What makes DSC International School alumni so prepared for the future?
Over 37 years ago, DSC International School (DSC) was founded on the belief that every child is unique and that there is not just one path to success. “Dream! Succeed! Celebrate!” Embodied in their school motto, DSC is dedicated to ensuring every student is equipped with the skills and knowledge for not only post- secondary schools, but to pursue their dreams and face the world as global leaders. From medical doctors to financial bankers, name an industry or profession and you will be sure to find a DSC alumnus. Founded in 1986, the Taikoo Shing based international private school is well-known for its Canadian curriculum and diverse student body. With a teaching team of over 90% Canadian-trained teachers and approximately 1,200 students enrolled from Early Years (4-years- old) through Grade 12 on the same campus, students benefit from individual mentorship and a strong school spirit. “Our tight- knit community is our strength,” says Principal of Secondary, Mr. Allan Morrison, “our students know that there is always someone to go to for advice and help – whether a fellow student, a teacher, or an upper-year mentor.”
learning, and perseverance through challenges. “STEAM learning is incorporated into every grade level,” Morrison notes, “beyond a passion for the sciences, STEAM also teaches students how to approach, persevere and solve problems.” Through a combination of academic rigour and community outreach, DSC teaching staff carefully foster a love of learning and perseverance through challenges in students, inspiring them to take action for their own future. Unlike other well-known curriculums such as the IBDP or GCSE, the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) curriculum focuses on flexibility from an early stage. The Individual Pathways Program beginning in Grade 7 is designed to help students understand their aptitudes, passions, and interests; to better prepare them for post-secondary studies. “Career and life planning is a core feature of our extended homeroom activities,” says Morrison, “and parents play a crucial role in the student’s success.” Guidance counsellors and homeroom teachers work together with the student and their families to explore what they are interested in, and the possible university programs and careers they can pursue post-graduation. The transparent process allows parents to be involved in crafting an individualized course of study and rest assured that their child is fully prepared to pursue their dreams.
The DSC community is built around the principles of inclusivity, kindness, student success, and extracurricular enrichment; this is reflected in its plans and initiatives to produce well-rounded lifelong learners. Starting in the Early Years program, students are encouraged to not only excel academically, but also to inquire and learn through passion-based projects. As they grow up, DSC students pick up essential life and social skills: creativity, collaboration, entrepreneurial
Take the unique co-op program for example. At DSC, career planning isn’t just theoretical, students have the opportunity to test their skills and interests in a real- world setting through the co-op program. Using the knowledge and skills they developed at school, students spend an afternoon of Semester 2 in a community work placement related to their area of specialization gaining relevant work experience and earning two credits toward graduation. What better way to decide if you are passionate about a career than to experience it? Our students have been placed in business, hotel management, education, and law; the only limit is their imagination.
As for students interested in the sciences, they have plenty of opportunities as well. Beyond course offerings, DSC also offers STEAM camps in summer programs and its annual Experiential Learning Week. To promote and highlight DSC’s science focus, honour roll students in a science specialization who meet a series of rigorous academic, community service, and life experiences are recognized as Scientific Innovators as part of the OSSD+ Signature program. This is well reflected in the graduation class – around 55% of last year’s graduation class enrolled in a STEAM- related university program.
After the broad core curriculum, students are able to specialize in their areas of interest in Grades 11 and 12. “Our flexibility is a strength,” says Morrison, “our students can master content and skills to a much greater depth in comparison to a broader survey course and are well- prepared for university.” In 2023, 100% of the graduating class were accepted into universities around the globe, with the vast majority receiving offers for their target program and university. The top three destinations for DSC graduates are Canada, the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong. “The University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia are always popular,” Morrison notes, “we also consistently get graduates who opt to attend the University of London, Kings College London, University of Manchester and the University College London.” Of course, he adds that many graduates may prefer to stay home in Hong Kong. There are DSC alumni at all the schools in Hong Kong, with a special focus on The University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. “DSC offers a safe and inclusive environment for students to grow and discover their dreams,” Morrison says. “Our students are well-prepared to pursue their dreams – no matter where it takes them – and make a difference in their local and global communities.”
“Our students can master content and skills to a much greater depth in comparison to a broader survey course and are well-prepared for university.” – Mr. Allan Morrison
Meet DSC International School Alumni
Lavanya Venkatesh
Lavanya Venkatesh currently works as a doctor in the UK, having recently finished the foundation program (intern year equivalent) in August. She cites her teachers at DSC International School and the biology program as being key factors in her decision to enter the medical field. “I was fortunate to have had dedicated and inspirational teachers during my time at DSC,” Ventakesh says. “Their commitment to fostering a supportive learning environment and their encouragement and mentorship played a significant role in my personal and academic growth.” At DSC, Venkatesh was a prominent member of many clubs and extracurricular activities, including the global issues club which ran food drives for the local community, as well as the volleyball and badminton teams. “DSC exposed me to a diverse group of friends from around the world expanding my global perspective,” says Venkatesh. “The school’s nurturing and encouraging environment instilled a lifelong curiosity in me.” As for future students hoping to enter the medical field, Venkatesh offers a bit of advice: “Pursuing a career in medicine, or any field for that matter, is a rewarding but demanding journey. It’s crucial to understand that the reality of being a doctor may differ from what is often portrayed in popular media. Despite the challenges, I genuinely love what I do and couldn’t envision a different path. My advice to students is to follow your dreams instead of following the crowd. Do something that you think is worthwhile.”
