EDUCATIONFOR A BETTER
WORLD

THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE:• ONE MISSION•	FOUR CHALLENGING PROGRAMMES PROVIDING A CONTINUUM OF EDUCATIONFOR CHILDREN FROM 3-19 YEARS• OVER 4,200 IB WORLD SCHOOLS IMPLEMENTING MORE THAN 5,300 PROGRAMMES• MORE THAN 75,000 TEACHERS TRAINED EACH YEAR•	MORE THAN 1,250,000 STUDENTS AGED 3 TO 19

EDUCATION FOR A BETTER WORLDONE
MISSIONThe IB community is united througha powerful mission, to create a betterworld through high quality, international
education. Schools join us because of our
reputation as a leader in our field.

The International Baccalaureate aims todevelop inquiring, knowledgeable andcaring young people who help to create abetter and more peaceful world throughintercultural understanding and respect.
To this end, the organization works withschools, governments and internationalorganizations to develop challenging
programmes of international education
and rigorous assessment.
These programmes encourage students
across the world to become active,
compassionate and lifelong learners who
understand that other people, with theirdifferences, can also be right.

The IB offers four high-quality andchallenging educational programmes for aworldwide community of schools, aiming tocreate a better, more peaceful world.
For 45 years we have delivered programmes
designed to engage students from 3 to 19
years of age in educational learning that
equips them for life in the 21st century.
IB students embrace their own cultures andare open and responsive to other culturesand views. They are fully engaged, evercurious learners for life.
At the heart of all our programmes is the IB
Learner Profile, a long-term, holistic vision of
education that underpins the IB continuum ofeducation and puts the student at the centreof everything we do. The Learner Profile is the
IB mission statement in action and provides
a set of learning behaviours which aims toinspire, motivate and focus students, teachers
and the entire IB School community, uniting
them in a common purpose.

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INTERNATIONALLYMINDED LEARNERS
The aim of all IB programmes is to developinternationally minded people who,
recognizing their common humanity andshared guardianship of the planet, help tocreate a better and more peaceful world.
As IB learners, we strive to be:
Inquirers
We nurture our curiosity, developing skills
for inquiry and research. We know how tolearn independently and with others.
We learn with enthusiasm and sustain ourlove of learning throughout life.
Knowledgeable
We develop and use conceptual
understanding, exploring knowledge
across a range of disciplines. We engage
with issues and ideas that have local andglobal significance.
Thinkers
We use critical and creative thinking skills
to analyse and take responsible action oncomplex problems. We exercise initiative inmaking reasoned, ethical decisions.

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EDUCATION FOR A BETTER WORLD

Communicators
We express ourselves confidently andcreatively in more than one language andin many ways. We collaborate effectively,
listening carefully to the perspectives ofother individuals and groups.

Risk-takers
We approach uncertainty with forethoughtand determination; we work independently
and cooperatively to explore new ideas andinnovative strategies. We are resourceful andresilient in the face of challenges and change.

Principled
We act with integrity and honesty, with astrong sense of fairness and justice, and withrespect for the dignity and rights of people
everywhere. We take responsibility for ouractions and their consequences.

Balanced
We understand the importance of balancing
different aspects of our lives—intellectual,physical and emotional—to achieve wellbeing for ourselves and others. We recognize
our interdependence with other people andwith the world in which we live.

Open-minded
We critically appreciate our own cultures andpersonal histories, as well as the values andtraditions of others. We seek and evaluate a
range of points of view, and we are willing togrow from the experience.
CaringWe show empathy, compassion and respect.
We have a commitment to service, and we
act to make a positive difference in the livesof others and in the world around us.

Reflective
We thoughtfully consider the world andour own ideas and experience. We work tounderstand our strengths and weaknesses inorder to support our learning and personal
development.
The IB learner profile represents 10 attributes
valued by IB World Schools. We believe these
attributes, and others like them, can help
people become responsible members of local,
national and global communities.

IB programmes share a powerfulvision that is informed by the values
described in the learner profile.

An IB education:•	focuses on learners
the IB’s student-centred programmes
promote healthy relationships, ethicalresponsibility and personal challenge,•	develops effective approaches toteaching and learning
IB programmes help students to develop
the attitudes and skills they need for bothacademic and personal success,•	works within global contexts
IB programmes increase understandingof languages and cultures, and explore
globally significant ideas and issues,•	explores significant content
IB programmes offer a curriculum thatis broad and balanced, conceptual andconnected.

