At the start of the new school year, a deep dialogue on the nature of education and its future direction unfolded at Dehong Beijing.
“Today, there are actually two transformations happening in this school: one is how we guide our children from the age of 5 or 6 today to become 18-year-olds more than a decade from now, how we guide them through their own growth, and how we prepare them to face an uncertain future. At the same time, we ourselves are also here on campus, completing our own challenges.” — These words from Ms. Louisa Lu, Regional Managing Director of EiM, spoken during the visit of the Education in Motion (EiM) Group Executive Team (GET) to the whole faculty and staff, set the tone for the moment: Change is not somewhere in the distance; it is here and now. And action cannot wait.
Recently, Dr. Marc Ledermann, Chief Executive Officer of EiM; Mr. Richard Henry, Chief Education Officer; and Ms. Louisa Lu, Regional Managing Director for China, Singapore and South Korea, visited Dehong Beijing School (DEGT). At the start of the new school year, they engaged in a deep exchange with the entire faculty and staff on educational philosophy, pathways of action and collective belief.
During the visit, GET not only delivered presentations and took part in a fireside chat with all staff, but also held separate, back-to-back conversations with students and parents — with no school staff present, to ensure that the feedback was authentic and fair. The feedback GET received afterwards was, without exception, positive and warm: students had keenly noticed improvements ranging from academic progress to food quality , and parents also expressed recognition of the school’s recent changes. Those seemingly small changes were seen, valued and affirmed.
This is precisely the spirit of the visit: Education does not chase noise. Change begins with small steps, and every positive journey of growth will eventually be felt.
Students First: The Origin of Every Decision
Dr. Marc Ledermann, CEO of EiM, made it clear at the outset that EiM’s vision is to be a leading international education group, but that the measure of success is not scale or size — it is real impact on students. “We don’t want to be known like some of the other groups where we are known for scale, for size. We want to be known for the impact on the students.” He emphasised that EiM’s four pillars — Impact, Wellbeing, Innovation and EiMx — all point to the same core: enabling every student to flourish academically, socially and personally.
“We have a responsibility to be ambitious for our students, be ambitious for us, but also, first, the student — we want to make sure they can achieve their dreams.” This sentence from Marc became the most powerful footnote to the entire visit. So how do we do it? The answer lies in clear objectives and practical action. “Let’s focus on the impact it makes to the students every day — see it, and then let’s make it happen together.” He stressed that EiM Group and its member schools must not only “listen” but also “respond” — through tools and communicate honestly with parents: “Yes, we have made progress; if not, then let’s be honest. We have not — I need to work on improving it.”
Mr. Richard Henry, Chief Education Officer of EiM, further explained the practical path of “students first”. He shared his conversations with students and parents during this visit: students had keenly noticed positive changes in various aspects of the school, and parents also expressed recognition of the school’s continuous improvement. “In a very short time, there has been some positive movement,” Richard said. “But this is only the beginning. Our goal is that, from day one, no matter where students start, we provide a consistent offering of excellence.”
For parents, this means that for every policy introduced, every resource allocated and every classroom improvement, there is only one ultimate measure: Does it truly benefit the child? Not scale, not rankings, but whether your child is seen, supported and inspired here. Home-school communication is above all about sincerity, and about always being on the road of effort and progress — progress will be honestly communicated, and shortcomings will be openly acknowledged. For students, this means that your feelings, your growth and your dreams are taken seriously. Every step you take is being watched; every suggestion you make is being listened to. For teachers, this means a shift in orientation: not score-driven, but impact-driven. It also means that teaching can be purer — not driven by utilitarianism, not anxious about short-term metrics, but returning to the heart of education: first, let students be happy and feel safe; only then can they be focused and ready to learn. Wellbeing is the precondition for all learning. Every moment of patience, every word of encouragement, every thoughtfully designed lesson is laying the foundation for a life’s long-term development.
Educational Excellence: From “Plan” to “Action”
“Last year was a transition. This year is about let’s make it happen.” Dr. Marc Ledermann was firm as he looked ahead to the 26/27 academic year. EiM Group has set clear core objectives for the new year: Educational Excellence, Stakeholder Experience, Innovation and Future-Ready Learning, Growth and Expansion, and Sustainable School Improvement. Running through all of them is the constant main line: educational excellence.
