What Is the International Baccalaureate Organization ("IBO")?

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The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), founded in the 1960s, grew out of international school efforts to establish a common curricular framework for geographically mobile students (such as the children of diplomats and military personnel). The IBO is a group of international educators whose aim is to awaken the natural intelligence of all students and to teach students to recognize the relationships between the subjects they study in school and the world in which they live.

To reach this goal, the IBO designed an educational program based on a philosophy that combines knowledge, experience, and critical observation. This philosophy emphasizes education as a process (learning how to think), not just a product (a collection of knowledge).

The IB Diploma Program, for students in grades 11 and 12, was established in 1967. Twenty-five years later, the IBO developed the Middle Years Program for 6th through 10th graders. The Primary Years Program, for children ages 3-12, followed in 1997.

The IBO is a private, non-governmental organization recognized by the Council of Europe and governed by a 30-member Council of Foundation that meets annually at IBO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

For more information about the IBO, see www.IBO.org.

See also:

• What Is the IB Philosophy?

• What Is the Middle Years Program ("MYP")?

• How Do Students Benefit from the IB MYP?

Go back to Home Page for "Frequently Asked Questions About the IB MYP".