Jeff Thompson research award open for applications
This award seeks to honour Professor Thompson’s efforts to establish the research profile of the organization by providing a number of practitioners within IB schools with small incentive awards in recognition of their efforts to conduct research related to IB programmes.
As early as 1987, Alec Peterson highlighted the importance of setting up capacity within the International Baccalaureate (IB) to address the research needs of the IB community. He foresaw the need to support schools in their understanding of the philosophy and principles underpinning the IB programmes, the growing need to support research into international education, and a continuing need to conduct research into the ways in which IB programme implementation impacts on the quality of teaching and learning within a school.
In 1998 during his tenure with the IB as director for international education and then as academic director, Professor Jeff Thompson sought to realize Peterson’s vision by establishing a small IB research unit housed at the University of Bath. By doing so he hoped to create close links to the University of Bath’s Department of Education and, in particular, the Centre for the study of Education in an International Context. He sought also to establish clear links between the IB and the Journal of Research in International Education produced by Sage Publications.
Following on from the research unit the IB has moved to a more coherent approach to addressing its research responsibilities; research staff are now associated with each of its core functions. The measure of research activity related to the organization’s work has in that time grown significantly and achieved a great deal more visibility. As a consequence it has become increasingly evident that significant value is to be gained by encouraging and supporting school based research.
Further information and application details
Application deadlines
31 March 2009 and 31 October 2009
