This UWC short course emerges from Dr. Nandita Dinesh’s book Creative Writing and the Experiences of Others. Nandita is an alumna of UWC Mahindra College and has taught at the United World Colleges in India, Armenia, and USA.
Designed for participants 16 and older, Write the World offers strategies that participants can use to engage — ethically, responsibly, and humbly — with current events.
From July through December 2026, the course is structured as three-hour virtual gatherings once a month. Please see the schedule below and do note that California observes Daylight Saving Time, so your local time will change during the course (for example: November–December sessions will be UTC-8 instead of UTC-7). Please convert to your local time zone accordingly.
Responses to other frequently asked questions can be found below.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Writing Workshops
First Saturdays in July, September, November from 11 AM to 2 PM US PST
Sessions led by Nandita, exploring strategies drawn from Creative Writing and the Experiences of Others, helping you develop your craft through proven techniques and insights.
Community Gatherings
First Saturdays in August, October, December from 11 AM to 2 PM US PST
For the first two hours of these sessions, you will connect with the broader collective as the UWC cohort joins gatherings led by non-UWC-cohort members from Write the World's Substack community. The last hour will be only for the UWC cohort, to reflect on the session and discuss how the strategies explored build on previous months' gatherings.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Anyone 16 years or older. Please note that participants younger than 18 will be required to submit a signed consent form from legal guardian as part of their application.
Anyone willing to experiment with writing
Anyone comfortable engaging in English
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Sessions are typically structured as follows:
A large group check in
Introduction to the concept for the day
An invitation to explore the concept in small groups
An exercise to experiment with the concept individually
A large group debrief and close out
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Absolutely not! As long as you are willing to play, learn, and experiment, you are welcome.
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The course will primarily be conducted in English. However, participants will be welcome to write in the language of their choice (and use online translators when it comes time to share their work).
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In order to receive the UWC Short Course completion certificate, participants need to attend at least FIVE of the six sessions.
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USD 100 as a payment via Substack.
Please note:
There is only ONE full scholarship available. If you are applying for a full scholarship, an adult from a UWC affiliated organization — like a National Committee member or a faculty/staff member at a UWC institution — will need to send a short email to writetheworld@shortcourse.uwc.org attesting to your financial need.
Partial scholarships are already built into the course fee.
The fee cannot be paid in installments. The entire fee must be paid before you begin the course
The applicant is responsible for ensuring that they are able to make international payments via Substack.
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Step 1: Fill out the application form that is linked below
Step 2: Short-listed applicants will be required to attend a Write the World gathering on Saturday, June 6, 11 AM to 2 PM UST. This gathering is a mandatory part of the application process.
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Please email us for any additional information!
