IB MISSION STATEMENT

IB Mission Statement
Sofia Oprinoiu
George Mason University

IB MISSION STATEMENT

At the heart of the IB are the learner profile attributes, a long- term, and holistic
vision of education that underpins all three programmes and puts the student at the center of
everything we do. The learner profile is the IB mission statement translated into a set of
learning outcomes for the 21st century.

The IB learners strive to be: Inquirers;

Knowledgeable; Thinkers; Communicators; Principled; Open-minded; Caring; Risk-takers;

Balanced; Reflective.
The ten aspirational qualities of the learner profile inspire and motivate the work
of teachers, students and schools, providing a statement of the aims and values of the IB and a
definition of what we mean by international-mindedness.
The IB Mission Statement states that:
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. To this end the organization works with schools, governments
and international organizations 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 their differences, can also be right.
Right from the beginning we can see that the Mission Statement is referring to
three of the IB Learner Profile attributes: inquirer, knowledgeable and caring. Inquiry is one
the main pedagogical concepts in IB especially used in the PYP where teachers prepare units
of inquiry. Students are taught to question facts around them and to build an inquisitive mind.
In PYP Students inquire into and learn about local and global issues in the context of units of
inquiry. Curious minds have greater chances to discover and understand the world around us
better, and students in IB schools are encouraged and supported to do that. Learning through
inquiry can be found throughout all three IB programmes.
One of the main goals of the IB was to create a learning system that offers the
frame for rigorous education through its prescribed written and taught curriculum. Through
both the curriculum and teaching it aims to develop the intellectual, emotional and physical
potential of each child in a safe environment. IB students are expected to acquire knowledge,
from a global perspective, about: world issues, social justice and equity, interdependence,

IB MISSION STATEMENT

sustainable development, cultural diversity, peace and conflict, languages (Hill, 2007).
Speaking of the study of languages, students are encouraged to start the study of a second
language as early as from the age of 7. By speaking more than one language students become
better Communicators, thus fulfilling another attribute of the Learner Profile.
The IBs mission statement strives to nurture young people who recognize that
they are global citizens and who are motivated to make changes to and in the world. They are
encouraged to show empathy, compassion and respect, and to take action that makes a
difference in the world. At my school students help by donating money once a month to The
Children of Haiti Project to support children less fortunate in Haiti become literate. Once a
month we have a Free Dress Day, and all the money collected go to this cause. Students from
all three programmes participate. Students in IB schools regularly take action and organize
fundraisers or physically help the ones in need either locally or internationally. Another grate
action that a group of students from the MYP at my school did last year was to travel all the
way from Saudi Arabia to Philippines to help build houses in a village for poor people.
Another action that I have witnessed was when MYP students visited the local Downs
Syndrome Association and brightened the day of the children there by plying games with
them, decorating cupcakes and face painting them. These are all examples that portray the
actions IB students take driven by the wish to make a difference and all this is born from the
attribute of being Caring.
By caring for the ones around them IB students help to create a better and more
peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. They are encouraged to be
open minded, and while helping them to develop national identity, they receive the right
guidance in order to become global citizens aware of all the issues that humanity is facing
today. They learn to appreciate the similarities between peoples of different nations and
accept and respect the differences. They are taught that united we have a better chance at
changing the world today and making it a better place to live tomorrow.

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The IB offers four programmes of study, PYP (Preparatory Years Programme),

MYP (Middle Years Programme), DP (Diplomma Programme) and IBCC (IB Career related
certificate), all of them challenging programmes of international education and rigorous
assessment. The common strong philosophy that underpins all the programmes is the IB
Learner Profile that guides schools and teachers uniting them in a common purpose.
The IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) is the first curriculum framework for
international primary schools, designed for students ages three to ten (grades preschool
through five). Through both the curriculum and teaching it aims to develop the intellectual,
emotional and physical potential of each child, in a secure and stimulating environment.
A driving force behind the PYP is the philosophy of international mindedness.
The IBs mission statement strives to nurture young people who recognize that they are global
citizens and who are motivated to make changes to and in the world.
The PYP fosters the development of thinking, communication, socializing,
research and self-management skills. Students are encouraged to put what they have learned
into practice through service to the school community, the local community and the global
community.
Learning in PYP happens through transdisciplinary themes which is a way of
learning authentic and relevant to the world. Learning is not confined by traditional subjects
but is supported and enriched by them. Each Transdisciplinary Theme encompasses a vast
swath of universal understandings common to all of humanity and open enough to embrace a
variety of content areas. For example the theme Who we are, explores the nature of self, our
personal beliefs and values, our personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health, human
relationships, our rights and responsibilities and what it is to be human. This
Transdisciplinary Theme is deeply investigated through different questions and explorations
throughout the students learning journey, leaving them with a layered understanding of
themselves and the connections they have with the rest of humanity.

