International Baccalaureate visits Dubai
The visit to Dubai will include visits to local IB World Schools such as the Dubai American Academy, Emirates International School and Dubai International Academy.
Currently there are 32 schools in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region – 11 of them in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), 8 in Bahrain, 6 in Qatar, 2 in Kuwait, 2 in Oman and 3 in Saudi Arabia. Another 20 schools including 12 in the UAE have been designated “Candidate” status, which means they will have to pass an intensive and stringent process before becoming an “authorised” IB school.
Commenting on the visit of the IB team to the UAE, Dr. Monique Seefried, said:
“The IB is proud of its long-standing reputation for high-quality education, and although we have traditionally seen growth in English-speaking countries, we are keen to develop access to IB programmes in other parts of the world such as this region, which we have identified as a key growth area”.
Speaking of the schools that have implemented IB programmes in the UAE, IB Director General, Mr. Jeffrey Beard, said:
“We are pleased with the progress made by IB schools in the UAE. The cosmopolitan setting, and the unity in cultural diversity that prevails in the UAE have much in common with the fundamental themes of the IB - respect for, and awareness of different cultures, international-mindedness and learning to live together - that aim to develop citizens of the world. We would like to commend the schools that have opted for the IB concept of education, as they continue to pursue the best international education for their students”.