Senior Associates Jennifer and Bob Imholt joined about 2,000 members of the IB community at the International Baccalaureate (IB) Global Conference 2019 in New Orleans from July 18–21st. Participants representing 30 countries convened at the Hilton Riverside New Orleans.
Last year, as the International Baccalaureate Organization reached a milestone 50th year, the organization challenged students from all IB programmes to celebrate “Generation IB,” the theme for this year’s conference. Students and alumni of IB—some of whom graduated decades ago—celebrated the collective impact of the IB on students, schools, and their communities. Positive impact can be felt worldwide through the educated humanitarians who grow out of the IB experience.
This year, three incredible keynote speakers graced the event: Jacqueline Woodson, award winning author of Brown Girl Dreaming; Dr. Pak Tee Ng, expert on leadership and change; and Ishmael Beah, award winning author of A Long Way Gone, Memoirs of a Boy Soldier.
In addition to the keynote addresses, educators attended a wide variety of sessions covering all levels of the IB Programme, ranging in topic from Theory of Knowledge to curriculum, assessment, revised standards and practices, service learning, leadership, and more! Attendees also enjoyed the many unique works of student art on display.
Many educators stopped by the Search Associates (SEARCH) table to talk with Jen and Bob about their experience at the conference and to express a desire to take their IB skills to a new overseas setting. Senior Associate for SEARCH Latin America Job Fair Jennifer Imholt says,
One important thing for SEARCH candidates to consider is that having knowledge and experience with IB can open the door to a world of international school opportunities!
Did you know that 26% of our 729 SEARCH schools deliver all three of levels of the IB Programme (Primary Years, Middle Years and IB Diploma)? About 67% of SEARCH member schools now offer at least one level of the IB, and the number of schools is growing!
You may be wondering where these IB schools are located. Here is our current percentage of SEARCH IB schools by region. In Africa, 66% of SEARCH schools deliver the IB. In Asia, 65% of our schools offer IB. North America, Latin America, and the Caribbean combined amount to 56% of the schools running the IB curriculum. The region with the most IB schools: Europe, with an impressive 89%!
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have IB experience YET. Many of our schools are new to the IB and are growing their IB programmes. Many of those are willing to train their staff along the way!
Next summer, the IB Global Conference is headed to Toronto (July 2020)! We hope to see you there!
