Round Square

Committed, responsible global citizens

Round Square is a world-wide association of more than 70 schools on five continents sharing unique and ambitious goals. Students attending Round Square schools make a strong commitment, beyond academic excellence, to personal development and responsibility. This is achieved by participating in community service, work projects, exchange programmes and adventuring, which can, and often does, take students half way around the world.

Round Square is based on the theories of experiential educational philosopher Kurt Hahn. Dr. Hahn, one of the twentieth century's foremost revolutionaries in education, believed that schools should have a greater purpose beyond preparing students for college and university. He believed that it was crucial for young people to prepare for life by having them face it directly and experience it in ways that would demand courage, generosity, imagination, principle and resolution. Round Square is an organization embodying this educational revolution.

Dr. Hahn has led to the creation of many outstanding schools, as well as Outward Bound, the United World Colleges and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. As the number of Round Square schools continues to grow and the co-operation among these organizations increases, Hahn's philosophy is making a solid and creative impact on the lives of thousands of students.

All member schools share a strong underlying belief: this is the view of learning by doing. It is an ongoing process of self-confrontation and formation, involving a fundamental objective of the full and individual development of every student into a whole person…academically, physically, culturally and spiritually, within the supportive environment of a school community.

This underlying belief also embraces the importance of service to others, adventure and leadership training, responsibility and international understanding. All these are essential in preparing young people to meet the challenges of the future with confidence and compassion.