International+Baccalaureate

Our three programmes span the years from kindergarten to pre-university. The programmes can be offered individually or as a continuum.
 * All of the following information was sourced from: http://www.ibo.org/general/who.cfm ||
 * =What is the International Baccalaureate?=
 * The International Baccalaureate (IB) offers high quality programmes of international education to a worldwide community of schools.**Our three programmes for students aged 3 to 19 help develop the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world. There are more than 699,000 IB students at 2,576 schools in 134 countries. ||  ||
 * =What does the IB offer?=
 * We develop and offer three programmes of international education for students aged 3 to 19, working in close cooperation with IB World Schools.**
 * The Primary Years Programme** for pupils aged 3 to 12 focuses on the development of the whole child in the classroom and in the world outside.


 * The Middle Years Programme** for pupils aged 11 to 16 provides a framework of academic challenge and life skills, achieved through embracing and transcending traditional school subjects.


 * The Diploma Programme** for students aged 16 to 19 is a demanding two-year curriculum leading to final examinations and a qualification that is welcomed by leading universities around the world.

Each programme includes a curriculum and pedagogy, student assessment appropriate to the age range, professional development for teachers and a process of school authorization and evaluation. The programmes are available through 2,576 IB World Schools in 134 countries. ||  || The IB is unique: The IB governance is composed of: The Board can comprise between 15 and 25 members. Members are elected by the Board on the recommendation of the governance committee, and from nominations presented from the [|Heads Council], [|Regional Councils] and the Board. To encourage diversity of gender, culture and geography there are only three ex officio positions taken by the director general (non-voting), the chair of the Examining Board and the chair of the Heads Council. The Board, which appoints the [|director general,] sets the strategic direction of the organization, adopts a mission statement, makes policy, oversees the IB’s financial management, and ensures autonomy and integrity of the IB Diploma Programme examinations and other student assessment. The Board has six permanent committees and establishes task force groups as required. Three of the committees represent best governance practice - [|audit], [|compensation] and [|governance], and two deal with policy - [|education] and [|finance]. The sixth committee, the advancement committee, is in the process of being created. ||  || Schools that have been authorized by us to offer one or more of our programmes are known as "IB World Schools".
 * =What makes the IB unique?=
 * The IB offers a continuum of high-quality education that encourages international-mindedness and a positive attitude to learning. Our programmes are accessible to students in 134 countries through our close cooperation with the worldwide community of IB World Schools.**[[image:http://www.ibo.org/img/imagebank/studentsmiling.jpg width="375" height="250" caption="Student smiling"]]
 * We offer a **continuum of education**, consisting of three individual programmes. We span the years from kindergarten to a pre-university diploma. While we are traditionally known for the Diploma Programme, IB World Schools increasingly offer all three programmes.
 * We are proud of our reputation for **high-quality education** sustained for over 35 years**.** Our curriculum represents the best from many different countries rather than the exported national system of any one. Our challenging Diploma Programme assessment is recognized by the world's leading universities. We maintain our high standards by actively training and supporting teachers, and by authorizing and evaluating IB World Schools.
 * We encourage **international-mindedness** in IB students. To do this, we believe that students must first develop an understanding of their own cultural and national identity. All IB students learn a second language and the skills to live and work with others internationally—essential for life in the 21st century.
 * We encourage a **positive attitude to learning** by encouraging students to ask challenging questions, to critically reflect, to develop research skills, and to learn how to learn. We encourage community service because we believe that there is more to learning than academic studies alone.
 * We ensure that our programmes are **accessible** to students in a wide variety of schools—national, international, public and private—in 134 countries. These IB World Schools form a worldwide community in which there is no such thing as a “typical” school (more than 50% of IB students are in state-funded schools). IB World Schools cooperate in curriculum development, student assessment and the governance of the IB, making this a unique international collaboration. ||  ||
 * =Who governs and manages the IB?=
 * **An IB Board of Governors**
 * **Six committees (advancement, audit, compensation, education, finance and governance)**
 * =What are IB World Schools?=
 * The IB does not own or manage any schools. Instead, we work with schools around the world (both state and privately funded) that share our commitment to international education.**[[image:http://www.ibo.org/img/imagebank/worldschoollogo_en.gif width="246" height="240" align="right" caption="IB logo"]]

These schools:

Authorization to become an IB World School is an intensive process that typically takes two or more years and includes site visits by an IB team. A regular process of evaluation is undertaken by schools that have been authorized. ||  ||
 * share the mission and commitment of the IB to quality international education
 * play an active and supporting role in the worldwide community of IB schools
 * share their knowledge and experience in the development of the IB programmes
 * are committed to the professional development of teachers.
 * =How is the IB funded?=
 * The IB charges fees for its services—specifically for student assessment, teacher training and publications. Each IB World School pays an annual fee. In addition, donors and governments provide funding that supports special projects and initiatives.**