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FOUR CHALLENGINGPROGRAMMES4EDUCATION FOR A BETTER WORLDThe evolution of IB programmes
has happened at a significant paceover the past 45 years.

The IB Diploma Programme (DP) was
introduced in 1968 with an original purposeof facilitating the international mobilityof students, by providing students with acurriculum and qualification recognized byuniversities around the world. Since thattime, we have developed a continuum ofeducation for students aged 3 to 19.
Every IB World School is unique. Our
programmes are offered in both state andprivate, national and international, large
and small schools. They can be offeredindividually, but a growing number of schools
offer them as a continuum of education.
The IB Primary Years Programme (PYP),
for students aged 3 to 12, focuses on thedevelopment of the whole child as an
inquirer, both in the classroom and in theworld outside. The PYP is transdisciplinary
and flexible enough to accommodate
the demands of most national or local
curriculums and provides the best
preparation for students to engage in the IB
Middle Years Programme.
The IB Middle Years Programme (MYP),
for students aged 11 to 16 provides aframework of learning which encourages
students to become creative, critical andreflective thinkers. The MYP emphasizes
intellectual challenge, encouraging students
to make connections between their studies
in traditional subjects and to the real world.

The MYP is flexible enough to accommodate
the demands of most national or local
curriculums. It builds upon the knowledge,
skills and attitudes developed in the PYP
and prepares students to meet the academic
challenges of the IB Diploma Programme
and the IB Career-related Programme.
The IB Diploma Programme (DP),for students aged 16 to 19, is a balanced
and academically challenging programmeof education with rigorous assessment.
The DP prepares students for success inhigher education and encourages them tobecome active participants in an increasingly
global society. The programme has gained
recognition and respect from the world’s
leading universities.
The IB Career-related Programme (CP),for students aged 16 to 19, incorporates theeducational principles, vision and learnerprofile of the IB into a unique programmethat specifically addresses the needs ofstudents who wish to engage in careerrelated education.
This programme allows students to benefit
from elements of an IB education andenables schools to widen participation to an
IB education.

All IB programmes:• have a strong international dimension•	draw on content from educational cultures
around the world• require study across a broad range of subjects•	include both individual subjects andtransdisciplinary/interdisciplinary areas•	give special emphasis to learning
languages• focus on developing the skills of learning•	provide opportunities for individual andcollaborative planning and research• encourage students to become responsible,
active members of their community
They all include:•	a written curriculum or curriculum
framework•	student assessment appropriate to theage range•	professional development and networking
opportunities for teachers•	support, authorization and programmeevaluation for the school

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WHAT MAKES IB
PROGRAMMES UNIQUE?
International

Research-based

Widely recognized

Our commitment to international education
starts with a belief that the only way toappreciate someone else’s culture is first to
be confident in your own.

Like the world it seeks to improve througheducation, the IB never stands still. Our
programmes and curricula evolve andundergo regular review to ensure we aredelivering the best possible education for IB
students. Our vision is constantly sharpened
by research, both our own and that of otherrespected academic bodies.

Our programmes are challenging.
Universities and future employers recognize
the depth and breadth of the rigorous
work undertaken by IB students. As a result
there are many literate scientists, numerate
artists, and sociologists able to communicate
in more than one language among IB
graduates. In spite of this breadth, the depthof subject study is not sacrificed. Universities
also welcome the creativity, activity andservice (CAS) requirement, alongside the
4,000 word extended essay component in
the DP that demands research, analysis andin-depth study to prepare students for workat university level.

The international-mindedness thatpermeates our programmes is about morethan simply learning a second language.
For example, in biology, students mightlearn about the typhoid bacteria but also its
impact on life expectancy in a developing
country. Students learning about the historyof their town or region might look at thebroader context, of history and the effects ofcertain global events, and how these impact
on their local environment.
Independent
The IB and its programmes are uniquein many ways. We are a not-for-profit
organization, which means that there are
no shareholders and any surplus income isreinvested in our work. We are independentof political and commercial interests. We
operate in 143 countries, frequently working
alongside national educational systems.
Most schools, for example, offer the DP
alongside other courses whereas the PYP
and MYP are flexible enough to incorporate
national curriculum requirements.

