A recent study in the United Kingdom has shown, very clearly, the advantages of the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB Diploma) as a university admission qualification when compared to other qualifications such as A levels and similar qualifications.
The IB Diploma is recognised worldwide as a university entry qualification and has, in recent years, become increasingly sought after in the UK. With the ever increasing number of students holding an IB qualification being admitted to an institution of tertiary education (HEI) in the UK, there is now sufficient data for meaningful comparisons to be made.
Overall, the findings show that IB Diploma students are more likely to be enrolled at a top 20 HEI. Furthermore, IB students, in the majority of subject areas, are more likely to achieve first and second upper class honours degrees than entrants with other qualifications. It is also worth noting that IB students are more likely to leave the university with an award, an important factor in the post-University competitive market place. As a result, university graduates who had experienced the rigours of the IB Diploma Programme in Sixth Form, are more likely to go onto further studies and take postgraduate degrees. Of particular importance is the conclusion that on leaving university, former IB Diploma students are more likely to find employment in graduate level jobs, particularly within professional, scientific and technical fields and other higher-paid occupations. This may well be a reflection not only of a better performance at university but also of the philosophy of the IB curriculum which places so much emphasis on personal development and social commitment while developing an inquiring mind and intercultural understanding and respect.
The most popular subject areas studied at university are business and administrative studies and Social Studies; this trend was also seen in the IB Diploma entrants. However, IB students were twice as likely to study medicine and dentistry which is a significant point as competition for places in these two courses is highest. Of further significance is the finding that a disproportionately high number of IB entrants continue their post-graduate studies in subjects allied to medicine where opportunities are particularly restricted.
Over a third of entrants holding IB Diplomas in the UK are domiciled in that country. An equal number come from countries in the European Union with Germany contributing the highest number of IB Diploma entrants. This is probably a reflection of the socio-economic profile of a large proportion of IB students; a much higher proportion of IB entrants come from families belonging to higher managerial and professional occupations and consequently are more likely to have attended privately funded schools.
St Edward’s College (picture) offers a two-year, Sixth Form programme leading to the International Baccalaureate Diploma that is also recognised by the University of Malta as an entry qualification.
This evidence-based study, International Baccalaureate Students studying at UK Higher Education Institutions: How do they fare? , was produced by the Analytical Services Team at the Higher Education Statistics Agency of the United Kingdom and published in April 2011.
The summary report can be found at www.ibo.org/research/programmevalidation/documents/HESAResearchSummary_Final.pdf.
The full report is at: http://www.ibo.org/research/programmevalidation/documents/HESAUKPostsec_Final_Report.pdf .