**Budget:**
The main sources of IB income (USD 65.1m in 2006) are: Compound annual growth rates for the three programmes demonstrate strong year-on-year growth. The IB is currently estimated to reach over 699,000 students. Managing this rapid growth while maintaining our reputation for high quality is central to the challenge of our strategic plan.
 * Authorization and evaluation fees (5%)
 * Workshops and conferences (15%)
 * Publications (3%)
 * Annual school fee (22%) ([|Information for donors])
 * Examination fees (51%)
 * Other (4%) ||  ||
 * =How has the IB grown?=
 * Over 699,000 students are enrolled in one of the three IB programmes at schools in 134 countries. Over the past ten years, the number of students has grown between 10% and 20% each year, resulting in remarkable levels of sustained growth.**

**Growth:**
1 year growth by programme ||  || **Programme** || **Mar 2008** || **Mar 2009** || **Increase** || 5 year growth by programme CAGR is Compound Annual Growth Rate
 * PYP ||  || 426 || 511 || 19.95% ||
 * MYP ||  || 599 || 697 || 16.36% ||
 * DIPLOMA ||  || 1,701 || 1,916 || 12.64% ||
 * **Total schools** ||  || 2,726 || 3,124 || 14.60% ||
 * **Programme** || **Mar 2004** || **Mar 2009** || **Increase** || **CAGR** ||
 * PYP || 149 || 511 || 242.95% || 27.95% ||
 * MYP || 364 || 697 || 91.48% || 13.87% ||
 * DIPLOMA || 1,150 || 1,916 || 66.61% || 10.75% ||
 * **Total schools** || 1,663 || 3,124 || 87.85% || 13.44% ||

The director general is based at the headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Our largest office is the curriculum and assessment centre in Cardiff, UK where we also house our departments for finance, human resources, information and communications technology (ICT), and strategic planning. Our research unit is based at the University of Bath in the UK. ||  ||
 * =Where is the IB located?=
 * We work with schools in 134 countries from our headquarters in Geneva and our offices / representatives in Bath, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Cardiff, Geneva,** Mumbai, New York, **Singapore**, **Sydney, Tokyo and Vancouver.**
 * =How can I become involved?=
 * Whether you would like to study or teach an IB programme, support the organization's work, or even work for the organization, it is rewarding to become involved**

How can I teach or offer an IB programme?
If you would like to **work at an IB World School**, then visit our __[|schools' jobs page]__ to see the latest vacancies for teachers, heads of school, coordinators and administrators. If you would like your school to **become an IB World School** then browse the sections on how to become an IB World School for each programme:
 * [|Primary Years Programme]
 * [|Middle Years Programme]
 * [|Diploma Programme]

How can I study an IB programme?
First, for an overview of our three programmes, read the [|at a glance] feature. [|Primary Years Programme at a glance] [|Middle Years Programme at a glance] [|Diploma Programme at a glance]. Second, find an IB World School by using the **Find an IB World School** option that appears on the left-hand side of most pages on the site, including this one.
 * More specifically:**

How can I support the IB's work?
Read our [|information for donors] to find out how you could support our work, especially in helping to make IB programmes available in developing countries and to financially disadvantaged students. If you have time and experience to offer, then please read our [|information for volunteers] to find out how volunteers make an enormous contribution to our work.

How can I work for the IB?
Browse our __[|recruitment pages]__ to find out about joining our worldwide team. Visit our __[|examiners' jobs]__ section to see the latest vacancies. ||
 * =How can I find out more?=


 * There is plenty of information about the IB on this website. The following links are all good places to find out more.

** For an overview of our three programmes, read the [|at a glance]feature. [|Primary Years Programme at a glance] [|Middle Years Programme at a glance] [|Diploma Programme at a glance].
 * More specifically:**

For more information about our organization and our goals, read the [|mission and strategy] pages. Alternatively, we have dedicated pages that provide the information most frequently requested by [|coordinators], [|donors], [|examiners], [|governance], [|graduates], [|heads and principals], [|journalists], [|parents], [|researchers], [|staff], [|students], [|teachers], [|universities] and [|volunteers]. You can use the search facilities on the left-hand side of this page to find an IB World School or information on the country in which you live. We also have a [|site search] and [|A–Z index] to help you find the information you need. If our website doesn't answer your question, then [|contact us] instead. If you have a few moments to spare, try our fun [|IB exam] to find out how much you know about the IB. || Iss-afterlife homepage toc