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Innovative and creative educators frommany different cultures play a critical rolein the development of each programme.
The programmes represent good practicefrom around the world, and the curriculum
review process involves practising teachers,
examiners and education experts.
We are flexible enough to be able to respondto new research and pedagogical studies
and engage with expert analysis whereappropriate. For example, the IB Careerrelated Programme, our newest qualification,
is designed to provide a flexible learning
framework to meet the needs of students
and the local community as well as the world
beyond.

Research by and with universities inAustralia, Canada, the United Kingdom andthe United States has demonstrated that IBstudents are well prepared for university.
Almost 2,000 of the best universities aroundthe world list their IB admission policies on
our web site at http:// www.ibo.org.
Of course results are important, and weare proud of our programmes and of ourstudents, but the IB experience is much
more than that: it’s not just a way to learn,
it’s a way of life.

Innovative and creative educators frommany different cultures play a critical role inthe development of each IB programme.

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OVER 4,200
IB WORLD SCHOOLSThe IB does not own or manage any schools.
Instead, the community is made up of likeminded state and private schools – called IB
World Schools. There is no such thing as a“typical” IB World School. You will find themeverywhere from Australia to Zambia–and in
147 other countries in between. Over half ofthese schools are state funded.
All IB World Schools:•	share the mission and commitment of the
IB to high quality, international education•	have been authorized to offer one or moreof our programmes•	play an active and supporting role in theworldwide community of IB World Schools•	Contribute their knowledge and experienceto the development of IB programmes• 	are committed to the professional
development of teachers.
It takes a great deal of commitment andprofessionalism to become an IB World
School, authorized to deliver an IB
programme. It takes commitment to, and an

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EDUCATION FOR A BETTER WORLD

understanding of, IB values, the IB mission andthe long-term implications of belonging to an
IB community that actively involves schools inthe development of IB programmes.
It also takes time for the training of teachers
in the fundamentals of the programme
and pedagogical approaches, assessing theschool’s preparedness prior to authorization,and thereafter conducting continuous
professional development.
Our values are at the heart of everything
we do, and as such act as the foundations
on which we build our organization. Our
mission guides us, and provides a clear focus
on what we need to achieve - to develop
inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young
people who help to create a better andmore peaceful world through intercultural
understanding and respect.
To be successful we work with and involve as
many educators as possible from around theworld and our high quality curricula reflect
this. We seek to foster positive attitudes and alove of learning in both teachers and students.

MORE THAN 75,000
TEACHERS
Teachers respond enthusiastically to ourhigh standards. They regularly attend IB
workshops and conferences and participate
in online discussions. Teachers also
participate in IB curriculum reviews, join
the teams responsible for authorizing andevaluating schools and may become IB
workshop leaders or examiners. The IB bringsout the highest professional standards inteachers, providing an ethos and approachthat both involves and motivates the best inteaching.
Why?
IB teachers share our mission to provide
an international education throughprogrammes that have been developed
using experiences and expertise from acrossthe world. Teacher contribution has always
been central to our development, and wevalue our teachers’ input highly.

them to continue their own learning.
IB teachers appreciate this strongemphasis on their continued professional
development as they, alongside theirstudents, are continually challenged.
The IB runs workshops around the world,bringing teachers together to learn and share
their experience, training more than 75,000
teachers a year. We are also harnessing
the global village power of the Internet
to provide online teacher conferences,
networking and teacher training.
Teachers respond eagerly to the fact that all
four programmes involve a high elementof teacher trust, rather than using the moreformulaic teaching materials that they may
have been used to. We want IB teachers to
be innovative and creative.
No wonder IB teachers are so enthused.

