Would you like to explore nearshore and offshore marine ecosystems beneath the turquoise waters of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia? Or camp under the dazzling Milky Way in Girraween National Park and observe the panorama of the galaxy?

Or conduct water and soil testing in the pristine wetlands of western China, and then compile and analyse ecological data? Operate a Mars rover simulator amid surreal landscapes. and then design and launch your own rockets across the Gobi Desert?

These scenes, which sound like science fiction or adventure diaries, are about to become reality. This summer, the YCYW EdFutures Team is relaunching two immersive, interdisciplinary summer programmes: OceaniaOne Season 2 in Australia; and ChinaOne Season 3.

These are not ordinary study tours, but real-world challenges, meticulously designed to prepare students for university applications and personal growth.

Over the past several years, the YCYW EdFutures Team has conducted in-depth research about innovative educational models such as AltSchool in Silicon Valley, THINK Global School, and Green School Bali. Drawing on these insights and aligning the programmes with the curriculum requirements of IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education), the EdFutures team custom-designed the ChinaOne and OceaniaOne programmes to provide truly interdisciplinary, experiential learning.

In the summer of 2024, the first season of the ChinaOne Programme set off from Dunhuang in Gansu Province in western China. For 21 days, thirteen students from various YCYW campuses travelled across northern and southern China, guided by teachers of the EdFutures Team. From excavating paleontological fossils to hands-on learning about hotel management, the students immersed themselves in authentic, discipline-based learning experiences, integrating knowledge with practice and achieving valuable personal growth.

Building on the success of ChinaOne, the EdFutures Team launched OceaniaOne in 2025, a summer programme meticulously developed over 12 months. Twenty students travelled to the Southern Hemisphere for an immersive learning journey across eastern Australia. Their experiences ranged from coral reef research on the Great Barrier Reef and workshops in robotics and cyber security, to wilderness camping beneath star-filled skies and practical entrepreneurship projects. By applying classroom learning to real-world contexts, the students not only deepened their understanding, but also grew through challenges and discoveries.

Tyrone, Year 10 student of YCIS Hong Kong 
and a member of OceaniaOne

“I had never been to Australia, nor had I studied marine science at school. OceaniaOne changed that, and I discovered an unexpected fascination for marine sciences.”

Ester, Grade 12 Student of YWIES Yantai 
and a participant in OceaniaOne

“OceaniaOne in Australia was a truly formative experience. As a Year 12 student taking courses in Biology and Chemistry, I had my first opportunity to link classroom theories with the real-world through this programme.”

Jessica, student of YWIES Beiijng Yizhuang 
and a participant in ChinaOne

“That bone could be from 130 million years ago,  It felt as though I was holding a piece of history in my hands.”

Ms Trill Zhang, EdFutures Team

“When students integrate information, they are actually making connections between knowledge from different subjects. This provided the students very meaningful learning experiences.”

Dr Christopher Hurley, Head of EdFutures

“Our objective is to enhance and extend the students' educational experiences. The students learn through connecting with a whole range of different personalities, as well as relating to the real world. In addition, they learn by asking good questions to the experts.”

Their stories demonstrate that students gain far more than just knowledge when classroom knowledge is brought to life in the real-world, and academic challenges are combined with outdoor adventures. They also discover unexpected passions, the courage to push beyond their limits, and holistic abilities for the future.

During the summer of 2026, would you like to explore the ecological wonders of the Southern Hemisphere, or journey across China’s vast landscapes to investigate its ancient civilisations beneath the skies?

Who Should Apply: Year 9-12 students of YCIS and Grade 8-11 students of YWIES

Date: 27 June–17 July 2026

The OceaniaOne Experiential Learning Programme has been designed to immerse students in a broad range of real-world learning challenges while travelling along the East Coast of Australia. Through this programme, students will experience educational opportunities not open to the general public.

The programme is based on IGCSE standards and combines various fields, such as environmental science, entrepreneurship, engineering, and data science.

Students will work on the following projects at each location, building towards their final projects.

Environmental Research

Students will construct a microcomputer-based environmental monitoring station and use it in different regions to collect data, analyse results using data science and conduct environmental research. Data collected across different regions will be analysed using AI and machine learning tools.

Entrepreneurship Development

Working in teams, students will take on various entrepreneurship roles and apply AI to business frameworks to explore innovation.

Academic Learning Portfolio

Students will complete assessments of the IGCSE programme across a variety of key subjects. This is a key component to help students build their own portfolios that will meet IGCSE standards (or beyond).

Who Should Apply: Year 8-10 students of YCIS and Grade 7-9 students of YWIES

Date: 21 July–3 August 2026

The ChinaOne Programme will return this summer with an all-new expedition spanning several provinces across western China. By meeting with a range of experts, and guided by the academic standards of Cambridge IGCSE, students will accelerate their cognitive development and make unique, interdisciplinary connections among a range of subject fields.

Students will work on the following projects at each location, building towards their final project:

Open-Ended Problem Solving

By formulating open-ended questions, students will be encouraged to seek answers through research during the journey, thereby experiencing the process of real-world scientific inquiry.

Environmental Research

Students will analyse the data collected across various regions with AI and machine learning tools.

Entrepreneurship Development

Students will take on roles such as CEO, CMO, CRO, and CTO throughout the journey to incubate and present ideas.

Academic Learning Portfolio

Students will complete an assessment towards the IGCSE programme across a variety of key subjects. This is a key component to help students build their own portfolios that will meet IGCSE standards (or beyond).