IB complaints procedure
The IB is committed to providing an excellent quality of service to its schools, examiners and other stakeholders. We value your views and aim to make continuous improvements to our services based on the information and feedback we receive. We welcome both positive and negative feedback and recognize that justified complaints give us the opportunity to learn and improve our services to you. To enable the IB to handle your complaints in the most effective way possible by involving the most relevant persons, we would ask you to please follow the three stages of the escalation procedure defined below.
Principles of the procedure
To ensure the complaints process is effective, the following principles are applied throughout the complaints process and provide a framework for communication between stakeholders and IB staff.
Fairness – a fair complaints procedure that ensures everyone is treated equally.
Courtesy – communication that is based on mutual respect, trust and courtesy.
Accessibility – a complaints procedure that is easy to understand, easy to access and well publicized.
Timeliness – complaints are dealt with within clear time limits.
Effectiveness – the complaints procedure is monitored and reviewed to ensure it continues to be effective.
Attentiveness – you will be given every opportunity to put forward your complaint and you can be assured that we are listening.
What this procedure does not cover
Separate procedures are in place to deal with matters associated with the assessment processes of our programmes, for example, issues concerning results. All complaints relating to assessment should follow the procedures outlined in the programme handbooks for coordinators.
How to complain
Stage one
In the first instance you should seek to resolve the matter with the relevant individual, department or regional office concerned. If this initial approach has been followed and exhausted, and you are still not satisfied with the outcome, you should progress to stage two.
Stage two
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of stage one:
Please endeavour to make your complaint in writing within 15 business days of receiving a response to your initial issue to the appropriate director:
Academic director
Finance director
Regional director Americas
Regional director Africa, Europe, Middle East
Regional director Asia-Pacific
Deputy director general
Human resources director
Development director
Assessment director
ICT director
Receipt of your complaint will be acknowledged within three business days.
The director will investigate the complaint to establish the circumstances behind it. This will involve liaising with both the individual/department/regional office concerned and the complainant to gather all relevant information in line with the principles described above.
The director will aim to contact you with a detailed explanation of the findings of the investigation within 15 business days of receipt of the complaint.
Stage three
If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of stage two you may escalate your complaint by applying to the Director General of the IB:
- The application to the Director General should be in writing, be made within 15 business days of receiving the results of stage two complaint, provide full details of the reasons for the application and include any documents relied on. It should be addressed to: Director General, c/o Maria Celia Arcos, personal assistant to director general. Email: celia.arcos@ibo.org
- Receipt of your application will be acknowledged within three business days.
- The Director General will aim to communicate to you the outcome of his review within 15 business days of receiving your application. Where more time is required to investigate the circumstances of the case, you will be contacted without delay and provided with an update on progress of the review, and an estimate of when you will receive a final response.
Version 5.0
February 2008