Newsletter title- Month 2006

International Baccalaureate research unit

About the research unit and research within the International Baccalaureate

In recognition of the important role research plays in our understanding of the nature and practice of international education, the International

Baccalaureate research unit (IBRU) was established in May 2000 to develop and support research into the IB programmes and international education. This is implemented through research projects, collaboration with universities and international agencies, and the dissemination of research findings in international publications. IB Research Unit develops links with researchers in international education worldwide and supports research through a number of specific functions such as the International Education Research Database, the production of IB Research Notes and an extensive section of pages on the IB website.

IB Research Notes

IB Research Notes is a quarterly publication of IB Research Unit and provides information related to international education research, which will be of interest to the International Baccalaureate and international education research communities. Each publication can be found on the IB Research Unit web pages. For example, Research Notes Volume 4, Issue 1 (2004) presents a symposium of commentators from UK universities and authorised IB Diploma Programme schools that responded to a report by Colin Jenkins who enquired into the perceptions of UK higher education institutions of the IB Diploma Programme.

This and other issues of IB Research Notes is freely available from the IB Research Unit web pages.

International Education Research Database

The database is a free open access service to researchers and is a collaborative effort by a range of different parties interested in promoting the field of international education. A wide range of resources and methods has been utilised for gathering the bibliography. However, as it is a referencing resource and not an online library, it does not hold the actual publications. This exciting and challenging project aims to define the field of international education and provide a valuable resource to a range of researchers.

Practitioner Research Project

The aims of this project are to look at ways in which practitioners can best be supported in research and how they can be enabled to participate in research in a more effective way. Primarily the main focus is a study of the research needs of those working in schools, be they teachers, administrators or support staff.

Contact details

IB research unit
Department of Education
University of Bath
Claverton Down
Bath, BA2 7AY

Tel: +44 1225 383279
Fax: +44 1225 383277

Email: IBRU@ibo.org

Website: http://www.ibo.org/programmes/research