If AI Can Translate, Why Bother with Bilingual Education?

What does bilingual education mean when AI can translate instantly? Stella Zhou and Maxine Lu explore this tension on our latest Horizon podcast. Stella Zhou, Master of Hiba Academy Shanghai, and Maxine Lu, General Principal of Xiehe Education Group 协和教育, explore these critical questions. Both educators participated in the Masters Panel at the 9th China Festival of Education and bring decades of experience shaping bilingual learning environments. Their conversation centres on a provocative tension: if AI can translate perfectly in seconds, what's the point of bilingual education? The answer lies in what translation cannot capture: the cross-cultural empathy, multi-perspective thinking, and collaborative mindset that emerge when students genuinely inhabit two linguistic and cultural worlds. The discussion moves beyond language proficiency to examine how students develop the capacity to understand different cultural perspectives and work across differences. These capabilities aren't skills that AI can replicate or replace. Watch the full conversation to explore how bilingual schools are preparing students not just for universities or careers, but for meaningful citizenship in an increasingly complex world. Subscribe to our channel for more Horizon podcast episodes and updates from across the Wellington College Education (China) group. 🔔 Subscribe:    / @wellingtoncollegechina   🌐 Visit our website: https://www.wellingtoncollege.cn/ 📸 Follow us on Instagram: @wellington.college.china #BilingualEducation #TeachingForTomorrow #BeYouBeMore #HorizonPodcast #AIinEducation #GlobalCitizenship