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The Middle Years Programme (MYP) is specially designed for the unique needs
of children ages eleven to sixteen (grades 6 through 10), at a time when they need to develop
exceptional learning habits, self-confidence and a thorough understanding of their academic
subjects. This student-centered educational approach both embraces and transcends traditional
school subjects by helping students see the connections between the academic disciplines.
The backbone of the MYP is the interdisciplinary learning that happens through
one of the 5 Areas of Interaction in which various attributes of the IB Learning Profile are
reflected:
Approaches to Learning (ATL): ATL is concerned with learning how to learn,
developing good study habits as well as critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Students
learn how to identify and best use their own learning styles. It is designed to give students the
tools and confidence they need to be life-long learners. Features of ATL include the use of a
homework agenda, developing a learning disposition, reflecting and completing selfevaluations at the end of the trimester.
Health and Social Education (HSE): HSE concentrates on respect for body and
mind and helps students learn to make informed choices about their own lives.
Community and Service (CS): all students in grades 6 to 10 are required to
participate in CS, which helps students develop a sense of belonging and responsibility to
their community.
Human Ingenuity (HI): HI focuses on the changes human creative genius has
brought to society. Learning by example, students are encouraged to appreciate the creative
drive to transform and improve life.
The Diploma Program (DP) is an academically focused curriculum for students
ages sixteen to eighteen (grades 11 and 12) preparing to enter university.
The Diploma Programme has four components:
Study of six subjects: students study three courses at Higher Level (HL) and three
others at Standard Level (SL), each of which students sit externally assessed examinations at

IB MISSION STATEMENT

the end of the two-year programme.

Extended Essay: students are introduced to and guided in university-level research
through the Extended Essay process, culminating in the writing of an approximately 4,000word essay.
Theory of Knowledge (ToK): ToK is a foundational course that all DP students
take, helping them to explore and understand the problematic and holistic nature of
knowledge.
Creativity, Action, Service (C.A.S.): a programme designed to help students
develop their creativity, well-being and commitment to serve the communities in which they
live and beyond.
The IB Career-related Certificate (IBCC) is an innovative education framework
for students aged 16 to 19 incorporating the vision and educational principles of the IB into a
unique programme specifically tailored for students who wish to engage in career-related
learning.
The IBCC programme combines highly regarded and internationally recognized
IB Diploma programme courses with an approved career related study and a unique IBCC
core.
IBCC students engage with a challenging programme of study that genuinely
interests them while gaining transferable and lifelong skills in applied knowledge, critical
thinking, communication, and cross-cultural engagement. Becoming knowledgeable, thinkers,
communicators and open-minded they are well prepared to succeed at institutions of higher
learning.
As we can see the IB Learner Profile is present and transpires through all the four
IB programmes. The Learner Profile unites us all with a common focus: on the whole person,
as a lifelong learner. It applies to us all student, teacher, parent or administrator for we are
all continually learning.

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7
References

Hayden M. Levy J. & Thompson J. (2007) The sage handbook of research in international
education. London, Sage Publications
IBO (2006) IB Learner Profile. Geneva: IBO.
IBO (2008) Towards a continuum of international education. United Kingdom: IBO
IBO The Primary Years Programme. Retrieved October 11, 2014, from
http://www.ibo.org/pyp/
IBO The IB Middle Years Programme. Retrieved October 11, 2014, from
http://www.ibo.org/myp/
IBO The IB Diploma Programme. Retrieved October 11, 2014, from
http://www.ibo.org/diploma/
IBO The IB Career-related Certificate (IBCC): preparing students to follow their chosen
pathways in life. Retrieved October 11, 2014, from http://www.ibo.org/ibcc/