New Beginnings, Lasting Connections: The Class of 2026 Returns

New cities and university campuses were calling, but first, the Class of 2026 came home.

Returning to Dulwich International High School Programme Suzhou for Alumni Homecoming, our graduates spent the day reconnecting with teachers, classmates and alumni from previous years. Before beginning their next chapter, they had one more day to make new memories in a familiar place, the school where they had learnt, grown and built friendships that will continue long after graduation.

Familiar Campus, Familiar Faces

he weeks between graduation and university are filled with anticipation. Some graduates are preparing to leave for new cities, others are already experiencing their first taste of university life, while many are beginning to think about the studies and opportunities ahead.

Alumni Homecoming offered a chance to put those plans aside for a while. Back on campus, graduates reconnected with teachers and friends, laughed over stories from their school days and shared their excitement about where they were heading next.

For teachers, there was something particularly rewarding about seeing students who had once sat in their classrooms preparing to step out into the world.

For graduates, it is a connection they've come to value.

Sonya C, Class of 2024, shared:‘I came back with some friends to catch up with our teachers, and it was really nice seeing everyone again. I also spoke with Mr Mackay, who gave me some helpful advice about choosing my university courses. It was nice to know that even after graduating, we can still come back and ask our teachers for support.’

Graduates, Now Alumni

Graduation may mark the end of their time as students, but it does not mark the end of their relationship with Dulwich.

At Alumni Homecoming, the Class of 2026 formally joined the DHSZ and EIM alumni community, becoming part of a network that connects generations of students long after they leave the classroom.

That connection was already in action during the day. Alumni from previous graduating years shared their experiences of university life, from adapting to new ways of learning and living to making decisions about what comes next. Their practical advice gave the Class of 2026 the opportunity to learn from those who had recently made the same transition themselves.

‘One of the highlights for me was hanging out with friends, before I leave for university. I also spoke with alumni who are studying at the same university I’ll be attending, and they shared some practical advice about accommodation.’

— Thomas T, Class of 2026

Connections Across Graduating Years

A school's influence is not confined to the years students spend on campus. It continues long after they leave, through the relationships, friendships and sense of belonging that endure.

This summer marked DHSZ's second Alumni Homecoming, bringing together alumni from different graduating years and at different stages of their lives. Some are at university, while others are already looking towards what comes next. Yet their return to campus reflected something they continue to share: a connection to DHSZ and to the community that helped shape them.

For the Class of 2026, these conversations offered more than practical advice. Meeting alumni who had once stood where they now stand gave them a glimpse of the community they were joining and a reminder that others had already navigated many of the opportunities and uncertainties ahead.

For returning alumni, Homecoming was a chance to reconnect with the people and place that had shaped their school years. As each graduating class moves on, it becomes part of something larger, with experience, advice and support passing naturally from one generation of DHSZ students to the next.

 

Looking Ahead

As the day came to a close, teachers shared their best wishes with the Class of 2026, encouraging them to carry the curiosity, confidence and spirit of exploration they developed at Dulwich into university life and beyond.

They may be heading to different universities, cities and countries, but they leave with something in common: the friendships they formed, the teachers who supported them and a community to which they will always belong.

Congratulations and best wishes to the Class of 2026 as they pursue what they love. Thank you to all the alumni who returned to campus. We look forward to seeing you again.