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From Webb to Hong Kong: Dr. Theresa Smith Shares About the Future of Learning
Our Head of School represented Webb and all U.S. boarding schools on the global stage with a fireside chat titled “The U.S. Boarding School Blueprint for Future Global Leaders.”
How can schools prepare students for a future that is still taking shape? Dr. Theresa Smith, our Head of School, brought Webb’s perspective to that question at the inaugural Global Education Summit in Hong Kong, held September 5–6, 2026.
In her fireside chat, “The U.S. Boarding School Blueprint for Future Global Leaders,” Dr. Smith joined moderator Jeannie Tse, Asia Program Director at EF Education First, to discuss how a boarding school education can help students navigate a changing world.
Drawing on our strategic framework, The Future of Learning, Dr. Smith shared how our boarding experience creates a close-knit community. At Webb, our students find both the comfort of home and the challenge of discovery as they build relationships with peers, faculty, and mentors from diverse backgrounds and life experiences.
She also highlighted our distinctive campus and Southern California location. With unmatched access to the region’s scientific, cultural, and entrepreneurial communities, Webb connects learning to a global center of innovation. Southern California serves as an extended classroom for our students, giving them unparalleled opportunities to engage with the world beyond campus.
Notably, she underscored the importance of empowering students to shape their own education and leverage emerging technologies with purpose and ethical responsibility, preparing them to lead with wisdom and creativity.
“‘Future of learning’ should not mean simply adding more technology. It means rethinking how students learn, how they apply knowledge, and how they connect learning to real-world questions,” Dr. Smith said during her session.
Co-organized by SCMP Learn and HSBC Premier, the two-day summit welcomed more than 10,000 visitors for conversations about learning and talent development. Families, educators, admissions experts, and industry leaders explored topics including university admissions, student well-being during international transitions, and the essential skills young people will need in an evolving global economy.
The summit featured representatives from leading institutions in Hong Kong and around the world, including the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge, as well as business and technology leaders from McKinsey & Company, Google Hong Kong, and Samsung Electronics Hong Kong.
“As the only U.S. boarding school leader invited to present, it was an honor to represent Webb among an international audience of leading institutions and innovators,” said Dr. Smith.
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