History of the IB

The International Baccalaureate was founded in Geneva, Switzerland in 1968 as a non-profit educational foundation. Its original purpose was to facilitate the international mobility of students preparing for university by providing schools with a curriculum and diploma recognized by universities around the world. Since then its mission has expanded, and it now seeks to make an IB education available to students of all ages.

Presidents of the IB Council of Foundation

2003- : Monique Seefried, Center for the Advancement and Study of International Education, USA

1997-2003: Greg Crafter, former minister for education in South Australia, lawyer

1996-1997: Bengt Thelin, director general of education, Sweden

1990-1996: Thomas Hagoort, international lawyer, USA

1984-1990: Piet Gathier, director general of secondary education, the Netherlands

1981-1984: Seydou Madani Sy, director of the University of Dakar, Senegal and later minister for justice and special advisor to the president of Senegal

1968-1981: John Goormaghtigh, director of the European office of the Carnegie endowment for international peace

IB directors general

Jeffrey Beard 2006-

George Walker 1999-2005

Derek Blackman 1998-99

Roger Peel 1983-98

Gérard Renaud 1977-83

Alec Peterson 1968-77