Richard Henry systematically presented the education team’s workstreams for the year. He opened with a lively interactive exercise — asking teachers to use different hand gestures to indicate their level of familiarity with each area — to gauge the team’s understanding of the education quality framework, and from there unfolded a clear academic blueprint.
On quality assurance, Richard stressed, “We need to make sure that what we say we will deliver as a group, that you deliver — that we have a certain level of excellence.” To this end, the Quality Assurance Framework (QAF) is being built and will be launched this year. Its purpose is not to make every school the same, but to ensure that the excellence the group promises can be delivered consistently.
On curriculum and assessment, a series of new initiatives is being or will soon be rolled out:
- Teaching Competency Framework and Engaging Learning: the former provides standards for teachers’ professional practice; the latter focuses on students’ genuine engagement and thinking in the classroom.
- Professional Learning: all teachers have completed the compulsory online training, and more systematic professional learning support will follow.
- Language Provision Review: a comprehensive review and enhancement of language teaching across the group.
- AI Critical Thinking Curriculum Framework: to be rolled out in all schools this academic year. Its core idea is human intelligence first, AI as a tool — teaching students to use AI, and more importantly, to think about how they use and reflect on AI.
- International Advanced Diploma (IAD) and A-Level+: offering senior students richer academic pathways.
- Melbourne New Metrics: a new assessment tool being rolled out across all EiM schools to measure students’ skills and competencies, so that students can have a competency portfolio throughout their school life and parents can clearly see their growth trajectory. “This is something education has wanted to do for years but found hard to achieve,” Richard said.
- Student Journeys Mapping: identifying each school’s unique journey, respecting the uniqueness of every school while ensuring consistent quality assurance.
On student development and experience, university and careers counselling, student events and experiences (EiMx), and the alumni experience together form a complete support system from the classroom to the future. At the end of October, all heads of schools will come together to prioritise all of this work.
“We are preparing students for a future that we don’t know what it looks like.” Richard particularly stressed that the launch of the AI Critical Thinking Curriculum is precisely to help students prepare for that unclear future. “All this talk about that we don’t need teachers and we can use AI tutors — it’s an absolute nonsense. In this time, we need teachers, human teachers, even more.”
For parents, this means that from this year onwards, a series of visible, tangible academic upgrades are being implemented: clearer teacher standards, more scientific assessment methods, more personalised growth pathways, and a more future-ready curriculum. Your child will have a competency portfolio throughout their school life; they will learn to think about how to use AI better; and they will have a growth pathway of their own. For students, this means your classroom will focus more on whether you are truly engaged and truly thinking; your growth will be recorded more comprehensively; and you will have more opportunities to explore what you are truly good at and passionate about. For teachers, this means a clear signal: the group’s continued investment in professional development, the building of the teaching competency framework, and the promotion of engaging learning are all about empowering every teacher — helping you become more professionally discerning, more attuned to students, and more irreplaceable. In the AI era, what is truly amplified is human intelligence; and what is truly needed is a teacher who can ignite students’ thinking.
Regional Support: Closer to Schools, So Every School Can Shine
Ms. Louisa Lu, Regional Managing Director of EiM, reviewed EiM’s 20-year development and pointed out: “Times have changed. We cannot wait for a school to grow slowly over 15 years as we did in the past. The uncertainty of the future requires us to be more proactive and more focused.”
She introduced the regional team, composed of functional leaders in education, operations, finance, admissions and marketing, HR, government and corporate affairs, and strategic projects, all with an average of more than 10 years’ experience in the EiM and Dulwich systems. “This is a team that deeply understands the DNA of Dulwich and Dehong,” Louisa said. “We can respond quickly to school needs and provide comprehensive solutions.”
She gave a vivid example: when Dehong Beijing proposed the “Dehong Promise Plan” as a way to give back to families who have supported the school over the long term, the regional team coordinated finance, admissions, marketing and legal departments within two weeks, completed the design and obtained approval. “This is the power of the collective. Together, we can turn support into action.”
Louisa concluded with the word “resilience” — as a shared encouragement to all faculty and staff: “In the face of challenges, we need both strength and resilience. On this journey, you are not walking alone. We are walking as a group. We can encourage each other and have each other’s backs.”
