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IB - International Baccalaureate
The International Baccalaureate (IB) encourages young people to remain curious, take responsibility and play an active role in shaping their future. The IB Diploma Programme (DP) is highly regarded by universities worldwide – and studies show that IB graduates are more likely to go on to university than other students.
IB - Diploma Programme
Academic Gateway – IB Angebotsmodell
your advantages
Eduqua Certification
personal care
Focused to the goal
Innovative & Digital School Model
highly qualified teaching staff
State-of-the-art classrooms & infrastructure
Frequently asked questions
Questions about the IB Diploma Programme
What does it mean to be an international school? Why choose an international school above all other options?
An international school fosters global citizenship, guiding students to become internationally-minded individuals who understand their place in the world and recognize that there’s a place for everyone. At Academic Gateway, cultural diversity is celebrated, and values such as respect, curiosity, and caring are deeply embedded in our ethos.
As an international school, Academic Gateway connects students’ learning with their local, national, and global communities. Our inquiry-based approach encourages students to generate questions, activate creative and critical thinking, and develop a lifelong passion for learning. Students are empowered to find and use their voices, engage actively in their communities, and take purposeful action to make a meaningful impact.
A true international school is not just bilingual but multilingual. At Academic Gateway, most lessons are conducted in English, except for German, French, and other foreign language courses. We leverage our linguistic diversity to enrich the learning experience. With students from various nationalities, we learn from each other, building appreciation for the different languages and backgrounds represented on campus.
Students are encouraged to nurture their mother tongue while developing proficiency in multiple languages. When they begin the Diploma Programme, generally at the age of 16, they can choose to study a range of languages, including their mother tongue.
What does it mean to be an authorized IB school?
At Academic Gateway, our values align closely with those of the International Baccalaureate (IB). The IB Diploma Programme is not just a curriculum; it’s a transformative journey that prepares students for the dynamic global stage.
Some of the advantages of being an IB World School, which are deeply embedded in our practice, include:
- Encouraging students of all ages to think critically and challenge assumptions.
- Inspiring consideration of both local and global contexts.
- Celebrating and fostering multilingualism and global citizenship.
- Teaching students to ask challenging questions and explore answers across disciplines.
- Equipping students with research skills that are essential for higher education.
- Promoting active community engagement and learning that extends beyond academics.
- Incorporating the best educational practices from global research, tailored to meet local requirements and expectations.
What is transdisciplinary learning?
Transdisciplinary education at Academic Gateway prepares students to tackle real-world challenges by promoting meaningful and contextualized learning. Unlike traditional education, which compartmentalizes knowledge into isolated subjects, transdisciplinary learning emphasizes interdisciplinary connections and fosters a more integrated understanding of the topics studied.
Teachers encourage students to explore complex problems, analyze diverse perspectives, seek solutions that integrate multiple viewpoints, and apply learned concepts in practical, real-world scenarios.
Settling into a new school is a challenge. What can we expect?
Arriving at a new school can be challenging for every child, and each experience is unique. At Academic Gateway, we begin by equipping newcomers and their families with the right amount of information and support well in advance of the first day of school. Every level of the school has a plan in place to assist with the initial days, weeks, and months.
Our commitment is to know each child, welcome them into our community, and support their adjustment by fostering a strong sense of belonging. No matter the time of year, our teachers and students remember what it was like to be new and are eager to help
What is the evaluation system/assessment like at Academic Gateway? Does the school administer tests?
At Academic Gateway, we value the development of skills and knowledge across all subject areas, emphasizing their connection to the ability to understand the whole. We use authentic, contextualized evaluation strategies that provide students with feedback to understand their learning journey. Our assessments go beyond simply assigning grades; they empower students to take ownership of their learning.
What about grading and assessment? How is learning measured and reported?
Within the IB framework, students at Academic Gateway progress through a curriculum that emphasizes continuous assessment. Assessment takes various forms, including self-assessments, peer-assessments, project-based learning, reports, essays, quizzes, tests, and examinations. The Diploma Programme allows students to demonstrate their skills, knowledge, and understanding through external IB examinations.
Throughout the learning journey, parents are regularly informed of their child’s progress through parent-teacher conferences and progress reports.
In which languages are the contents taught? What is the proportion of English to German spoken at school?
Given our diverse, cosmopolitan community, English is the primary language of instruction at Academic Gateway, used for most of the school day. German, the mother tongue of many community members, is valued as part of their cultural and linguistic identity. Other languages such as French, Italian, and Spanish are also part of our students’ heritage and are celebrated, though not explicitly taught.
Our teaching environments are led by educators with rich language backgrounds, all of whom have strong proficiency in English and an understanding that every teacher is a language teacher. Many of our teachers are bilingual or trilingual, assisting newcomers with their transition to the school. Collectively, our teaching team represents over 20 different language communities, ensuring language support is always available.
Our goal is for all students to develop proficiency in two or more languages, particularly in English and German, to prepare them for success at any global university where English is the language of instruction.
Are international schools only for those who want to study abroad?
No, international schools like Academic Gateway are for families who want their children to thrive in an environment of rich cultural diversity, where they learn respect, multiple languages, and essential global values such as critical thinking, responsibility, agency, and soft skills.
Graduates of an international school have almost unlimited opportunities to continue their education after secondary school. Academic Gateway graduates may choose to study internationally or in Switzerland. Our school is the choice for families who value global citizenship, multilingualism, diversity, and the 21st-century skills that equip students for future learning and every career pathway.
How does the IB Programme support holistic education at Academic Gateway?
The IB Programme at Academic Gateway is designed to cultivate international-mindedness, a core principle of both the IB and our school’s mission. International-mindedness involves understanding, appreciating, and respecting the diverse cultures, perspectives, and values of people worldwide.
Through the IB’s global curriculum, students are exposed to a variety of cultures and viewpoints, encouraging them to think beyond their own experiences. They learn to consider the local and global implications of their actions and to see themselves as part of a broader global community. This mindset is reinforced by our diverse student body and faculty, where students learn from and with people from different cultural backgrounds every day.
By integrating global contexts into all aspects of learning, we empower our students to become open-minded, reflective, and empathetic individuals who are not only aware of global issues but also motivated to contribute positively to the world. This prepares them to be true global citizens, capable of making informed decisions and taking meaningful actions in an interconnected world.
We are happy to help
Our team will advise you individually in order to find the optimal path for your professional future.
phone number
Academic Gateway
-
Löwenstrasse 17
8001 Zurich
The opening times
- Mon to Fri
- 08:15 - 12:15
- 1:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m
Download school contract
Please fill out the form. We will then send you a digital contract by e-mail, which you can easily fill out. As soon as we receive this, our secretariat will contact you personally to discuss the next steps.
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