In an increasingly complex and unpredictable world, it is no longer enough for education to simply deliver knowledge. Today’s learners must be equipped with the ability to think critically, solve problems creatively, and engage meaningfully with people from a wide range of cultural, linguistic, and disciplinary backgrounds. The demands on the next generation are vast and rapidly evolving. As educators, we must ask ourselves: Are we preparing our students not only to navigate this future, but to lead it?

At the Canadian International School, we believe the answer lies in the International Baccalaureate (IB). The IB is not a curriculum—it is a framework that develops the intellectual, personal, emotional, and social skills students need to live, learn and work in a globalised world. It is also the only programme of its kind that truly scaffolds learning from early childhood through to pre-university, with a seamless continuum that spans the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and the Diploma Programme (DP).

In this article I explore why CIS, as one of the largest all-IB international schools in the world, has committed so fully to this approach—and why I believe the IB remains the gold standard for global education.

A Curriculum Born for the International World
The IB was founded in the late 1960s out of a desire to create a consistent, rigorous, and transferable curriculum for internationally mobile families. At the time, international schools were growing in number—serving the children of diplomats, military families, and global businesses—but there was no common curriculum that transcended national education systems. The result was the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP), a revolutionary curriculum that rejected rote learning and narrow specialisation in favour of breadth, depth, and interdisciplinary inquiry. It was—and still is—underpinned by the values of international-mindedness, service, and intercultural understanding. Over the decades, the IB has evolved to include the PYP and MYP, completing a full educational journey for students from 4 to 18 years of age. Today, there are over 5,000 IB World Schools across more than 150 countries. The IB has become not only the most recognised international qualification for university entrance but also a powerful framework for developing well-rounded, globally competent individuals.

The Power of the IB Continuum
What makes the IB truly exceptional is the coherence across its three programmes. At CIS, students begin their journey in an IB-inspired nursery programme, grounded in play-based inquiry. From here, they transition into the PYP, where curiosity is nurtured and foundational academic skills are introduced through transdisciplinary Units of Inquiry. The MYP builds on this with more structured, subject-specific exploration, encouraging critical thinking and intellectual independence. Finally, the IBDP challenges students with university-level study across six subjects, alongside core components such as the Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge, and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS).

Each stage builds on the last, reinforcing key cognitive, emotional, and academic skills in developmentally appropriate ways. The IB learner profile, which emphasises attributes such as open-mindedness, reflection, and principled action, serves as the thread that connects every classroom experience. 

Unlike many international schools that adopt a hybrid approach, mixing curricula, CIS offers a unified, all-IB experience, ensuring continuity of pedagogy, language, and philosophy. This ensures a seamless learning journey, giving students the benefit of consistency in teaching, language, and values—something not always possible in schools with mixed curricula. 

Education for the Future
The future of work will demand far more than subject knowledge. According to the World Economic Forum, the top skills required in the coming decades will include complex problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, emotional intelligence, and cognitive flexibility. These are not incidental to the IB, they are embedded in its DNA. 

IB learners are trained to ask questions, evaluate evidence, synthesise diverse perspectives, and present arguments coherently. They work collaboratively on projects that demand real-world application of knowledge, whether it’s designing sustainable solutions for a local issue or writing an Extended Essay that mirrors undergraduate research.

Furthermore, IB’s commitment to multilingualism and cultural fluency fosters global competencies that are increasingly essential in our interconnected world. At CIS, all students study a second language from an early age, with options for bilingual pathways in Chinese-English and French-English. This is not simply about language acquisition, it is about helping students develop empathy and cultural awareness.

In our rapidly shifting society, where we are preparing students for careers that may not yet exist, this emphasis on adaptability and lifelong learning is not just beneficial, it is vital.

Customised Pathways
CIS is proud to offer four IB-aligned learning pathways: our English programme, Chinese-English bilingual programme, French-English bilingual programme, and Foundation programme. These options allow us to cater to a wide range of learner profiles, language abilities, and educational goals.

Our Foundation programme is particularly noteworthy. Designed for students who are developing their English proficiency, it prepares learners for a smooth transition into the PYP or MYP. We use a CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) approach, where language and subject learning are fully intertwined. This ensures students are not only learning English but using it meaningfully to engage in mathematics, science, humanities, and the arts.

We are an academically inclusive school, offering the IB Diploma to every student who wishes to pursue it. Unlike institutions that use selective tests to determine entry to the Diploma, we believe all students given the right support can grow and succeed. Our results bear this out.

In 2024:
• Two students achieved the perfect IB score of 45
 • Over 35% earned the prestigious bilingual diploma
 • Our graduates received offers from top global universities, including Cambridge, Stanford and Imperial College London

We are proud of these outcomes, but prouder still of the diverse paths our students take, and the resilience and purpose with which they pursue them.

The Research: IB’s Impact on Academic and Personal Success

IB students consistently outperform their peers in other curricula—both during school and in higher education. According to studies by the UK’s Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and the IBO:

• IBDP students are 40% more likely to achieve at least an upper second-class honours degree at UK universities compared to A-Level students.
• Three times as many IB students enroll at top 20 universities.
• IB students are seven percent more likely to earn a first-class honours degree.
• In the U.S., IB students were found to have higher GPAs and greater college retention than their non-IB peers.

As former IB Director General George Walker shared, “The IB is not designed to produce ‘successful’ students; it is designed to produce thoughtful, ethical, and active members of the world community.”

Leading with Purpose: A CIS Perspective
CIS is more than an IB school—we are a community of educators, learners, and families committed to meaningful, transformative education. We continually refine our programmes not only to meet global standards but to exceed them, adapting to the needs of our students and the realities of a shifting world.

Our approach is informed by decades of IB experience and powered by a team of highly trained, IB-certified teachers. Every teacher at CIS receives extensive professional development to stay aligned with the evolving best practices of IB teaching and learning. Our curriculum coordinators, school leaders, and instructional coaches work together to ensure a unified vision across all grades and subjects.

We also serve as collaborators in the wider IB community, contributing to curriculum development, school evaluation, and thought leadership. Our experience has taught us that the IB is not static, it evolves, and with it we also evolve.

Conclusion: Education with Global Impact
As we look to the future, the role of education becomes even more urgent. The students of today will inherit a world facing global pandemics, climate emergencies, ethical dilemmas in AI, and political instability. They will need more than academic excellence—they will need courage, compassion, creativity, and conviction. 

The IB equips them with exactly that. And CIS, as one of the leading IB schools globally, is proud to be shaping that future.

At a time when education must do much more than inform— it must transform— the IB stands out. And for the students who experience it, the advantage goes far beyond academics. It’s a global foundation for life.