Click the link to view the full version: WASCZ | the EPQ Showcase — An Academic Expedition Sparked by Curiosity
Targeted cellular anti‑aging compounds, building a sheet‑film camera by hand with 3D printing, the compounding effect in investment, the mysteries between wings and airflow… why do these seemingly distant topics appear on a group of secondary students’ presentation stage?
At WAS Changzhou, every curiosity can be the starting point for academic inquiry. Recently, an EPQ showcase provided exactly such a stage for questions to grow and thinking to shine — students took their curiosity about the real world and presented their independent EPQ research projects from topic selection and investigation to final outcomes, lifting the veil on subjects that at first seem remote but are closely linked to everyday life.
About the EPQ
The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is a research‑based qualification strongly recommended by the UK Department for Education and UCAS. Students may choose to undertake a dissertation‑style project, an investigation or field study, a performance project, or a production of artefacts. An EPQ is a valuable advantage in overseas university applications. Over the years at WAS Changzhou, several graduates have used high EPQ grades and strong overall profiles to secure places at world‑leading universities.
Curiosity‑led exploration, starting with a question
C. Tang, Grade 12
“People always tell us to save or invest, but I wanted to explore the reasons — why don’t we learn this sooner?”
With that curiosity, Grade 12 student C. Tang set out to investigate “Does compounding affect financial growth, and does it make investment more impactful than saving?” As her research progressed she was surprised to find that dividend reinvestment can influence real returns far more than she had expected. Through ongoing inquiry she experienced first‑hand how knowledge connects with the real world.
L. Wang, Grade 12
A childhood wonder remains with Grade 12 student L. Wang: “How does something so large manage to fly?” He therefore chose the challenging question “Can CAD simulation predict a wing’s behaviour in a fluid?” Building a model from scratch and importing it into a simulation system tested both technical skill and patience, but the sense of achievement on completion was exhilarating. He has since received offers from the University of Toronto, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University — an experience that has laid strong foundations for a future in aerospace engineering.
Crossing disciplinary boundaries to connect knowledge with the real world
At WAS Changzhou, we encourage students to delve deeply into any field that interests them, allowing their ideas to take root in EPQ projects.
Art student E. Xu used 3D printing to build a 4×5 large‑format camera from scratch, researching both optical principles and mechanical structure;
F. Wu, who has an offer from UCL (a G5 university), focused on cutting‑edge medical anti‑ageing research into “p53‑targeted cellular anti‑ageing therapy”;
other students investigated complex conditions such as liver fibrosis, seeking to understand key questions in the life sciences…
These projects span engineering, art and medicine, extend beyond classroom learning and link students’ perspectives to the real world. Behind every meaningful project is a process of independent thinking and iterative trial and error.
Building academic strength through support and guidance
“The EPQ showcase was truly impressive,” reflected Dr Su, Director of Academics and Integrated Curriculum at WAS Changzhou. “Seeing them choose topics, conduct research, repeatedly revise and finally present their work — it’s been a tough journey and their overall abilities have been greatly strengthened.” He noted that the EPQ is essentially a small‑scale, pre‑university research project; such tasks are pervasive in overseas degree courses, so experiencing this in Grade 11 and 12 helps students adapt to more independent, self‑directed learning. “They demonstrated outstanding investigative spirit and independent research skills, particularly in critical thinking, clear communication and in‑depth exploration of complex issues,” said Mr Fosu, Head of Upper School.
At WAS Changzhou, teaching teams from a range of disciplines bring both solid academic backgrounds and rich research experience. They provide students not only with theoretical and methodological guidance but also with ways of thinking, helping students to view real‑world problems from broader academic perspectives. Each student is assigned a specialist mentor in their chosen field; through repeated discussions and refinements with their mentor they learn to make an idea rigorous and an argument persuasive, so they can present themselves clearly, confidently and convincingly — whether in a showcase or in an interview with a top university.
We believe education is not only the transmission of knowledge but the shaping of capability and character. With whole‑person education at our core, while supporting WAS Changzhou students to achieve academic excellence we also emphasise the courage to explore, to risk failure and to express ideas. When the seeds of enquiry take root and grow, we trust they will one day become a forest that supports WAS Changzhou students as they move out into a broader world.
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