Playtimes HK Magazine February 2018 Issue | Page 22

news Forest School Development Centre In the overcrowded metropolis that is Hong Kong, ICHK Hong Lok Yuen is leading a pioneering programme which will culminate in it becoming Asia’s inaugural Forest School Development Centre. The Tai Po school is set to achieve its vision of being a leader in outdoor learning and Forest School education by the summer. As well as the Development Centre status, it is on track to be the only school in Hong Kong to achieve the Learning Outside the Classroom Gold Award. www.ichk.edu.hk FIS Campus Update The French International School’s Tseung Kwan O campus, due to open in September this year, is making impressive progress. The new community-conscious eco-campus will feature a grass-covered walkway linking the villa-style primary school with the secondary school, hanging gardens, natural materials (such as bamboo), natural sunlight and ventilation. www.fis.edu.hk/en/admissions Education Matters Attending University Overseas ESF Island School Rennovation One of the founding schools of the English Schools Foundation (ESF), Island School opened in 1967 with a distinctive approach to teaching and learning that has generated outstanding success over the decades. The 50-year-old school is currently undergoing a major redevelopment and while the site on Borrett Road is being redeveloped, the school has moved to two temporary school sites in Sha Tin. The school is open to applications from secondary-aged students to join in the 2017/18 and 2018/19 academic years. To help parents understand the school's curriculum and educational philosophy, as well as the redevelopment plans, a seminar will be held on 1 March. www.esf.edu.hk/parent-seminars 20 www.playtimes.com.hk According to figures in HSBC’s The Value of Education series, the globalisation of higher education shows no sign of stalling. A recent study of over 8,000 parents across 15 countries and territories found that 42 percent would consider sending their child to university abroad, compared to 35 percent in 2016. Ambitious parents in Asia are boosting the trend – in Hong Kong the figure is 52 percent, in Singapore it is 47 percent and in China 59 percent. Parents see the main benefits of a university education abroad as helping their child gain international work experience (49 percent), developing foreign language skills (49 percent) and being exposed to new experiences, ideas and cultures (48 percent). Overall, America is the most considered international destination by parents for their child’s university education (47 percent) ahead of Australia, the UK, Canada, Germany and France.