On 28 November 1997, Queen Noor of Jordan and Nelson Mandela inaugurated the UWC Mahindra College in India as one of the now eighteen United World Colleges and the third UWC in Asia. The school was largely funded by donations from the Mahindra family, especially Harish Mahindra. The founding Head of College, David Wilkinson, together with his wife Veronica Wilkinson, had previously founded the Li Po Chun United World College in Hong Kong. In 2009, Jonathan Long became the Head of the College. In 2011, Pelham Lindfield Roberts became the Head of College until May 2018 when he moved to UWC in China. Following him, Soraya Sayed Hassen became the Head of College.
Campus
The college is located near the village of Paud in the Taluka Mulshi region of the western state of Maharashtra, India. It is around 40 km from the city of Pune. The MUWCI campus is situated on a hill surrounded by rural communities and overlooking the valley of the Mula river near Mulshi Dam. The residential side of campus is divided into communal clusters called "Wadas". The Wadas house between 40 and 60 students and 4-6 teachers and families. Students live in independent houses of 8 students each, with communal courtyards. Teachers also serve as 'Wada parents' and 'House parents', providing a supportive residential learning context. The campus is divided into a residential and an academic area. The campus of the school was designed by architect Christopher Charles Benninger. The design incorporates traditional elements and local building materials.
Academics
UWC Mahindra College offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma. Students can also choose to do the UWC Mahindra College Project Based Diploma by choosing a research project to pursue during two years of study. The following IB subjects are available at UWCMC, though offerings may change slightly year to year:
Group 1: The Students' Best Language - English Literature, English Language And Literature, Spanish Literature, Hindi Literature, Language Self-Taught
Group 2: Modern Language Acquisition - English B, Hindi B, Beginner's Hindi, Spanish B, Spanish ab initio, French B, German B
Group 4: Experimental Sciences - Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Environmental Systems and Societies, Computer Science.
Group 5: Mathematics - Mathematics, Mathematical Studies
Group 6: The Arts - Visual Arts, Film Studies, Theater.
Apart from formal subjects, the experiential learning programme forms a significant part of the students' education. Triveni is formed of three streams - the IB CAS programme, Project & Travel Weeks a rich on-campus seminar and discussion series including This Is India, Global Affairs, guest speakers and more.
Students
Students in UWC Mahindra College represent many different nationalities. The Class of 2018 represents 57 countries.
Admission
Students are nominated to UWC Mahindra College via their . Indian students, residents and PIO/OCI students can apply via the United World College Committee of India. The selection process is rigorous with an acceptance rate of 10-15%. The application process for Indian students starts in June and are finalized by January. The candidates are shortlisted based on potential to demonstrate UWC values and academic merit. Shortlisted candidates are invited to an overnight selection camp held at the UWCMC campus in Pune. During the camp, various activities are conducted including panel interviews, Group Discussions, Object-Presentation and various written and computer based tests. Based on the students' performance the committee nominates students to Mahindra UWC or any of the other sixteen United World Colleges.
Administration
David Wilkinson was the founding Head of College since the inception of UWC Mahindra College in 1997. In 2009, Jonathan Long was appointed as the Head of College and remained until 2011, when Pelham Lindfield Roberts joined.
