The countdown to opening commences at Wellington College International Shanghai with the Inauguration Ceremony

Wellington College in Shanghai was delighted to welcome the Right Honourable Mr Hugo Swire , MP, currently the British Minister of State for the Foreign Office, as guest of honour at the College’s Inauguration Ceremony, held on the morning of Tuesday, 3rd December, 2013. In his welcoming speech, Mr David Cook, Wellington’s Founding Headmaster, presented his vision for Wellington College coming to Shanghai, thanked the Lujiazui Group, and Chairman Yang in particular, for their wonderful work in building the school, before welcoming the Right Hon. Mr Hugo Swire, MP as guest of honour at the Inauguration Ceremony. In honour of Mr Swire’s visit to Wellington, Mr Cook was delighted to announce that the building housing the College’s indoor sports, performing arts and cafeteria, would be named the Hugo Swire Centre. Mr Swire thanked Mr Cook for his kind comments and continued: “The long history of Wellington College in the UK illustrates so much of what is great about the British educational tradition. It is a great pleasure to see for myself how that tradition is being carried forward here in China, a country with its own tremendous heritage of learning and scholarship.” He added that: “This very special school exemplifies the very best of what Sino-UK cooperation and collaboration can achieve, from its facilities to its wonderful staff, students and parent community. I’m honoured that my name will always be linked with this stunning campus. I’m confident that Wellington will become the Center of the New Bund.” Mr Swire completed the ceremony by unveiling a plaque naming the Hugo Swire Centre. He then spent ten minutes talking to many of the guests, who numbered well over a hundred, and included many prospective parents and students, including a group wearing the distinctive Wellington school uniform. The campus is firmly on schedule for completion and will be open for parents to visit after the Chinese New Year holidays in February. Mr Cook is very much looking forward to showing parents and friends of the College around the impressive facilities which will offer, amongst many, the most advanced classrooms, IT and DT facilities and science laboratories, a state-of-the art theatre, four teaching buildings, tennis, basketball and squash courts, football, rugby and cricket pitches, a 400m running track and a 25m swimming pool.