality, Mandarin as a mother tongue is undoubtedly a powerful communication tool. However, English remains an important language in academic research and career development. Nevertheless, Chinese is becoming far more prominent globally as China continues to position herself on the world stage and exert greater influence.

For our Chinese students, learning the English language and thinking in English is crucial for developing a global mindset while remaining grounded in their national identity. This balance is fundamental. Similarly, for non-Chinese nationals attending our school, learning Chinese is equally important. I am aware that many Chinese nationals have returned or are returning to China for various reasons, and they often prefer to enroll their children in bilingual schools. These students may possess English proficiency and an understanding of Western education, but they also seek to reintroduce Chinese thinking, culture, and language. On the other hand, we have children from Western countries who wish to come to China to immerse themselves in the Chinese language and culture for similar reasons.

KingLead: What do you think is the biggest challenge for international schools in China currently?

Head Master of Harrow Hengqin Dr. Caruso:There are many challenges at the moment for international schools in China. One common challenge is developing an educational provision that fits with the cultural understanding and identity of the region we are in. It is essential to understand not only the needs of our Chinese students and the expectations of their parents but also to have a deep understanding of the local requirements. We recognize that our parents are highly aspirational: they desire for their children to succeed academically, achieve great grades once they go through the A-Levels, and gain entry into the world's top universities.

However, how they get there, the type of person they become, and the character they develop are also crucial. The cultural resilience that develops over time allows them to be successful in obtaining university entrance, and it is crucial for their future career development after graduating from school. Thiscultural resilienceis precisely what should be cultivated within China's international education system.

03

Child-Centric Education：

Placing Students at the

Center of All Endeavors

KingLead: What is the source of innovation and transformation of your school, and how to achieve that innovation in curriculum, staff team, and admissions?

Head Master of Harrow Hengqin Dr. Caruso:The source of innovation is our children. They are the greatest source of innovation. As I’ve mentioned before, "placing children at the center of collective thought". We need to take into account the mix of children in the international curriculum, while being true to both the Chinese national curriculum and the Harrow curriculum. How to create conditions in the classroom to develop the huge Chinese national curriculum and start learning under those conditions to foster innovation. At the same time, as a professional learning community, our teachers are not constantly looking for change, because the pursuit of change and innovation itself is pointless. Only by paying more attention to the core needs of children and thinking about how to develop creatively can we achieve innovation. So, it's not innovation for innovation's sake, but change for impact's sake. Innovations must have an impact on children's education and the purpose of holistic education.

KingLead: You have advocated for "placing children at the center of collective thoughts and endeavors", and how is this reflected in your daliy work?

Head Master of Harrow Hengqin Dr. Caruso:We have a shared belief that we are all educators, and in we are all teachers in every interaction we have with children, crafting educationally rich environments. It emphasizes the concept of placing the child at the center of their thinking.

Now, if I'm going to make a change in terms of a leadership structure, for example, my rationale must be grounded in purpose. Could it be for the staff's welfare? Or is it to foster a better structure that works well in the school course? But in the end, how does it affect the child? Will this change make the life of the child at the school better or not? Will that influence the academic, social, emotional outcomes of the child? That's the core thinking.

When things were functioning adequately, we drove change based on strategic analysis. For example, we transitioned from a horizontal strategy and methodology in pastoral care to a vertical one, similar to the house system at Harrow School in London. This transition comes as we recognize the benefits of the vertical house system, such as it enhances personal tutoring for the students, and students can exhibit greater happiness, a stronger sense of belonging, and heightened empathy within their houses. This environment fosters collaboration, fellowship, and the embodiment of our four core values. So, why embrace such a substantial structural change? Because it places the children at the heart of our strategic thinking.

KingLead: How does the ethos of "cultivating a community where every stakeholder thrives" affect the school culture and a holistic approach to education?

Head Master of Harrow Hengqin Dr. Caruso:The best way to do that is to create the conditions for our students to be involved. And being involved means they have a seat at the decision-making table. We create this community through thishouse system, and these communities of home are parts of the greater whole -- Harrow Hengqin. Children can participate in many activities and get together in the house. It's not just about the competition between houses, it's about what they generate within the concept of the activities that we have.

The house singing competition and the house movie competition take children together again around one of the four values, mainly out of recognition of the "Honour." They create their own concepts through the medium of film, they create role-plays and stories. These are the ideas I'm talking about how we are able to generate this concept of holistic education by giving children experiential learning. Drama is a channel to play, create or experience different roles and achieve a deeper self-awareness for children. One of the drama that we are looking at is the Diary of Anne Frank. That is a very poignant story. It allows our children to immerse themselves in the terrible, true story of this child during World War II, enabling them to deeply understand their character and then express it authentically with themselves. In addition, by giving children the capacity to play and the opportunity to be on stage through choirs, orchestras and bands, many children get involved in music programs. As far as I know, we are the only school in the area that offers a violin programme in the Grade 1 and Grade 2. Because teaching this instrument is good for the development of children, and it all adds to that concept of holistic development of the child.

The House Activity

the House Movie Competition

KingLead: With a career spanning diverse international environments, you have emphasised fostering global citizenship. So, how does your school cultivate students' global citizenship and cultural understanding?

Head Master of Harrow Hengqin Dr. Caruso:I emphasize activities that build skills and abilities and their positive effect on innovative thinking. As an international school, based on a widely influential campus culture and educational approach, our education should also provide them with the capacity to open up their hearts and minds. To expose children to knowledge, a way of being and thinking that allows them to create the concepts of global understanding and global citizenship.

Since our goal is to develop future leaders, we expect their leadership is based on a global understanding, which is based on a deep understanding of their own nation. So our culture is very important. I don't want our children to see the world solely through Western or British lenses. As influencers, I want them to be influenced, but to see the world through their own Chinese cultural context. I think that's really important, that's what makes us different; that's what gives us our uniqueness.

文中图片均源自横琴哈罗礼德学校

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