A golden milestone: The IB celebrates growth with 50th authorized IB World School in UAE

The International Baccalaureate (IB) is celebrating the 50th IB World School to be authorized in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dubai International Academy - Al Barsha, which offers the IB’s Diploma Programme (DP). Over the last decade, the IB has gained significant momentum in the UAE, with triple the number of schools now offering an IB programme than in 2010.

In recognition of this growth and to widen access to an IB education, the UAE Ministry for Education recently released new recognition guidelines for the DP so that the programme is considered of equal merit of the Ministry’s Secondary School Certificate.

Dina Khalaf, Development and Recognition Manager from the IB, said: “Living in today’s world, it has become evident that students need an education that provides them with strong foundations to prepare them for university and beyond, so it is positive news for IB World Schools and IB students in UAE that the Ministry has officially recognized the academic weight of the DP. I am pleased to also confirm that the Ministry has been added to our results service, which will give it access to students’ results in July rather than waiting for the hard copies to arrive in September.

“It is wonderful to see the IB go from strength to strength in the UAE; it is a big milestone to be celebrating our 50th IB World School. We are pleased to have Dubai International Academy – Al Barsha join the IB community and very much look forward to seeing the school develop its IB offering to a wider age group."

Alongside offering the DP to students, Dubai International Academy – Al Barsha is also going through the authorization process to offer both the IB’s Middle Years Programme and the IB’s Primary Years Programme, with the aim to offer an IB education for students aged 3 to 19.

David Hicks, School Principal, Dubai International Academy – Al Barsha, said: “To be officially authorized as an IB World School is a huge achievement for us; the IB and its programmes fit so naturally within the ethos and culture of our school. We are fortunate that we have not had to convince parents that the IB is the right curriculum choice for our students; many are already aware and understand the quality of learning that the DP offers. It is a standout pre-university programme and truly showcases and develops the best qualities of the IB in students."

IB students from the UAE have gone on to study at renowned higher education institutions all over the globe, gaining admission to Ivy League colleges such as Harvard and Yale in the USA and Russell Group universities including Oxford and Cambridge in the UK.

Poonam Bhojani, CEO from Innoventures Education which operates the school, commented: “Speaking as a parent of IB alumni, I have been able to see first-hand the positive development IB programmes have on students’ learning and development. The entire framework offers the growth of so many different skills; for example, giving our students the opportunity to work on extended research topics, meaning that they are prepared for the style of learning when they move on to university.

“Through Dubai International Academy – Al Barsha, we are proud to be able to widen the access to an IB education and provide a holistic and internationally rigorous education which will prepare students for success in an ever-changing world.”