For parents, this means that when the school faces difficulties or parents have concerns, it is no longer one school fighting alone. The regional team is based in Shanghai, close at hand, able to respond quickly, coordinate comprehensively, and turn support into action. From admissions to finance, from teaching to operations, every need has a dedicated contact and a path to resolution. For students, this means that behind the campus you live in every day is an invisible support network. From food quality to campus safety, from daily order to facility maintenance, from activity organisation to the learning environment — those everyday aspects of campus life you take for granted are precisely the result of the regional team and school operations staff working behind the scenes. The comfort and security you feel are not a given; someone is quietly holding them up.For teachers, this means you are not facing challenges alone. Whether it is a teaching question, an operational difficulty, or a professional development need, there is a team with deep educational experience behind you. Every effort you make has someone supporting it.
Fireside Chat: Confidence, Direction and Action
In the fireside chat that followed, Marc, Richard and Louisa had an open exchange about Dehong Beijing’s future potential, the group’s support priorities, and their message to teachers.
On future potential, Marc said directly: “Last year was very challenging, but this is also a year of preparing for a very successful future. We have a great leadership team, great students, very committed parents, and the commitment from us. Dehong Beijing has every potential to grow into a larger and more influential school. What we need is to focus, connect and make it happen.”
On group support, Richard stressed: “Teaching and learning is where the group can make the greatest difference for the school. The documentation for ‘Engaging Learning’ has already been completed. It will become the compass for our classrooms. The group will support every teacher to be the best they can be.”
On their message to teachers, all three leaders spoke of “change” and “team”. Marc said: “Change is never easy. Let’s focus on what we can change — in the classroom, with students, with the team.” Louisa added: “The future does not come automatically. We are all part of the future. We can change it by proactive acting, or we can let it happen by doing nothing.” Richard summed it up with the KISS principle: “Keep it simple. Start small. Simple changes are already happening. Keep going.”
Ms. Coco Fan, Executive Principal of Dehong Beijing, then addressed the whole staff in her closing remarks. Drawing on a book she had read over the summer, Educated — published in Chinese as You Should Be Like a Bird Flying to Your Mountain — she shared its spirit with her colleagues: “The challenges ahead of us are actually not as difficult as we imagine. Dehong Beijing should be more like an eagle, pushing itself to meet the challenge and soar over the mountain — because what awaits us is victory.” Her words were both an encouragement to every teacher and a statement of the shared belief of Dehong: to rise above every challenge and fly towards a brighter future.
After the Visit, Action Continues: Responding to the Times Through Continuous Calibration
It is worth noting that this GET visit was not a one-off. Following Friday’s exchange with all faculty and staff, the group and the school have already continued this dialogue and action this week — through in-depth interviews with parents, current students, alumni, prospective students and education practitioners — to understand real needs, adjust the group’s strategic planning, and calibrate the school’s development path.
Behind this is a clear judgment: EiM’s Dehong schools have passed their tenth year and are facing major changes in the market environment. Times are changing, parents’ needs are changing, students’ futures are changing, and education cannot remain unchanged. Only by continuously listening, reflecting and recalibrating can a school’s development stay in tune with the times and aligned with families.
Exchange, reflection, review and improvement — this is a continuous process. The group’s commitment is not limited to one speech or one conversation. It is embedded in daily life, a year-round presence of companionship and support. This efficiency and action also make us look forward even more to what comes next for Dehong Beijing.
Conclusion: Earn Trust Through Impact, Create the Future Through Action
“We are an ambitious group, but we would rather be remembered for our profound impact on students.” This sentence from Dr. Marc Ledermann may be the most concise summary of EiM’s educational philosophy.
From the firm commitment of students first, to the systematic advancement of educational excellence; from the close support of the regional team, to the forward-looking layout of the AI curriculum framework; from the unwavering bottom line of wellbeing, to the diverse expansion of EiMx — EiM Group is injecting a steady stream of momentum into Dehong Beijing with a clear strategy, practical action and shared belief.
As Ms. Louisa Lu said: “Educating others begins with educating ourselves. Only when we believe it ourselves can we educate our children to believe.”
When education no longer chases short-term noise, but returns to human growth; when the relationship between group and school is no longer simply management, but a community of shared purpose, shared resources and shared value creation — Dehong Beijing gains the responsibility and ambition to cross uncertainty and move towards excellence. And the end point of all this is always to build dreams of excellence for every child and open infinite possibilities for them.
