About IB
Founded in 1968, the International Baccalaureate (IB) is a nonprofit foundation, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The International Baccalaureate offers four high quality international education programmes to more than 1.4 million students aged 3 to 19 across the globe. The IB programmes can be offered individually or as a continuum of international education. As of February 2021, there were over 7,300 programmes being offered worldwide, across over 5,400 schools in 158 countries. The IB curriculum is gaining popularity in India, and thus number of schools is also growing. Currently 185+ schools are offering one or more IB programmes in India.
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Background
In 1962, International Schools Association (ISA) conference of teachers of social studies recommended that International Passport to Higher Education be called “International Baccalaureate”. Following this, IB Organization was registered in Geneva in 1968. First official IB Diploma Programme exams were taken by students at 12 schools from 10 countries – including two state schools (Germany and France). Over the years, MYP and other programs were added to IB curriculum.
Mission of IB
The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
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Focus area of IB curriculum:
The five categories of skills span across all IB programmes, with the skills then emphasized in developmentally appropriate ways within each programme. The five categories are:
Thinking skills – including areas such as critical thinking, creative thinking and ethical thinking
Research skills – including skills such as comparing, contrasting, validating and prioritizing information
Communication skills – including skills such as written and oral communication, effective listening, and formulating arguments
Social skills – including areas such as forming and maintaining positive relationships, listening skills, and conflict resolution
Self-management skills-including both organizational skills, such as managing time and tasks, and affective skills, such as managing state of mind and motivation.
The development of these skills plays a crucial role in supporting the IB’s mission to develop active, compassionate and lifelong learners.
Important Notes:
- IB Diploma has been recognized by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) since 1983, and IB MYP in 2012.
- AIU accords equivalence to both the IB Diploma and the IB Diploma Course (i.e. IB Certificate) provided that a student has secured a minimum of 24 credits and has passed a minimum of three subjects at Higher Level (HL) and three at Standard Level (SL).
- IB Diploma is equivalent to 12th board and MYP is equivalent to 10th board.
- Students applying to Indian Universities can apply for an equivalence certificate from AIU upon release of their results, or apply directly to the eligibility department of the university they wish to attend.
- Competitive Entrance Examinations (e.g.- Engineering, Medical, Dental, Architecture, Law etc.) in India have specific requirements with respects to courses and passing criteria. It is advisable to refer respective sites for details.
- IB curriculum encourages both personal development and academic achievement, challenging students to think critically, to ask the right questions and think across disciplines.
- IB curriculum encourage students of all ages to consider both local and global context. It also gives importance to develop multilingual students.
- Research, Projects, and communications are the integral part of the curriculum.
- IB exams are conducted in April and May.
Programmes offered by IB:
In IB continuum, 4 programmes are offered by IB. Listed below are the programmes with age range.
- PYP (Primary Year Programme) : 3 – 12 years
- MYP (Middle Years Programme)- Equivalent to 10th Board : 11 – 16 years
- DP (Diploma Programme)- Equivalent to 12th Board : 16 – 19 years
- Career-related Programme : 16 – 19 years
The International Baccalaureate (IB) offers a continuum of international education through four challenging, high quality educational programmes to students aged 3 to 19.
PYP (Primary Year Programme):
First offered in 1997, the PYP for children aged 3 – 12 nurtures and develops young students as caring, active participants in a lifelong journey of learning through a student-centered approach to education. Guided by six transdisciplinary themes of global significance, students broaden their learning by developing their conceptual understandings, strengthening their knowledge and skills across, between and beyond subject areas.
MYP (Middle Years Programme)- Equivalent to 10th Board
First offered in 1994, the MYP is for students aged 11-16. A challenging framework that encourages students to make practical connections between their studies and the real world. The MYP is a five-year programme, which can be implemented in a partnership between schools, or in several abbreviated (two, three or four year) formats. Students who complete the MYP are well-prepared to undertake the IB Diploma Programme (DP) or Career-related Programme (CP).
The International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP) comprises eight subject groups:
Language acquisition.
Language and literature.
Individuals and societies.
Sciences.
Mathematics.
Arts.
Physical and health education.
Design.
Each year, students in the MYP also engage in at least one collaboratively planned interdisciplinary unit that involves at least two subject groups. The MYP prescribes sixteen key interdisciplinary concepts along with related concepts for each discipline. MYP students also complete a long-term project. Students who complete the MYP in Year 3 or Year 4, complete the community project. All students who complete the MYP in Year 5, complete the personal project.
The MYP curriculum also focuses on STEM as an important perspective from which to consider integrated teaching and learning in concepts and skills related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Assessment:
The IB uses both internal and optional external assessment (eAssessment) in the MYP. MYP teachers assess the prescribed subject-group objectives using the assessment criteria for each subject group in each year of the programme.
In the final year of the programme, each MYP student must develop a personal project independently, which is externally validated by the IB. At the same time, schools can register for optional external assessment (eAssessment) in all other elements of the programme. It offers students the chance to earn a formal, internationally recognised certificate if they meet the success criteria.
Diploma Programme- Equivalent to 12th Board
First offered in 1968, IB Diploma Programme is for students aged 16-19. The Diploma Programme (DP) curriculum is made up of six subject groups and the DP core, comprising theory of knowledge (TOK), creativity, activity, service (CAS) and the extended essay.
Through the Diploma Programme (DP) core, students reflect on the nature of knowledge, complete independent research and undertake a project that often involves community service.
The three core elements are:
Theory of knowledge (ToK), in which students reflect on the nature of knowledge and on how we know what we claim to know.
The extended essay, which is an independent, self-directed piece of research, finishing with a 4,000-word paper.
Creativity, activity, service (CAS), in which students complete a project related to those three concepts.
The six subject groups are: Studies in language and literature, Language acquisition, Individuals and societies, Sciences, Mathematics, The arts.
Assessment:
DP assessment procedures measure the extent to which students have mastered advanced academic skills. In addition to academic skills, DP assessment encourages an international outlook and intercultural skills, wherever appropriate.
In the DP, students receive grades ranging from 7 to 1, with 7 being highest. Students receive a grade for each DP course attempted. A student’s final diploma result score is made up of the combined scores for each subject. Student’s results are determined by performance against set standards, not by each student’s position in the overall rank order. The IB uses both external and internal assessment in the DP.
External assessment: Examinations form the basis of the assessment for most courses. This is because of their high levels of objectivity and reliability. They include: essays, structured problems, short-response questions, data-response questions, text-response questions, case-study questions, multiple-choice questions – though these are rarely used.
Internal assessment: Teacher assessment is also used for most courses. This includes: oral work in languages, fieldwork in geography, laboratory work in the sciences, investigations in mathematics, artistic performances.
Career-related Programme:
First offered in 2012, IB Career-related Programme is designed for students aged 16-19. The CP is a framework of international education that incorporates the values of the IB into a unique programme addressing the needs of students engaged in career-related education.
CP students undertake a minimum of two IB Diploma Programme (DP) courses, a core consisting of four components and a career related study.
Courses offered in Career-related Programme
Important Links:
Frequently asked questions (India)
For more details, visit International Baccalaureate (IB) site