We are fully committed to ensuring teachers
are a central part of our community andprovide the best possible opportunities for“As a school that has offered the Diploma Programme forover 30 years, it is a joy to now run a school that offers three
IB programmes, the PYP, MYP and DP in one fluid continuum.
Our students move from one programme to the next fully
prepared for what is to come. Our students are competentproblem solvers, rarely fazed by the unexpected and often
inspired by the content of the curriculum”
Glyn Jones Assistant Principal
International School Hilversum , The Netherlands

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MORE THAN
1,250,000 STUDENTS
IB students are internationally aware, with
open minds and open hearts. All IB students
learn a second language, together withthe skills to live and work with others both
locally and internationally. But becoming
a global citizen with a truly international
perspective is not gained at the expenseof their own language or culture. Indeed,
we believe that the only way to appreciate
another language or culture is to be
confident first with your own.
Our programmes are not exam driven: results
are important of course, but the best results
are attained by allowing students to develop
their learning and to engage in the curriculum.
IB students are at the centre of ourprogrammes. Students are taught to think forthemselves and to drive the learning process.
Teachers like that; students thrive on it.
Most of all, we see education as a way oflife and living. The IB is about creating acommunity of learners and improving
professionalism within that community.
We want the IB culture to spread throughout
the school, encouraging the caring,
nurturing, altruistic qualities found in thelearner profile.
Energized students and parents are eager
ambassadors, too, with many endorsing
the IB in the most telling way possible byensuring that their own children become
IB students.

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EDUCATION FOR A BETTER WORLDStudents are taught to think for themselves andto drive the learning process.
Teachers like that; students thrive on it.

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A LOCAL AND
GLOBAL COMMUNITY

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EDUCATION FOR A BETTER WORLDThe IB experience is not just a way to learn, it’s a wayof life and, for more than 1,250,000 students eachyear, the way to a better, more peaceful world.

IB students take an active part in, andcontribute to, their school, their local
community and their global community. It
becomes a way of life for IB students to feelloyal to their immediate surroundings but toalso think beyond them.
Many IB World Schools offer their students
the opportunity to participate in exchange
programmes so that they can learn fromtheir experiences. For example, students
in the Canadian International School
in Bangalore, India, travelled to Chiang
Mai, Thailand, where they worked on aconstruction project at a government
primary school.
In Lebanon, the Wellspring Learning
Community actively engages in Global
Youth Service Day, as do other IB World
Schools. And many IB World Schools takeaction based on the annually-themed Global
Lessons available on the IB website.

We practise what we teach, too. We arecommitted to making good education
accessible to everybody. Geography, financeand resources can make this difficult but,ever since the IB was founded, we haveworked tirelessly to overcome these barriers
to create a better and more peaceful world
through education.
That is why, today, more than half of IB
World Schools are state funded and why theorganization has a bursary fund to promote
access. Short-term grants are available forschools that are experiencing temporary
financial challenges or that are demonstrablyincreasing access to IB programmes.
In recognition of how the IB can contributeto developing future generations, thegovernments of Australia, Ecuador, Japan,
Malaysia, Spain, Canada and the UnitedStates are supporting the IB Diploma
Programme in many more state schools. It is
an important part of government policy toraise educational standards where possible.

Do you want to join a growing worldwide
community of people sharing a common
mission and vision?
We welcome you to—• Become an IB student•	Find a school that offers an
IB programme for your children• Teach at an IB World School• Volunteer or work for the IB•	Support our mission and join the IBcommunity
Contact ibid@ibo.org or visit www.ibo.org
for more information

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“The recognition of Seneca Academy
as an IB World School delivering thePrimary Years Programme, makes me
extremely proud of our teachers, staff
and parents who have dedicatedthemselves to helping our students
become lifelong learners. By creating
an environment where students makeconnections between what they arelearning in the classroom and theworld around them, we are creating
global citizens who will be well
prepared to take leading roles in theworld.”“At King Edward’s School we made thedecision to move to a solely IB Diploma
curriculum because we believed that
it would provide a really challenging
education and would be the best
preparation for university study”.
John Claughton, Chief Master, King Edward’s
School, Birmingham, UK.

“The Career-related Programme enables
a school to open up the IB experience toa wider range of students”
David Barrs, Head Teacher, The AngloEuropean School, Essex, UK“One of my favourite aspects of the
Career-related Programme is that itmeets not one of the needs, but all theneeds of the student”
Robert Gazda, Director of Curriculum, NewYork Binghamton school district, USA

Head of School, Dr. Brooke Carroll, Seneca
Academy, USA• Become an IB student• Teach at an IB World School• Become an IB World School• Volunteer or work for the IB

Support our mission and join the
IB community at
www.ibo.org
or contact your IB regional office:

IB Africa, Europe and Middle East
IB Asia-Pacific
IB Americas© International Baccalaureate Organization 2015
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