This phrase has been resonating with me louder and louder these past few days of corporate visits in Taiwan and the conference, 2024全球面對面-世代傳承創新局，接班轉型創高峰. “Think Global. Act Local” is the slogan of Stellar International School. You will see it displayed on pillars as you drive into the school compound. But where did this slogan come about? How did it become our guiding principle?
It all started in 2012 when I was pursuing my master’s degree in Melbourne.
Yes, I left home at the age of 19 to further my studies at Monash University’s KL Campus. However, I wouldn’t consider myself fully independent back then. After all, it was only about a 3-hour drive from home, and my parents could visit me whenever they liked. I am blessed with an incredibly loving and supportive mother. She would prepare everything for me, from coffee, tea, and Milo for breakfast to rice for lunch and dinner, including marinated meat or fish, herbal eggs, and more. She would even prepare a monthly supply of these essentials for me to bring back to KL from her home in Johor Bahru. She also packed shampoo, body wash, and all the necessities, along with herbal tea. Basically, I didn’t need to worry about a thing. Weeks later, she would call and ask if I had finished the fish, otherwise they would go to waste. It’s amazing how she could remember all these details.
So, as a Malaysian kampong boy, 2012 was the first time I truly lived independently away from home. The concept of a “global citizen” only struck me when I went to Melbourne for my master’s degree. There, I met all sorts of people from all over the world, some from countries I never knew existed.
I went to Melbourne with a clear mission: to bring the Australian education system back to Malaysia. I saw both pros and cons. For example, I spoke to the “results” of the Australian education system—the people themselves. I interacted with K12 students, college and university students, and even random people on the street. I admired their confidence in expressing themselves to strangers. It was clear they had been trained to do so. Malaysian students have ideas too, but our education system and culture value discipline over self-expression. We chase after the “right” answer (convergence). However, the reality is that there’s often more than one answer to the same problem. We need to embrace divergence. At the same time, I also appreciate aspects of our education system. Personally, I value the high respect we have for elders and teachers. While Malaysians might not be as outwardly creative as Australians, and we have a certain barrier with our parents and teachers, we are generally very respectful, appreciative, and grateful to them, as well as to our roots and culture. It’s easy to fall in love with Melbourne city, and I almost decided to settle there permanently after receiving a job offer and visa sponsorship. However, two dreams woke me up, reminding me why I was in Melbourne in the first place. So, I made the decision to uproot myself from Melbourne—I sold everything and came back to Malaysia.
I absorbed everything in Melbourne like a sponge. When I returned to Malaysia, I was eager to implement everything I had learned into every aspect of my life, without much thought or consideration for the local context. I tried to change everything, even my accent. I began to dislike the local Malaysian accent and way of doing things. For instance, when we see elders in Malaysia, we would respectfully address them as Uncle Ben or Aunty Lily. But in Australia, we call people by their first names. I also started to complain about our government, our public road system, and the people. In a short period in Melbourne, I had somehow forgotten about my roots in Malaysia, the place I had lived almost my entire life.
At first, I didn’t feel that there was anything wrong with me. After all, I had gone to Melbourne with the goal of bringing back a better education system to Malaysia, so what was wrong with that? I came back with a “better version” of myself, speaking a “better” accent. It’s like, once there’s an upgrade, why should we go back to the old ways? My college students seemed to like it. It increased their engagement, as I remember reading on an anonymous student confession page on social media about a “cool lecturer returning from Australia” on campus in a small town like Johor Bahru.
Soon enough, I started to face challenges with these “cool updates.” When I met my parents’ friends, I would address them by their first names. My mom was shocked and reminded me to call them “Aunty Lily, not Lily.” I thought, “That’s so old school!” People started to distance themselves from me, and I assumed they were just inferior. Ultimately, I wasn’t able to win people’s hearts or get things done. In the midst of setting up my first venture with another partner, I came across a successful foreign businessman. Despite his achievements, he remained humble and tried to localize his approach instead of forcing foreign culture onto the locals. I was shocked. Why would he have to do that? I thought people would be drawn to him because of his success. But I was too narrow-minded. It was precisely his humility that led to his success. From that experience, I finally realized I needed to reevaluate what I brought back from Melbourne. Did it foster connection or build walls? Which approach would lead to greater success?
I’m grateful for the challenges I encountered. They were the catalyst for my growth, kept me grounded, and shaped me into who I am today.
Back in 2019, when we were establishing Stellar International School, amidst the whirlwind of licensing, securing funding, renovating the school, recruiting students and teachers, handling publicity, planning academic programs and the school schedule, enrollment, and so on… most importantly, we had countless brainstorming sessions about the kind of school we were building and the educational philosophy we wanted to uphold at Stellar International School. Finally, we arrived at the first version of our mission:
“Empowering the next generation of global citizens by equipping them with lifelong learning skills in this ever-changing world.”
One key question we asked ourselves was how to ensure our students could be confident and well-rounded individuals while remaining grounded in their cultural heritage. The answer? “Think Global. Act Local.” We need to cultivate a global citizen mindset while simultaneously understanding the local context, respecting local culture, wherever we go.
Fast forward to today, five years later.
As we’ve begun actively engaging in the international corporate world, the importance of “Think Global. Act Local” has become even more apparent. Here’s a key takeaway from our recent corporate visit to Taiwan:
There are many successful Taiwanese companies domestically. However, that success doesn’t guarantee smooth sailing overseas. A successful example from Taiwan that ventured into Malaysia through “acting local” is Din by Din Tai Fung. This is a brand extension by the renowned Din Tai Fung restaurant chain, specifically designed to cater to Muslim clientele who cannot consume pork. While traditional Taiwanese cuisine often features pork, Din Tai Fung created Din by Din Tai Fung to expand their reach and cater to a wider audience in Malaysia by excluding pork from the menu.
Real businesses globally are applying this concept. And of course, it’s not limited to Taiwanese companies. It applies everywhere internationally, even for the most international companies like McDonald’s. McDonald’s sources ingredients globally but adapts menus to local tastes.
What about students?
A thousand-mile journey still begins with a single step. So, how do we empower the next generation of global citizens? Here’s how:
- Character. Develop strong moral principles and a sense of responsibility.
- Respect local culture. Learn about and appreciate the customs and traditions of the places you visit or live in.
- Speak the local language. Make an effort to learn and communicate in the local language, even if it’s just basic phrases.
- Respect your roots. Be proud of your heritage and background. Before we jump to criticize or change anything, let’s be grateful for the experiences that brought us to where we are. We are not perfect, but what can we do to contribute and make things better? With a clear mission, a humble heart, and a persistent spirit, we will gain support along the way.
Live up to the true spirit of “Think Global. Act Local.”
Think Future. Act Now.
While it’s important to have a global mindset and apply it locally for maximum effectiveness, global and local are not contradictory ideas. They complement each other to create a more well-rounded perspective. Likewise, there’s always a connection between the future and the present. While we can’t predict the future, we can always start with the end in mind. First, we define where we want to be, our vision and goals—think future. It doesn’t stop there. We need to act now to move towards those goals.
"Vision without execution is just a hallucination." - Thomas Edison
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