A Class OF Your Own Launches First-Ever DEC School in China
Born from the passion to inspire and elevate young talent, the award-winning Design Engineer Construct! (DEC) programme has spread across the globe, making its mark in various schools, colleges, and universities, including, most recently, Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi (DCSPX) in China.
Situated in Shanghai's Minhang district, DCSPX was founded by Dulwich College London, the first British independent school to bring its practices to China.
However, the college’s pioneering approach to education did not end there! Adding another feather to its cap, DCSPX also became the first school in China to introduce DEC into its holistic curriculum, opening its learners up to a world of opportunity.
The recent addition of DEC has proven to be a monumental success. The ambitious staff and supportive industry professionals have played a massive role in nurturing a new generation of engineers who can use their personal experiences to expand, innovate, and transform the built environment to suit their communities and natural surroundings.
Where inspiration took root
There’s no one more passionate about the built environment than Alison Watson and her like-minded team. Keen to spread the word and open the minds of others to the importance of creating a sustainable future in construction, Alison, CEO and founder of Class Of Your Own (COYO), presented at FOBISIA’s 2023 Annual Leadership Conference in Bangkok.
Unsurprisingly, Alison’s powerful and thought-provoking words resonated with many, including Kelly King, head of DCSPX’s senior school. King explains how Alison’s moving speech influenced her to take action, “I saw, I heard, I understood, and I wanted our students to be part of it. We believe in our students making a positive difference in the world.”
For King, the integration of DEC into their school’s curriculum was never a matter to be questioned. Once the finer details were sorted out, DCSPX introduced their students to an enriching programme, one that would help them reach new heights within the built environment.
Collaborating with world-leading experts
When opportunity knocks, it often comes in unexpected forms. For the DEC students at DCSPX, that opportunity came in the form of collaboration with Broadway Malyan, a global architecture, urbanism and design practice.
Broadway Malyan also happens to be the very architects who designed their school!
James Stockdale, the Associate Director at Broadway Malyan, notes their collaboration's positive impact on the students by sharing how they “were not only exposed to practical challenges but also received valuable insights into the many career paths within the Built Environment.”
Going above and beyond to provide students with an insight into the industry, Broadway Malyan threw themselves headfirst into the programme. They were readily available to answer any student queries and even delivered workshops on how to use design software (not just any software, but the software that the architects use!)
Creating a positive impact
Demonstrating a thirst for knowledge, the DEC students took the fantastic, life-changing opportunity to the fullest by immersing themselves in their projects and continuously demonstrating a determination to develop their skills and knowledge.
Ben Oliver-Robinson, Teacher of Humanities at DCSPX, describes how he found collaboration between the students and Broadway Malyan to be a “very endearing process”, especially when watching the students present their projects to the team.
These projects allowed students to truly dive into their innovative thinking and create unique concepts that could one day have the power to blossom into something extraordinary.
Ben reflects on this, expressing how he could “really see the passion and level of research they’d committed to this project”, signalling that DEC has not only sparked the students' interest but also opened their eyes to a fulfilling career where they can use their passion to make a positive difference.
Looking into the future
Introducing the DEC programme at DCSPX has been a remarkable achievement, not just for the school but for education worldwide. Thanks to Alison and her team's passion and the forward-thinking approach of educational leaders like King, students are gaining essential skills to succeed in the dynamic construction sector.
The collaboration with industry experts like Broadway Malyan has also added a real-world dimension to their learning journey, exposing them to practical challenges and exciting opportunities.
Seeing the enthusiasm from both students and teachers, it's clear that DEC isn't just part of a holistic curriculum—it's a spark igniting young imaginations, encouraging innovation, and paving the way for a more sustainable future in construction and beyond.