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• 1. What is Academic Baccalaureate ?

  Academic Baccalaureate is a comprehensive educational initiative designed to meet the needs of students. It is developed by local and international experts to enhance students’ overall academic performance and equip them to succeed in the future by integrating the 21^st century skills into the academic program. It was launched in 2010 after many years of planning and preparation. Its first phase included workshops to introduce the theoretical part and to train teachers to design high order thinking skills items. In 2014, the in-class implementation started (Phase 2). This phase included workshops to train the teachers on Academic Baccalaureate deliverables prepared by the Academic Baccalaureate team of experts. It currently covers grades 10 to 12 (and eventually K-12). After graduation in Grade 12, the students receive the Academic Baccalaureate diploma. In 2017, the Academic Baccalaureate Diploma received the equivalence to the British GCE A Level by UK ENIC, the National Agency for the Recognition and Comparison of International Qualifications and Skills.
• 2. Who is behind Academic Baccalaureate?

  The Academic Baccalaureate is developed by the Educational Research Center (ERC) in cooperation with local and international educators. The Academic Baccalaureate is owned by Academic Assessment Ltd., a company based in London, UK. Academic Assessment provides all the necessary resources for implementing the Academic Baccalaureate in accredited schools, along with providing continuous research-based development to this unique initiative.
• 3. Why Academic Baccalaureate?

  Academic Baccalaureate enriches the curriculum with the integration of new resources based on experimentation and open-mindedness, as well as individual and team creativity, all of which fall under the 21^st century skills umbrella. Academic Baccalaureate promotes meaningful learning rather than rote learning of course materials and benefits from the latest developments in education and technology, whilst respecting the local cultural heritage and aspirations of students from diverse backgrounds to empower them for excellence in modern life, meet the highest educational standards, and fulfill the most rigorous university admission requirements anywhere in the world.
• 4. What are the distinguishing features of Academic Baccalaureate?

  The Academic Baccalaureate is a high-standard and unique educational program created by the Educational Research Center (ERC) and owned by Academic Assessment Ltd. The implementation of the Academic Baccalaureate in national schools is based on the Profile Shaping Education (PSE), a research-based pedagogical framework developed under the support and guidance of the Educational Research Center and Academic Assessment Ltd. It works within enriching the curriculum. The Academic Baccalaureate provides teachers continuous capacity building program through periodic workshops and one-to-one meetings with Academic Baccalaureate experts.
• 5. What is Profile Shaping Education (PSE)?

  PSE is a framework that empowers students of all levels, especially secondary school and college graduates, with a profile needed for success and excellence in modern life. The profile embodies major traits of accomplished people in the workplace and daily life, while respecting the local vision for global education, education, and local culture and heritage. It empowers students to become paradigmatic, productive, proactive and principled, hence the name “4-P profile”.
• 6. How does Academic Baccalaureate empower students with the 4-P profile?

  The 4-P profile is demonstrated in the Academic Baccalaureate deliverables where the 21^st century skills and high-order thinking skills are integrated in the six core subjects: physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, Arabic, and a foreign language which may be English or French. Academic Baccalaureate learning outcomes focus on common cross-disciplinary patterns in knowledge structure and habits of mind and practice that are critical for meaningful learning of course materials, as well as for lifelong learning and success in modern life.
• 7. How does Academic Baccalaureate provide for capacity building of teachers?

  The Academic Baccalaureate continuously develops the abilities of the participating teachers, through systematic workshops, local and regional activities.
  
  Academic Baccalaureate’s workshops tackle different subjects and addresses different levels:
  - Organizing periods based on the duration of the period and intended learning outcomes
  - Integrating the 21^st century skills in the periods
  - Drawing mind maps and their use as an organizational, educational and evaluative mean
  - Writing items that facilitate higher order thinking skills
  - Highlighting the integration of items, especially scientific subjects
  
  The Academic Baccalaureate pays special attention to the quality assurance and trailing teachers’ progression. To this end, central support offices exist and offer continuous communication and exchange of experiences. In addition, periodic visits to the participating schools are conducted by administrative officers and educational advisers from the Educational Research Center and Academic Assessment Ltd. to provide the required support. These visits comprise individual meetings with teachers to resolve any issue related to the implementation phase of the Academic Baccalaureate. The Academic Baccalaureate offers teachers teaching resources that help them apply the points mentioned above, in addition to observing them during class to promote their strengths and address their challenges.
• 8. How are Academic Baccalaureate learning outcomes ascertained?

  Academic Baccalaureate relies on authentic assessment to ascertain the extent to which individual students acquire the desired learning outcomes and skills. At the beginning of the scholastic year the students sit for a skills-based test to set a baseline of the students’ skills and capacities; and at the end of the scholastic year the students sit for a similar test to compare the results and study their improvement.
  
  The Academic Baccalaureate diploma is granted on the basis of three types of assessments:
  - Continuous Assessment. (Grade 10 and 11)
  - Cross-disciplinary Project. (Grade 12)
  - Comprehensive Exam. (Grade 12)
  
  Design and delivery of Academic Baccalaureate assessments benefit from the latest advances in measurement research and technology, and from various single space resources from the Educational Research Center.
• 9. How can a student enroll in Academic Baccalaureate?

  Academic Baccalaureate is a school-based program. Students cannot enroll individually in Academic Baccalaureate. Once a school is granted accreditation, all of its students become automatically enrolled in Academic Baccalaureate.
• 10. Can any school qualify for Academic Baccalaureate?

  Academic Assessment Ltd. has a set of reasonable requirements for school accreditation. Any school that operates in a way to help students develop the 4-P profile promoted by Academic Baccalaureate may get accredited. Academic Assessment Ltd. may also assist an interested school that does not meet accreditation criteria.
• 11. How is Academic Baccalaureate quality guaranteed?

  Academic Baccalaureate is strict on quality assurance. All school-based aspects that are related to Academic Baccalaureate are continuously monitored to ensure that all matters are properly implemented. Academic Baccalaureate is keen on working with all accredited schools in the spirit of partnership and common ownership of this unique initiative. Quality is also guaranteed through continuous research and consultation with international consultants and concerned organizations.
• 12. Does Academic Baccalaureate require students to do additional homework?

  Academic Baccalaureate does not overload students with assignments. However, and in order to meet its objectives and help students understand course content meaningfully, Academic Baccalaureate relies on a diversity of assignments, including group projects, that meet high quality standards.
• 13. Does the Academic Baccalaureate diploma have an international equivalence?

  The Academic Baccalaureate Diploma received equivalence to the British GCE A level by UK ENIC, the National Agency for the Recognition and Comparison of International Qualifications and Skills. UK ENIC performs this official function on behalf of the UK government. Students attaining the Academic Baccalaureate Diploma can receive the equivalent A level qualification. The students will follow the national curriculum, using national programs, but will receive the Academic Baccalaureate Diploma with equivalence to the British GCE A Level.
• 14. What is the relationship between the Academic Baccalaureate and the International Baccalaureate (IB)?

  There is no relationship between the Academic Baccalaureate and the IB. The Academic Baccalaureate is created by the Educational Research Center and owned by the Academic Assessment Ltd. in London.