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The IBO, registered
as a foundation in 1968, grew out of international schools'
efforts as early as 1924 to establish a common curriculum
and university entry credential for geographically mobile
students. International educators were also motivated by an
idealistic vision: they hoped |
that a shared academic experience
emphasizing critical thinking and exposure to a variety of
points of view would encourage intercultural understanding
and acceptance of others by young people. They concentrated
on the last two years of secondary school in order to build
a comprehensive curriculum that would lead to what they called
a "baccalaureate", administered in any country and
recognized by universities in every country. Grants from UNESCO,
the Twentieth Century Fund, the Ford Foundation and other
groups made it possible to develop the Diploma Programme,
whose balanced curriculum and high standards of assessment
led to rapid growth and widespread acceptance of the diploma.
The IBO has evolved from an organization
that provided a university entry qualification to the international
community: today it offers, to a wide range of schools in
a variety of settings, programmes to cover the years of formal
education of a child.
Representatives
from governments and authorized schools, and others in the
field of education, serve on the committees that govern the
organization. The chief executive officer (director general)
and his staff are based in Geneva, Switzerland, the curriculum
and assessment activities, and business and financial operations,
are based in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, while research
activities are in Bath, England (UK). A network of regional
offices and representatives works with schools interested
in applying for authorization to provide IB programmes. The
regional offices also provide services to interested and authorized
IB schools.
The Shanghai High
School was the earliest IB member school in Shanghai and one
of the oldest IB schools in China. In the past six years,
more than one hundred students have studied IB programme and
got excellent exam results. More than 90% of the students
have gained their IB diplomas, which are the successful passes
to the first class universities all over the world. |
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