International Baccalaureate Educational Program

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE

The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a globally recognized educational system that is characterized by its continuity and perspective, offering students the opportunity to receive a quality education and to enter prestigious universities around the world. One of the key strengths of IB programs is their integrative approach to teaching and learning, where the learning process is viewed in the context of holistic personal development. Students develop critical thinking skills, ask challenging questions, acquire research skills and actively participate in community service. The IB programs, designed for students ages 3 to 19, are unique in their high academic and personal expectations, inspiring students to achieve outstanding academic and personal development. The primary goal of the IB system is to foster in students a commitment to lifelong learning filled with enthusiasm and empathy. IB programs help schools develop well-rounded students who are optimistic about solving complex problems, confident in overcoming ethical dilemmas, appreciative of the global community, and able to apply what they have learned in challenging and unpredictable situations.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) aims to educate young people with curiosity, deep knowledge and concern for others who contribute to a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. International Baccalaureate programs encourage students around the world to become active, compassionate, and eager for lifelong learning while recognizing that other people, despite their differences, can also be right.  (ibo.org)

The International Baccalaureate provides a continuum of education consisting of four programs unified by the IB philosophy and approaches to learning and teaching. These programs promote both personal and academic achievement, encouraging students to strive for academic success and personal development.

In all International Baccalaureate programs, students develop skills in the approaches to learning and qualities reflected in the IB Learner Profile.

Nazarbayev Intellectual School of Astana offers Middle and High School programs.

The teaching staff of the International Baccalaureate has the opportunity to independently develop curricula that take into account students' previous educational experience, promote students' understanding of issues of a personal nature, and develop international awareness through the formation of national consciousness and patriotism.

The International Baccalaureate curriculum is subject to regular revision. The peculiarity of the program for Kazakhstani schools is the use of criterion-based assessment, which makes it possible to objectively evaluate the achievements of students.

To become an International Baccalaureate School (IB World School), an institution has gone through a process called “authorization”. This process helps schools understand and embrace the IB philosophy and values, and allows the IB to ensure that the school is ready to offer the IB program and meet the requirements of the IB Program Standards and Practices (PSP). The PSP is a core set of principles for schools and the IB that ensure fair and successful implementation of IB programs.

Only schools that have been authorized as an IB World School can offer IB programs.  (ibo.org)

Every five years after receiving authorization, the school undergoes a program evaluation that verifies that the school continues to meet the requirements for IB World School status. This process helps the school continually improve its implementation of the IB program. Schools that do not meet IB requirements may lose their authorization as an IB World School. (ibo.org)

In 2019, Nazarbayev Intellectual School in Astana successfully passed the IB assessment visit and confirmed its high membership status in the International Baccalaureate organization.

On October 7-13, 2023, the school hosted the IB & CIS team evaluation visit within the next cycle of international accreditation. As a result of the visit, NIS in Astana once again confirmed the status of IB school for both MYP and DP programs. The CIS organization, in turn, awarded the school the status of a re-accredited school.