The exclusive interview of Manfred Schepers, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), to Mediamax

- What influenced you to become member of Board of Dilijan International School (DIS)?

- Through my role as Vice President at the EBRD and my role as a Member of the UWC International Board and Council, I have been very supportive of the initiative to establish a leading international school in Dilijan, to be called UWC Dilijan. The location of the new UWC Dilijan in Armenia and the Caucasus will have a profound long term impact on the region. I am honoured to have been asked to join the Board of Trustees that will govern the new UWC Dilijan.

- What are the DIS's strongest features which will allow it to become a competitive player on the world education market?

- Being part of the UWC global education organisation, will enable it to attract a highly diverse group of teaching staff and students from around the world. UWC students from the 12 colleges are entering the top universities around the world and the same will apply to the students graduating from UWC Dilijan.

- DIS is expected to become a full member of United World Colleges (UWC) in October 2013. How important is the UWC membership for DIS?

- UWC will make a unique contribution to Dilijan International School. First of all, the mission of UWC is to use education to provide international understanding to foster peace and sustainability. This is very relevant for UWC Dilijan, being on the cross roads of Europe and Asia and in a region that is still plagued by historical tension and prejudice.  

Secondly, student participation in service is core to a UWC education. The community and natural surroundings of UWC Dilijan will provide a unique opportunity for the students to engage in local service projects.

Thirdly, through student selection by the 130 UWC National Committees around the world, UWC Dilijan will be able to select a high diverse group of students. Selection will be on merit and a needs blind basis, enabling high potential students to study at UWC Dilijan.

Lastly, the global reputation of UWC will enable the graduates from UWC Dilijan to enter the leading universities around the world and attract high calibre teaching staff.

- Sometimes we may hear that the DIS project is too ambitious for Armenia, a country with transition economy and many unsettled issues. What can you respond to skeptics?

- I think that Armenia is precisely a country where a new international school, that is part of the UWC organisation, will be able to make a significant contribution to the local community and education in the country. UWC Dilijan will over the coming years be able to make a profound contribution to long term peace and reconciliation in the region, through educating students that will demonstrate leadership in their future professional and personal life. Their experience at UWC Dilijan will play a very important role.

- School will open its doors in September 2014. What are the major arguments you will advance for DIS if your friends or acquaintances ask advice from you on choosing education for their children?

- UWC Diijan will be a world class school, in a first class campus, in a beautiful and safe location, in a country that has a rich cultural heritage and in a region where students will study and empower themselves to tackle the challenges of the future generation. Students at UWC Dilijan will gain international and inter-cultural understanding by studying with a truly diverse group of students from around the world.

- Do you think the DIS can become a catalyst of Dilijan's development? The Armenian government has its plans on developing Dilijan and in particular, Scientific and Education Center of the Armenian Central Bank opened there recently. Is synergy between such projects possible?

- UWC Dilijan will a have a very positive impact on the community of Dilijan, by sharing its education and cultural facilities and staff. UWC Dilijan students from around the world will also participate in service projects through which at will have extensive engagement with the local community and use the natural environment of Dilijan. By being part of the world wide UWC organisation, UWC Dilijan will attract a lot of international attention to both Dilijan and Armenia.