THE HAGUE, April 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

The International Baccalaureate (IB) was today shortlisted for the prestigious WISE (World Innovation Summit for Education) Award, which recognizes innovative international education projects that transform society. The IB's Career-related Certificate (IBCC) is one of fifteen finalists on the shortlist, from which six overall winners will be announced in September.

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Reacting to the news, Dr Siva Kumari, the Director General of the IB, commented, "We are honoured that the IB's programme has been shortlisted by the WISE Jury. We appreciate this prestigious recognition of the IB's approach to dealing with global challenges in education, including the crisis of rising youth unemployment and the skills gap. Dramatic changes are needed to the traditional approaches of career and industry education. The IBCC ensures that a greater number of students will leave with international mindedness, critical thinking and greater communication skills combined with academically rigorous courses. In a global economy such global perspectives, lifelong learning, and analytical skills are much needed."

The Career-related Certificate, one of four programmes offered by the IB, was launched in 2012 and is aimed at students who take a career studies pathway in the last two years of secondary school. Combining rigorous academics with a school-based career-related programme, the IBCC prepares students for successful careers in today's rapidly evolving world.

This is especially effective in high unemployment areas of the world. One example is the county of Kent in the UK, where youth unemployment has soared, reaching 27% in some parts. Paul Luxmoore, the executive Head Teacher at Dane Court Grammar School, remarked, "We are using the IBCC as a vehicle to change the community and raise the aspirations of every student in the area-and that's exactly what is happening." The facts show how successful this has been: of the students completing the IBCC, schools report that 70% are going to further or higher education or training-with many not having considered it an option before-and 29% are going into careers.

To date, the IBCC has been implemented in 73 schools across 14 countries. The programme's results demonstrate that students benefit from the combination of academic subjects and career-related studies. "The programme's first phase has been highly positive," said Dr Kumari. "We are exploring the best way to expand its scope, to include a broader group of schools and reach more students. They will access a broad, flexible education which will give them the knowledge, practical training, intellectual engagement, and international mindedness not otherwise possible in such programmes, developing higher order cognitive skills and academic behaviours that enhance their employability, and also dramatically alter their world view."

http://www.ibo.org

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SOURCE The International Baccalaureate