Thank you for joining us at IB Global Conference, Budapest 2024!
Thank you to everyone who joined us at the IB Global Conference, Budapest 2024. This year’s conference was an inspiring gathering of educators, thought leaders, and innovators, each dedicated to fostering educational excellence and empowering students worldwide. Your enthusiasm, insights, and commitment to education have helped make this conference an unforgettable experience.
Hosted in the capital city Budapest, this year’s conference offered an enriching experience that brought together more than 1,600 attendees from 90 different countries. Attendees had access to over 100 sessions across a range of topics, including innovation in the classroom, leadership in education, and fostering equity and inclusion in learning environments.
The conference theme, Inspiring Learners, Realizing Potential, guided us in fostering student inquiry and maximizing the potential of every young person we encounter.
Day 1 Highlights
The conference opened with a vibrant performance of Tavaszi szél vizet áraszt (Spring wind floods water) performed by the International School of Debrecen.
We were then honored to hear from Olli-Pekka Heinonen, Director General of the International Baccalaureate, who touched on his personal experiences to inspire the audience and provide valuable insights into the IB. We remember his remarks with the quote, “Be comfortable with the idea that we are sometimes lost, we are not only knowers but seekers."
Our community voice and IB student, Somin Jung, then took the stage to share her experience as an IB student and share her thoughtful message. Somin is currently a senior at the American International School of Budapest. Actively engaged in a variety of school activities ranging from the arts and sports to service clubs, she strives to learn from diverse communities and contribute newfound knowledge to her peers. During her speech she reminded us to, “Teach students it's ok to fail, failure is part of growth”.
To follow, our keynote speaker Dr. Elaine Kasket delivered an engaging address on “Place, Power, Potential: How Ed Tech is Shaping Gen Alpha’s Self-Concept.” Elaine is a psychologist, author and futurist, and an expert on death in the digital era. Her thought-provoking presentation explored the profound ways gathering and sharing student data is influencing the identity, values, and worldview of generation Alpha.
Watch highlights from Day 1 below.
Day 2 Highlights
Day two began with a moving performance by students from the Budapest British International School, who inspired us with their rendition of “Grieg Sonata Movement 1” performed by their student, Linglang Deng.
Our community voice Eleni Vasileiou followed with her remarks. Eleni is an experienced educator with over 29 years in the field. She has held several senior roles centered around IB programmes. Currently in Athens, Greece, she is the IB DP Head of School and supervises the PYP, MYP, and DP as the IB Programmes Director at the Hellenic American Educational Foundation (Athens College – Psychico College). During her speech she expressed her belief that, “We can teach students to ask the right questions, see the world not as it is, but as it could be."
Our keynote, Dr Charles Fadel, delivered a thought-provoking address on “Education for the age of Artificial Intelligence”. Charles Fadel is a global education thought leader and author, futurist and inventor; founder and chairman of Center for Curriculum Redesign; chair of the education committee at BIAC/OECD; Member of the OECD AI Experts group; co-author of “Education for the Age of AI” (2024), “Artificial Intelligence in Education” (2019); “Four-Dimensional Education” and “21st Century Skills”.
We remember his presentation with the quote, “Socrates and Dewey were right! In the age of AI, we must rethink education from the ground up: Modernize our subjects, transform our teaching methods, and prepare for the future."
Watch highlights from Day 2 below.
Day 3 Highlights
The final day opened up with a student performance by students from the Budapest British International School, who played “J. S. Bach – Concerto in D minor.”
Our community voice, István Kiss, delivered a thoughtful speech before our closing general session. István is a senior at the International School of Debrecen (ISD), Hungary’s first and only IB continuum school. He is passionate about being a changemaker and has a deep interest in global politics and environmental issues. Throughout his time at ISD he has taken on leadership roles and participated in community initiatives, all driven by a commitment to making a positive impact. István cares deeply about creating a more sustainable and equitable future and is always looking for ways to learn, grow, and contribute meaningfully to the world around him.
During his speech he urged us to, “Remember, the influence you have on your students today will shape leaders of tomorrow. Leaders who will carry forward the IB's mission of creating a more just and harmonious world."
Our concluding keynote, Kimberley Wilson drew on the latest clinical evidence to guide us on how to stay sharp and protect long-term brain health. Kimberley is a chartered psychologist and author of How to Build a Healthy Brain, and a governor of the Tavistock and Portman NHS Mental Health Trust. She is passionate about using psychology to change lives, and lives for positive mental health and lifestyle changes. We were all inspired by her informative presentation and compassionate message.
Day 3 closed out with an exciting celebration dinner at the Hungarian Railway Museum, where attendees enjoyed an assortment of acrobatic performances, Hungarian folk dances, and a lively party band.
Watch highlights from Day 3 below.
Breakout Sessions
In addition to the general sessions, attendees engaged in over 100 breakout sessions organized into four distinct tracks: educational technology and innovation, inclusive education and well-being, learning and teaching, and leadership. See below for some session highlights!
From concepts to conceptual understanding: presented by Ali Ezzeddine – This session was centered around the new “Conceptual Understanding” section in learning and teaching. Participants explored the changes and look at different implementation strategies collaboratively. Attendees reflected and collaborated through interactive engagement, fostering a deeper comprehension and perspective shift.
AI in the classroom and assessments: presented by Fraser Lawrence and Matthew Glanville- In this session, attendees were able to join members of the Assessment department’s senior leadership team and find out how the IB views AI, both in classroom practice and within assessments. Presenters shared what they have learned so far from their controlled experimentation with AI and how it could potentially inform future practices in how they work behind the scenes in the Assessment department.
Be well, lead well: presented by La Mór and Maya Rooz – This session took school leaders through the practical steps needed to be grounded, present and authentically listen, to create the trust needed for regulated leadership. Rooted in the IB’s research on well-being, an adult-first approach is applied to student wellness and academic success, demonstrating how these explicit coaching practices, when practiced regularly, support individual and organizational health, well-being and crisis management.
Thank You!
The IB Global Conference, Budapest 2024, has been a testament to the power of community and collaboration. We look forward to seeing how our conversations and discoveries here will inspire future innovations and impact students worldwide.
Attendees can log in to the conference app to download session slides that have been shared by presenters.
We look forward to seeing you at the IB Global Conference, The Hague 2025! Stay connected and relive your favorite moments from the conference on social media with #IBGC2024.
See you next year!
