Hosted in Zhejiang Tongxiang, the 2nd YCYW Leadership Senior Student Leadership Retreat brought together nearly 60 students and educators from six YCYW schools to explore servant-oriented leadership in the age of AI. This article reviews the core themes, facilitator highlights, cross-campus collaboration, and student reflections, while showcasing photo moments from the retreat.

Event Overview: Servant-Oriented Leadership in the Age of AI

YWIES Zhejiang Tongxiang proudly once again hosted the 2nd Yew Chung Yew Wah (YCYW) Senior Student Leadership Retreat (2025-2026 academic year) from September 18th to 20th, following its successful inaugural event. Gathering nearly 60 students and teachers from six YCYW schools, the retreat explored its central theme: "How Can We Become Servant-Oriented Leaders in the World of AI?" It delved into servant leadership principles and responsible AI application, aiming to enhance student leaders' capabilities and promote stronger inter-school connections and long-term collaboration.

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Keynote Insight: Integrating Technology with Humanistic Values

Mr John Liu, YCYW's Head of Careers and University Guidance and Student Development, emphasized the critical need for young leaders to responsibly integrate technology with humanistic values in the AI era. He stated the initiative aims to equip students with innovative thinking, technological proficiency, a strong service ethos, and profound empathy for today's dynamic world. John particularly noted the workshop's unique network-wide design, convening top YCYW student leaders from across China for collaborative learning and development.

"We firmly believe future leaders must be servant-oriented," he elaborated, "empowering others with care, diligence, and empathy; addressing practical issues; and proactively utilizing AI with a service mindset, not fear. This cross-campus exchange, we expect, will help students transcend geographical boundaries, forge broader connections, foster collaboration, and collectively become service leaders who genuinely drive societal progress."

Core Themes & Competencies

01 Shaping Future Leaders with 

Core Competencies

Under the expert guidance of senior YCYW teachers, this intensive two-day workshop provided students with a holistic learning and development experience. Focusing on three key themes, it delivered both professional depth and practical value through varied formats, including expert lectures, in-depth discussions, collaborative tasks, and student-led sessions.

Meet the Facilitators

Head of EdFutures Division, YCYW

Dr Christopher Hurley

Chief Physical Education and Health Officer, YCYW

Dr Simon Lo

Regional Sports Manager, YCYW

Mr Michael Hampshire

Community Programme Associate, YCYW

Mr Conrad Stoltzfus

Theme 1: Servant Leadership & Compassionate Systems

01 - Servant Leadership : Compassionate Systems

Examine core principles of servant leadership and compassionate systems, understanding their application to enhance leadership effectiveness.

Theme 2: AI Leadership — Ethics & Practical Use

02 AI Leadership: Ethics & Practical Use

Address key ethical issues and acquire practical tools for responsibly integrating AI into leadership development, empowering service-oriented leaders.

Theme 3: Shared Vision & Strategic Goal Setting

03 Shared Vision : Strategic Goal Setting

Utilize dedicated time to collaboratively establish a shared vision and define strategic priorities and action plans for the academic year.

Forum for Growth: Youth Voices, Shared Learning

02 A Forum for Growth: Youth Voices, Shared Learning
 

This workshop served not only as a profound cross-campus exchange but also as an invaluable opportunity for student leaders to achieve dual growth and broaden their perspectives.

Nora WENG, Emma DE IULIS, and Sky YANG from YWIES Zhejiang Tongxiang Student Council, who served as active participants, benefited immensely from this experience.

Student Reflections

01 |  G10 Nora WENG

Nora, who previously leveraged AI for her Model Entrepreneur® Competition success, deeply valued its empowering role. The workshop significantly enhanced her leadership, AI research, social collaboration, and practical skills, which she now plans to apply to her Student Union duties.

02 | G10 Emma DE IULIS

Emma gained innovative inspiration from inter-campus exchanges, now aspiring to integrate leadership with AI technology to enhance the quality and impact of school communications and services. Her role in assisting the event allowed her to observe firsthand the maturity and meticulousness of peers from other campuses in handling responsibilities, significantly aiding her own leadership growth.

03 | G9 Sky YANG

Aiming to broaden his social network and boost his learning and leadership skills, Sky found the sense of connection deeply exhilarating and heartwarming while discussing the future with peers from various campuses at YWIES Zhejiang Tongxiang.

Photo Highlights

Capturing the Moments

Hong Kong Student Perspectives

Gabrielle Chan (Gabby) from YCIS Hong Kong found AI's innovative student service applications profoundly inspiring during the workshop. She intends to implement these invaluable skills at her school, empowering more students and boosting campus activity efficiency.

This marked Gabby's third visit to YWIES Zhejiang Tongxiang, each time reaffirming the campus's consistent warmth and hospitality. As a naturally social and adept leader, she particularly valued observing and engaging in collaborative learning among students from different campuses. Gabby not only acquired practical leadership techniques but also expressed profound gratitude for the growth and practical platform teachers had established.

Jade Wong, also from YCIS Hong Kong, incisively summarized the workshop's significance as 'Rediscover,' allowing her to envision greater possibilities for leadership. She expressed a desire to forge deeper connections with Yew Wah students, believing that such cross-campus exchange, combined with potential internship opportunities, vividly showcases the diversity and dynamism of the YCYW education system.

Forging AI-Era Servant Leadership Excellence

03 -  Forging AI-Era Servant : Leadership Excellence

This profoundly significant workshop provided student leaders with a unique platform for learning and growth. It simultaneously fostered open interaction and mutual progress among teachers and students, collectively shaping the paradigm of servant leadership for the AI era.

Ms Sherry Rao, guidance teacher at YWIES Zhejiang Tongxiang, highlighted how the workshop embodied the Student Council's core philosophy: 'students as central to learning and action.' She hoped students would proactively explore servant leadership, learning to both understand and empower team members. This inter-campus exchange not only inspired innovation through diverse experiences but also established a robust foundation for future Student Councils to integrate AI frameworks for smarter, more efficient operations and event planning.

To further explore university guidance and leadership pathways within YCYW, visit the Careers and University Guidance Office.