In honour of the International Baccalaureate’s (IB) 50th anniversary, students from 153 countries – studying all four IB programmes – came together and developed projects in an effort to tackle real-world problems in extraordinary ways. The initiative, #generationIB, gives students a platform to showcase their collaborative skills, innovative ideas and solutions to a global audience.
Notable examples among the more than 300 submissions included:
– Students in India distributed medicine to parts of the country where access is limited
– In Maunalua Bay, Hawaii, students worked together to protect and maintain endangered reefs
– Students in Bosnia conducted research to defend their peers against fake news and misinformation campaigns
“The idea of celebrating the 50th anniversary this way is great,” said Dzeneta Ajanic, a mathematics teacher at Druga Gimnazija Sarajevo, one of the IB World Schools in Bosnia. “The topics IB offered to students are so inspiring and applicable globally. It is our pleasure to work on this project.”
Notable IB alumni suggested five themes for students to tackle – health, citizenship, education, environment and equality – all of which are at the core of many of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Dr Siva Kumari, Director General of the IB, said: “We want to show the world that IB students of all ages are equipped with creativity and skills in working together, and are utilizing these talents to find solutions to some of society’s most pressing issues. The #generationIB projects showcase the sort of creative thinking, collaborative skills and intellectually curious approaches that mark an IB education.”
Celebrating on the global stage
The IB partnered with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Global Schools Program Projects to showcase some of the #generationIB solutions to more than 1,500 participants from within and outside the IB community at the IB Global Conference in Vienna, . The conference brought together educators, government ministers and academia, to celebrate and learn more about the IB’s education across the globe.
