IB Teacher Award Scheme
FAQ for interested individuals
If you cannot find the answer to your question on this frequently asked questions (FAQ) page please contact us.
What are the benefits of gaining a teacher award?
Are the teacher awards IB programme specific?
The practitioner award is specific to one of the three IB programmes. You will only be able to register for a practitioner award that relates to one programme. It is thus important to find out from the university you are planning to enroll with whether the course of study will lead to the appropriate award. This information will also be available on the teacher award section of the OCC. The associate award is a generic level of recognition and not associated with a specific IB programme.
What is the difference between the two awards?
Which award should I be aiming for?
Can I gain the associate award without already having gained the practitioner award?
Are the awards available to school administrators?
Yes, the term “teacher” has been used in the widest context. The awards are open to anyone who successfully completes a recognized course of study. Indeed the course should allow those who undertake aspects of school leadership to demonstrate their skills and abilities in implementing an IB programme.
As a teacher with no experience in teaching an IB programme, can I register for an award?
As an IB teacher or a potential IB teacher will it be a requirement for me to take one of these postgraduate courses?
No, from the IB’s perspective the scheme is purely a voluntary one. The purpose of these programmes is to provide ongoing professional development opportunities for teachers who are interested in exploring the principles and practices of IB programmes and developing greater understanding through critical and systematic self-reflection. Schools recruiting new teachers may give preferential treatment to those teachers with the award, however, that is a matter for schools themselves.
What happens, if having completed an IB-recognized course, I do not want to register for an award. Is this a problem?
How do I know that the university course I am undertaking is IB-recognized?
Will successful completion of a recognized course of study automatically qualify me for an award?
How will I know I have been granted a teacher award?
Once the registration process has been completed you will be sent notification by email. You will then be sent a formal award certificate electronically.
Can prior formal learning qualifications (postgraduate qualifications gained from other universities) count towards the awards?
What should I do first if want to gain a teacher award?
The first thing to do is to visit the teacher award section of the OCC that lists the IB-recognized courses of study. Each course will give the contact details of the course coordinator. You are then advised to contact them and investigate the possibilities of enrolling on a course. While currently the number of courses being offered is limited, it is envisaged that over time this will grow as more universities seek IB recognition for their courses.
