Having received world-class kindergarten to Year 12 schooling in China before attending Oxford University to study computer science, Joy Qiao is well aware of the difference that a diverse, eye-opening education can have on a person’s life trajectory.
Plucked from the ranks of her fellow students at Oxford, Qiao was granted a scholarship by United States technology giant Intel, leading to a 10-year career with the company. Later, an entrepreneurial itch meant she was keen to head out on her own. However, it was her parental instincts as much as her business acumen that led her towards China’s rapidly evolving education industry.
“My son was around three years old and I couldn’t quite find what I was looking for in terms of schooling,” Joy Qiao tells The CEO Magazine. “It gave me the idea that I could start a business that would address my family’s educational needs, while also hopefully helping thousands of other families do the same.”
Be you, be more
Remembering her education, and the invaluable linguistic grounding it gave her, Qiao aimed to launch a school in China where students would have the chance to explore not only their intellectual passions but also broaden their horizons for what came next.
“I wanted students to have an international, holistic education, but without losing their own culture and their sense of belonging,” she explains.
Fortunately, a visionary figure in the education industry was hoping to achieve the same thing. Sir Anthony Seldon, 13th Master of the original Wellington College in the United Kingdom and a pioneer of promoting wellbeing in schools, was looking for a partner to bring the Wellington brand to China. After approaching him, Qiao discovered that their educational vision aligned perfectly, and the founding of Wellington College Tianjin and Wellington College International Shanghai followed in 2011 and 2014 respectively.
“I wanted students to have an international, holistic education, but without losing their own culture and their sense of belonging.”
Both schools quickly developed their British-style international education offering, derived primarily from the English national curriculum, and delivered by teachers mostly recruited from Britain and other native English-speaking countries. What made the Wellington College China brand stand out from its competitors was its focus on discovering the intrinsic motivation of each child, to ignite their passion for learning.
“This is achieved by treating each student as an individual and helping them find their interests as well as their strengths,” Qiao says.
“Our motto is ‘Be You, Be More’ and it reflects how we want our children to be the best version of themselves, guided by their own innate capabilities and curiosity. This is what a growing proportion of parents want for their children.”
Future focus
Qiao has built an educational powerhouse in China in the short space of 15 years. Wellington College China operates premium international schools under the Wellington brand and bilingual schools under the Hiba brand. There are currently six campuses in four Chinese cities, including Tianjin, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nantong, with a school soon to open in San Francisco as well, serving more than 5,000 students.
With Wellington College International Shanghai celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Qiao is looking both forward and backward – happily reflecting on how far the school has come, while also eager to use that momentum to keep refining the group’s educational offering so that it remains relevant in an ever-changing world.
“The work is never done,” she notes happily. “I think the next decade will be the most exciting decade for Wellington College China.
“We’ve been through our growing pains. We are strong enough to stand on our own, but we are not old yet either. That’s an advantage in an industry where nothing is set in stone, everything is up for debate, and the discussion never stands still.”
Wellington College International Shanghai in Pudong New Bund Area
“I think the next decade will be the most exciting decade for Wellington College China.”
While growth is always welcome in any business, Qiao is adamant that it must be sustainable, with a steadfast focus on quality over quantity. This principle has led to the careful consideration of the group’s very first expansion into North America.
Announced in August 2024, Wellington College China secured the former offices of Airbnb as the site for a new 400-student capacity Hiba Academy School in the San Francisco Bay Area. Once open in September 2026, this international education brand will expand its global presence to a whole new continent.
For Qiao, Wellington’s past, present and future success is measured not only in healthy balance sheets but in the life-changing stories of its students.
“As an individual, my biggest value-add to the operation is my ability to bridge cultures and differences. But what really defines an organization ultimately comes down to the authenticity of its purpose. That takes time to consider and develop,” she says.
“Initially, I just wanted to be an entrepreneur, but gradually I saw my children growing up in my school, and how they turned out to be far better than I could have ever hoped or imagined. To me, this defines the success of our business.”
