Wycombe Abbey to establish 1st Korean campus in Incheon’s Midan City

Wycombe Abbey, one of the UK’s leading independent boarding schools, has been chosen as the top bidder to establish an international school in Incheon, west of Seoul, marking a significant milestone in the port city’s efforts to enhance its global educational infrastructure.

The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority (IFEZ) said Monday that it has picked the British school as the preferred partner for an international school project in Midan City, a developing area on Incheon’s western Yeongjong Island.

If a final agreement is reached, the school will become the first international school on Yeongjong.

The IFEZ said the selection followed a rigorous evaluation process involving seven institutions from the UK, the US and Canada.

PRESTIGIOUS BRITISH BOARDING SCHOOL

Founded in 1896, Wycombe Abbey is a private boarding school located in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.

Under the leadership of Headmistress Jo Duncan, the school currently enrolls 643 students, of whom 89% reside at the boarding house on campus.

It has consistently ranked among the UK’s top educational institutions, securing third place in the Sunday Times' ranking of independent schools in 2022. Additionally, it was named "Independent School of the Year" by the Sunday Times in 2004, 2011 and 2016, and placed third in the "Top 100 Boarding Schools" category by Best-Schools.

The school boasts an outstanding academic track record, with about 30% of its graduates over the past decade gaining admission to Oxford or Cambridge universities.

Wycombe Abbey has also produced distinguished alumnae in politics, law and media, including former House of Lords member Elspeth Howe, BBC Chief Content Officer Charlotte Moore and Wales’ first female Lord Chief Justice, Dame Sue Carr.

Beyond the UK, Wycombe Abbey operates five satellite campuses in Hong Kong, Changzhou, Nanjing and Hangzhou, educating some 2,500 students. Additional expansions are underway in Singapore and Cairo. While its main campus in the UK is a girls’ boarding school, its overseas branches, including the proposed Incheon campus, will be co-educational.

PLANS FOR THE MIDAN CITY CAMPUS

According to Wycombe Abbey’s proposals, the new Midan City campus will occupy a 96,000-square-meter plot of land, featuring academic buildings, arts and performance spaces, a library and state-of-the-art sports facilities. The final design will be refined in consultation with IFEZ and local education authorities.

The city aims to finalize an agreement with Wycombe Abbey later this year after an on-site visit to the UK school for final checks. The Midan City school in Incheon is expected to open in the latter half of 2028.

The initiative represents a landmark achievement for Incheon, as it will be the first international school on Yeongjong Island.

It is expected to bolster the city’s appeal as a global business and education hub, complementing existing international institutions in other strategic parts of Incheon – Songdo and Cheongna.

RIGOROUS SELECTION PROCESS

The Incheon Metropolitan City government said the selection process set a precedent as Korea’s first successful international school bid conducted through an open competition rather than direct contracting.

The city worked closely with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education to ensure regulatory compliance.

Applicants were required to obtain approval from their home institutions’ governing bodies as part of the selection criteria.

Senior officials from contenders attended the final evaluation process to present their proposals, according to the IFEZ.

An expert panel comprising specialists in education, law and finance assessed the candidates based on reputation, operational capability, financial planning, enrollment strategy and community engagement, it said.

“Incheon’s first international school in Yeongjong will not just be an expansion of educational facilities. It is a transformative step in elevating the city’s global standing,” said Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok. “We anticipate that this project will enhance our competitiveness in education, attract investment and drive regional development. The city will provide full administrative support to ensure its successful completion.”

Write to In-Soo Nam at isnam@hankyung.com

Jennifer Nicholson-Breen edited this article.