Preparing students for higher education and relevant careers, International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP) takes root.

Achieving high performance in any field takes commitment and determination and the first challenge is to stand out from the increasingly competitive crowd. For young sportspersons, the need to balance their school work with their sporting commitments, while also squeezing in time to unwind, is a heavy task. If young athletes are to have a chance at excelling in their discipline as well as developing essential life skills, having a realistic timetable and understanding from all parties (Schools, Parents, Athletes, Sports Bodies) involved are vital factors to success.?

Supporting the aspirations of high performing student sportspersons requires harmony between academic and non-academic commitments. In a country like India, parents seek security for their children via academic pathways and employment. While traditionally Public Sector Organizations and a few Private Sector enterprises have stepped in to support award/medal winning sportspersons, a vast majority struggle to be gainfully employed after their peak sporting career. Similarly, universities and colleges have had sports quota, but this is again limited to high achievers and not others who competed and failed to win due to various reasons.

However, the value of sports education has often, sadly, been overlooked – thankfully this is changing. The Khelo India scheme , launched in 2018 by the government, marked efforts on a national level to improve sport participation at grassroots and among children across the country. In addition, the National Education Policy (NEP), announced earlier this year, attempts to challenge traditional perceptions of sport not just as an extra-curricular activity but as a subject and a valuable discipline in its own right. Changing attitudes towards sport as a subject is crucial to enabling athletes to achieve a balance between their studies and their training.

Since the turn of the century, India has seen emergence of various professional leagues in cricket, hockey, soccer, badminton, futsal, kabbadi and so on. Some of these leagues have become so popular locally and internationally that they now find place in international sporting calendars. India now has over 11 well established colleges and universities which offer a career in sports, additionally there are another 60 colleges/universities which offer sporting programmes for students. With growing economic prosperity and advent of sponsors in sports, parents are more amenable to allow their children to pursue a career in sports. There is a dire need for professionally trained managers in these professional leagues and other sports, as most programmes currently available are either academic or inclined towards physical aspects of training.

IB careers programme prepares students for higher education and industry with a wide variety of career related studies. These courses enable students to pursue their passion and join relevant colleges for higher education and be prepared for good career opportunities in private and public sector organizations globally. To better facilitate the career related studies component of the IBCP,IB works closely with WAoS-Federation University for an international pathway to higher education and has identified another local provider who could potentially provide pathways to students within India in sports and event management. The IBAP development and recognition team is also in discussions with various universities and AIU to recognise the IBCP in India as equivalent to Grade 12. A fulfilling career awaits IBCP students to pursue their passion and yet acquire relevant skills and knowledge.

The IBCP exemplifies the broader ethos of the IB: that students should have a unique and tailored education. The IBCP core provides the requisite soft skills needed for students to be industry ready while enhancing their self-esteem to face the challenges of life confidently.

AFEC and the IB Diploma:

Supporting the aspirations of high performing student athletes requires harmony between academic and non-academic commitments. To facilitate this, the International Baccalaureate (IB) and the World Academy of Sport (WAoS) undertook a pilot project which gave aspiring young athletes the opportunity to extend their studies to ensure they have adequate time to complete their schooling and train to the best of their ability.

The WAoS Athlete Friendly Education Centre (AFEC) project has seen 25 IB World Schools receive accreditation as they provide excellent support services to high-performing and emerging student-athletes. Over 100 student-athletes have now taken up the opportunity to extend their DP studies, which allows them to better juggle their sport and education commitments.?

The WAoS initiative exemplifies the broader ethos of the IB: that students should have a unique and tailored education. The project endeavours to enable student athletes to feel adequately supported in their academic studies through the unique programme, which has been designed to promote students’ wellbeing. It is difficult to manage high-level sporting pursuits with academic demands and it is vital for schools to support each student on their journey to obtaining an education that reflects their true academic ability.

IB teachers work alongside every student at a pace that suits their individual needs, and the accommodation of sporting schedules is no different. By acknowledging the challenges student athletes face, a teacher is able to make a significant difference to a child’s academic success. The structured acknowledgment of student athletes’ outstanding commitment not only creates a harmonious teacher-student relationship, but it also ensures that each student feels comfortable and supported with the decisions they have made and is not left feeling discouraged or having to make sacrifices.

Schools should look to provide a flexible and sustainable programme that relieves the stress young people face when pursuing sport at a high-performance level or the management of sport and enables them to thrive both inside the classroom and in their sport.