International Baccalaureate: Opening doors to leading universities

10 Sep 2018

Choosing the right school for your child also means seeking the best opportunities to support them throughout later life.

You want them to have passion and uncover motivation to be the very best they can be; to give them knowledge and awareness that serves them as they progress through adulthood; and encourage the kindness and compassion needed to make the world a better place.

It’s common knowledge that a university education can inspire these qualities in students, largely thanks to a focus on independent learning with many opportunities to meet people from all walks of life.

But how do you find an international school that prepares your child for the challenges of university and the world beyond higher education?

It’s hard to find an international school that ticks all these boxes, offering academic excellence alongside personal growth. If you’re finding it hard to find schools that fulfil everything you want for your child, the International Baccalaureate® (IB) could be the answer.

Respected by higher education institutions as one of the most rigorous and comprehensive curriculum frameworks, the IB is designed to promote critical thinking, cultural awareness, global responsibility and resilience.

Source: Western International School of Shanghai

The IB is unique because it’s built upon the values that provide a healthy blueprint for adult life, rather than viewing education as a list of knowledge-based criteria that have to be met.

Instead, children gain skills in creative analysis, critically questioning ideas and theories presented in class while working within an international community to find feasible solutions.

These talents are sought-after by universities worldwide. The ability to conduct independent study, to offer insightful thought and actively participate in extracurricular life are all deeply valued by higher education institutions, showing that children are prepared for academic success.

Not only does the IB open doors to the best universities in the world, it also allows your child to fulfil their maximum potential during their studies, giving them the best chance at graduating with a top-level degree.

With the number of students gaining a university education exponentially increasing every year, it’s now more important than ever that students make the most of the opportunity to gain the highest-level qualification and stand out from the crowd.

By pursuing the IB, your child will already have started to foster the critical and creative process of learning and exploration needed to make the most of world-class higher education, placing them ahead of peers who studied traditional curricula.

If you want your child to study the IB at a leading international school, explore these four prestigious institutions…

WESTERN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF SHANGHAI (WISS)

As the only school in mainland China to offer the full IB curriculum, WISS provides a warm community for your child to reach their academic and personal goals.

The school is committed to providing a caring, compassionate and collaborative environment through future-oriented learning structures and a diversity-driven culture. The four IB programmes offered allow each child to experience a uniquely-designed education experience that nurtures talent, passion and potential.

This commitment to holistic education and personal growth reaps great rewards at WISS, with 44 percent of the most recent graduating class gaining acceptance to a top 100 ranked university, according to data harvested from THE World University Rankings, US News & World Report and QS World University Rankings. University destinations include the University of Toronto, The University of Hong Kong, The University of Manchester, Erasmus University, Boston University, and the University of Southern California to name a few.

And located in a peaceful, green residential area just 30-minutes from the bustling cultural hub of Shanghai, here, students get the best of what China has to offer in terms of both security and entertainment.

Source: Western International School of Shanghai

YEW CHUNG INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BEIJING (YCIS BEIJING)

With a committed philosophy of integrating East and West, YCIS Beijing emphasises the value of cultural respect and collaboration in fulfilling each person’s potential.

YCIS uses forward-thinking teaching and learning models that reflect the needs of the 21st century through student-directed learning, revamped assessment models and collaboration between years. These initiatives prepare learners for life challenges they will face in later life, giving them tools they will need to overcome these complex hurdles.

The school boasts a heritage of academic excellence, with 100 percent of students passing the rigorous IB programme in years 12 and 13, and 90 percent scoring above the world average in external examinations.

Students from year 10 also follow the IB programme, earning the school a reputation as a leading international institution among universities. Former students have received offers from numerous renowned universities, including Oxbridge in the UK and Ivy League Colleges in the US.

“Interlinked with our commitment to global education is the vision to promote the inner moral compass; this balance will enable tomorrow’s generation to take the helm and steer their way through human complexities, enabling them to exhibit goodness, honesty and compassion with confidence,” says Dr Betty Chan Po-king, CEO and School Supervisor.

JERUDONG INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Located in the Borneo-based country of Brunei, Jerudong International School provides an education focussed on rigorous academics and integrated extracurricular activities from children aged two- to 18-years-old.

Focussed on providing a holistic education, the school has three main pillars: thinking skills, active engagement and language. The qualities these key aims promote are leadership, participation and integration, preparing students to tackle any challenges that might come their way.

Source: Jerudong International School

The school teaches IB programmes at GCSE level or above, with 88 percent of students who sat the IB diploma in 2017 scoring above the global average. As well as great results on their IGCSEs, students also performed exceptionally well on the IB exams, with two students out of 228 worldwide achieving the perfect score of 45.

Top performing students have been offered scholarships at top ranking universities around the world, such as the University of British Columbia and Russell Group member University of Edinburgh.

CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (CIS) SINGAPORE

As an IB School, CIS students follow the IB Primary Years Programme from pre-kindergarten through to grade six, the IB Middle Years Programme from grade seven to grade 10 and the IB Diploma Programme in grade 11 and 12. This is the perfect school for shaping your child into a lifelong learner with a globalised perspective.

Students are nurtured through the tailored IB curriculum framework to prepare them for life in the 21st century, equipped with all the skills needed to succeed in higher education and their careers. Unlike the traditional schooling system, the IB gives your child core qualities in many disciplines, allowing them to be innovative and curious throughout their lives.

“Our teachers encourage intellectual curiosity, foster creativity and inspire the pursuit of excellence in ways that define what a world-class, future-oriented education should be. They couple high expectations for success with relentless care and support – hallmarks of outstanding instructional practice,” says Pete Corcoran, Head of the School.

Despite impressive academic results, with 83 percent of students achieving above the IB Diploma national average, the school emphasis that student achievements span much further than just their academic score.

“They are emerging scientists, artists, researchers, engineers and entrepreneurs,” notes the school, demonstrating that CIS views education as a blueprint to a happy and prosperous academic life.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International