The gathering began with the welcoming remarks of Ms Jane Tam, who greeted the alumni in attendance and shared her vision and expectations for alumni engagement. She expressed her aspiration to continue creating more platforms for alumni from different campuses and graduating classes to stay connected, while also further strengthening the alumni network as a space for mutual support and shared growth.

This was followed by a video message from Mr Dan Sun, President of the Singapore Alumni Chapter and an alumnus of YCIS Beijing. Although he could not attend in person because of his work commitments, he had specially recorded a message to send greetings to everyone at the gathering.

In her opening speech, Dr Betty Chan shared several of the latest key developments at the YCYW Education Network. While talking about the new Yew Wah International Education School in Hong Kong, she said that YCYW is “looking forward to a new chapter in the development of Yew Wah International Education School, a new school situated in the Northern Metropolis, Hong Kong SAR.” She noted that the new school “will serve as a bridge between Hong Kong SAR and the Chinese mainland” and “will stands out as the pioneering educational institution in Hong Kong SAR that will provide a comprehensive Chinese National Curriculum–based primary and secondary education.”

Dr Chan also highlighted the progress at the Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education (YCCECE), including the launch of the Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Early Childhood Education) and the Master of Education programmes in 2025, as well as a new Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Child Development and Psychology. In addition, she spoke of YCCECE’s “landmark collaboration with leading institutions of early childhood education in Singapore,” under which YCCECE graduates are eligible to apply directly for the “L2(EL) preschool teaching licence in Singapore”, which is recognised by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) of Singapore.

After Dr Chan’s speech, the alumni introduced themselves one by one, sharing updates on their current work, fields, and life journeys. The exchanges and conversations among alumni from different campuses and graduating years quickly created a warm and friendly atmosphere.

During the dinner, Ms Jean Loo discussed the needs of children with disabilities in Singapore and the support that the community could provide. This gave alumni a more concrete understanding of community volunteering and inclusion.

In the second half of the evening, Ms Lexin Ang, Vice President of the Singapore Alumni Chapter, shared about the Chapter’s work over the past year. She noted that since its establishment, the Chapter has hosted alumni dinners and gatherings to strengthen connections among alumni in Singapore. Building on this foundation, the Chapter hopes to expand alumni engagement beyond social reunions by creating more meaningful opportunities that reflect YCYW’s long-held commitment to “Love and Charity”.

She also introduced the Chapter’s plan to collaborate with Rainbow Centre, Singapore and encouraged alumni to take part in service activities. She noted that this would not only be an opportunity to volunteer, but also a way for alumni to stay connected, promote inclusion, and give back to the community. In addition to community service, the Chapter will continue to explore other forms of alumni engagement, offering more opportunities for alumni at different stages of their lives to take part. 

When old schoolmates get together again, there is always so much to talk about. Even after the dinner had officially ended, many alumni were reluctant to leave, chatting late into the night before finally parting ways. They are already looking forward to the next gathering.