7th ChinaICAC International College Counseling Annual Conference

Our school's university and careers counsellors, Ms Serena Shi (Shi Qiusha) and Ms Rain Xie (Xie Ying), attended the 7th ChinaICAC International College Counseling Annual Conference in Wuhan. As one of the most influential international education events in China, this year's conference brought together over 200 university admissions officers from more than 20 countries and over 400 high school college counsellors and academic leaders.

With their extensive professional experience, Ms Shi and Ms Xie were selected as certified mentors for ChinaICAC’s College Counsellor Mentorship Programme. During the conference, they not only engaged in in-depth discussions with the programme team but also proudly showcased our school’s outstanding alumni programme to the international education community.

At Dulwich, we regard every graduate as a valued member of our extended family. Under the guidance of the group, the DHSZ Alumni Office was officially established in August 2021. Since then, it has provided a wide range of services to over a thousand alumni. Earlier this year, we took another step forward by launching the Alumni Internship Programme—an innovative initiative that offers a high-quality career development platform for our graduates.

The insightful presentations by our two counsellors were met with enthusiastic responses, sparking further conversations among attendees. Several university counselling leaders from other schools continued discussions after the event, focusing on effective alumni programme strategies and operations.

Ms Xie and Ms Shi were invited as guest speakers for the roundtable discussion on “Exams, Tests, Essays, and More: Rising Concerns in Academic Integrity and Honesty in College Applications.”

During the session, Ms Xie underscored the importance of ethical conduct in the university application process and shared practical strategies for addressing instances of academic dishonesty. Ms Shi highlighted Dulwich’s proactive approach, outlining key preventive measures such as the Integrity Agreement and one-to-one parent meetings—initiatives aimed at ensuring transparency, fairness, and a values-driven admissions journey.

The two counsellors represented Dulwich International High School Programme Suzhou at the international high school fair, where they enthusiastically showcased DHSZ’s distinctive curriculum and key strengths to university representatives from around the world.

Admissions officers from top-tier global universities praised Dulwich for fostering not only academic excellence but also strong intercultural competence. In particular, they highlighted how Dulwich graduates stand out as confident, resilient, and articulate individuals.

Here is the list of sessions attended by our two counsellors, covering higher education systems in a range of countries, including the USA, Canada, New Zealand, France, and the UK:

Kia Ora/Hello, New Zealand
AI Impact on Admissions Process
Mastering Communication to Build Trust with Parents in College Counseling
Study in Canada - Understanding the Latest Canadian Visa Updates: Key Changes & Implications
Crafting Confident Communicators: Building Narratives Early
Bridging the Gap Together: Best Practices for Supporting International Students in Their Study Abroad Journey
Undergraduate Studies in France: Everything You Need to Know
Behind the Admissions Curtain: A Mock Application Committee in Action