December 2015 Noblesse China
As the grandson of legendary shipping tycoon Sir Yue Kong Pao, Philip Sohmen could have taken any career path he desired, and yet his grandfather’s interest and enthusiasm for education appears to have remained deeply ingrained.
The Pao family’s commitment to education is universally known and widely praised – Sir YK Pao has funded the construction of several schools, while his eldest daughter and mother of Philip Sohmen, Prof Anna Pao Sohmen, established Chinese International School, the first Putonghua-English bilingual school in Hong Kong. 2007 would see the joint effort of Prof Sohmen and Philip Sohmen culminate in the founding of the non-profit, bilingual YK Pao School in Shanghai (hereinafter referred to as ‘Pao School’), which offers a Year 1-12 programme that integrates Chinese and international educational approaches. Pao School is one of the most popular and recognised private schools in Shanghai. Grandfather and mother’s dedication to education has had lasting impact on Philip Sohmen, steadily laying the foundation for his future: ‘Quite frankly, I had not planned to enter the field of education. It was during my studies at Stanford University when I began to take an interest in it, and it was in my later work where this fascination continued to grow stronger. I must admit, my family had an enormous influence on me when it came to education.’
Sohmen’s interest in education began with his own outstanding accomplishments. At the age of 13, he received the famous King's Scholarship for admission to UK’s Eton College, the same school that has produced nearly 20 British prime ministers. His excellent academic achievements earned him a place at the University of Oxford, where he studied philosophy, politics and economics (the most prestigious major programme at Oxford, training a large number of the world’s top leaders). Sohmen would later obtain his master's degree in East Asian Studies at Stanford University. During his tenure at Oxford, Sohmen was one of the top five students in the UK. He is also an accomplished athlete, especially in swimming, and has represented Oxford in four sports events. As captain of the Oxford swimming team, he competed against the University of Cambridge, eventually scoring the final victory and earning the prestigious title of ‘Oxford Blue.’ He also represented Hong Kong in international swimming and water polo competitions, now continues to compete in regular events. Seeing Sohmen’s enthusiasm and command in the water, it’s hard not to imagine the same level of devotion Sir YK Pao’s had for the seas during his lifetime.
Noblesse: What kind of fundamental rules or standards have you established for Pao School?
P: Our mission at Pao school is focused on developing the whole person – this means that we believe students should be learning skills, attitudes and developing their character as well as learning knowledge. We want to educate three dimensional young people as opposed to one dimensional people. We place a great emphasis on character education and values – without good values, intelligence and capability will not benefit society.
N: Pao School has its roots in Chinese culture, while at the same time, most of its students intend to continue their studies abroad. How do you balance these two aspects?
We feel it is very important for our students to have a strong foundation in Chinese language and culture – even if this is not directly helpful for them to apply for studies overseas, it is a gift that we hope they can keep for a lifetime. We feel it is important for our international students to learn about China as a bridge to understanding – we even have students from the US who are able to sing the Chinese national anthem and recite Tang poetry!
In terms of preparing for education abroad, our students have exposure to international peers and international teachers from Year 1 onwards, so they are learning not just English language but also international culture and study skills, which will prepare them for success in their overseas studies. In terms of specific preparation, Pao School’s Director of University Counselling has worked in the admissions department of some of the leading universities in the US, including UCLA.
N: You received your education abroad, and you are familiar with their educational system and their standards for ‘good students.’ What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of Chinese students?
P: Chinese students typically study very hard and strive for success. Where Pao School tries to support them is in the ability to think ‘outside the box,’ coming up with new solutions and ideas, and also working as a team – learning to work with others is a must for a world in which many problems and issues require interdisciplinary solutions. We also believe a good student is one with strong integrity and values.
N: Pao School is becoming more popular and successful in Shanghai. In your experience, have you seen changes in the way parents think about education?
P: I certainly see parents’ attitudes changing. Many parents now have a broader view of education that is focused not just on results but on the learning process. In particular, I am seeing that parents are realising the importance of sports and the arts in education as providing opportunities for students to build teamwork, persistence and thinking skills, not just for gifted students but for all students.
N: Why do you believe that a school like Pao School is possible or even necessary in today’s China?
P: Education in china has been very successful in the past few decades in raising standards for a very large number of students – we’ve seen Shanghai students score at the top of the world rankings in the global PISA assessments. However, we believe there is more to education than simply exam results – how do we really prepare students to succeed in life? As China’s economy changes from being manufacturing-based, export-driven to more of a service-driven, knowledge-based economy, we felt that China needs more education focused on soft skills as well as hard skills.
N: Do you see schools like Pao school as a new trend for education in China?
P: Definitely. We are a pioneering school, but we are starting to see a number other schools develop along the same model. Of course, the educational system in China is very large, so it won’t change overnight, but I do feel strongly that there is an educational reform is coming.
Philip Sohmen is Pao School’s Co-Founder and Deputy Chairman of the Board of Governors. He is also the CEO of World Wide Education Group. In addition to establishing Pao School, he also co-founded the Shanghai International Youth Orchestra (SHIYO) and serves as Vice-Chair of the Shanghai Youth Federation. He also holds several positions, including Chairman of the Ningbo Youth Federation Chairman, Chair of the Ningbo Association for Young Talents of Overseas Chinese, member of the Oxford Asia Advisory Committee and member of the Special Olympics Asia Advisory Committee. Sohmen is a graduate of UK’s Eton College and the University of Oxford as well as US’s Stanford University.