Nikey Khemchandani
Nikey Khemchandani is an entrepreneur and technologist who founded and currently operates three different businesses around the globe: BSD Education – An EdTech business (CTO / Co-Founder) Collective Global – A global consultancy (Founder) DearMx – Inclusive fashion e-commerce (CTO / Co- Founder) He cites his time at DSC International School as being crucial to helping him gain the confidence and skills to navigate his future and fostering in him a life-long love for learning that “really allowed [him] to flourish and articulate [his] strengths when entering the working world.” Khemchandani added that DSC helped him gain a strong understanding of his own strengths and weaknesses, and helped him find confidence in his identity. “I realized later in life [that this level of self-discovery] played a key role in [my] being able to navigate friendships, engage in activities, and excel in my career.” In addition, DSC was a microcosm of the working world he entered later: “Being surrounded by diverse communities within school helped me understand how to work with people in numerous countries and adapt to different environments and cultures.” Khemchandani also praised the school’s faculty members and the level of student agency. “Student agency was at the forefront of everything happening at DSC,” he said.
“From choosing your own subjects to being guided to self-identifying capstone projects, the flexibility was extremely refreshing.” Khemchandani found a life- long love of the legal system in his Law class, and was able to strengthen his technology skills in the computer science class. He also enjoyed the lack of bell curve system which he called “outdated” and “failing”. Instead, teachers gave feedback on every piece of work and treated him as an individual, rather than comparing him to his peers.
DSC is known for its many extracurricular activities; and Khemchandani took full advantage of it by joining the drama club, various sports teams, and more. “Being part of something was a big part of the experience at DSC,” Khemchandani reminisced. “From sports teams to graduation committees and cultural experiences, there were so many opportunities being introduced to students regularly to be part of something.” He remembers forming a new cricket team with his friends after realizing there was no existing team at DSC. “These hold fond memories for me.” “Things like bullying and violence were frowned upon even by fellow students,” Khemchandani remembered. “[DSC] was quite a nurturing environment.” He also vividly recalls being “pleasantly surprised when [his] teachers asked about [his] thoughts on topics and would often sit down with [him] to navigate some of the challenges [he] faced.” At DSC, students and faculty members worked together to help students explore their interests and find their dreams.
Khemchandani’s teachers “would notice if I was struggling even without having to reach out. I’d say I received great support from the faculty members.” For students looking into thinking about future careers or programs, Khemchandini offers some advice and encouragement: “You grow up sometimes being advised to focus and hone a narrow set of skills or prepare for a particular career. With the enhancements in technology such as AI, I highly recommend students consider growing a diverse set of skills to take advantage of what will clearly be a more technological and digitally enhanced future. Maybe take a subject that is a bit far away from your normal approach, you never know what you will discover about yourself through new opportunities. Jump into chances that allow you to strengthen your soft skills as well, they will play a bigger role in your future than you may imagine.”
Prashant Goel
Prashant Goel is a private banker at Bank Julius Baer and Co. Ltd. providing comprehensive financial advice to high-net-worth individuals and families to achieve their financial goals. Previously, he has worked in several different industries, including consumer electronics sourcing and distribution, travel, supply chain consulting, and asset management. Goel credits his holistic education at DSC International School for opening up career paths for him, allowing him to choose whatever career he wanted to pursue. His diverse classes in finance, economics, and STEM gave him a solid foundation and taught him valuable skills in communication, problem- solving, and teamwork.
“Faculty was friendly and supportive. Students received a great deal of personal attention from the faculty members at DSC.”- Prashant Goel
Goel praised DSC for its flexibility in allowing students to choose subjects per their interests and needs. He didn’t know what he wanted to study in university at the time, but DSC allowed him to take a diverse number of courses rather than forcing him to specialize. Goel also remembered that the “faculty was friendly and supportive. Students received a great deal of personal attention from the faculty members at DSC.” For example, the school allowed him to take courses at his own pace, letting him take some classes with senior students as that was the flexibility the curriculum allowed them.
As important as the core subjects were, Goel noted that the non-core subjects were equally important for his time at university, social life, and current career. For example, he used the skills and knowledge he learned in his accounting classes in all of his future jobs, and gave him an edge when pursuing his MBA and analyzing companies. Goel also said that he “cannot stress enough how useful” he found the typing skills he learned in his Grade 9 Computer Class has been in his life.
At DSC, Goel holds fond memories of both class time and afterschool clubs. He remembered that “the teachers were all very dedicated and passionate to not only their class subjects but also the afterschool activities. They made learning fun and engaging, and they always encouraged us to ask questions. I learned so much from the after- school clubs.” As a member of multiple different clubs, including Student council, Math and Science clubs as well as sports, Goel had ample opportunity to explore his interests. He stressed that although he primarily participated in them out of interest, they helped make him a well-rounded individual when he applied for university and jobs.
For future students who are unsure what to pursue, Goel has some advice for them: “Build and sustain friendships at school. School friends keep you grounded. Friendships made in school are hard to replicate in life. It’s much easier today to stay in touch after graduating but it’s also much easier to be distracted with the internet and phones while in school; so personally connect with your fellow classmates.” For more information about DSC International School and admissions please feel free to contact the admissions officer : Mrs.G.Kaur g.kaur@dsc.edu.hk Tel: 36580400
