Building A Sustainable, Cost-Effective IB Faculty Development Model Through University-School Affiliation

Abstrak

The recruitment and retention of high-quality International Baccalaureate (IB) educators present ongoing challenges for schools worldwide, particularly in contexts marked by financial pressures and teacher shortages. Rising human resource costs—often comprising up to 60% of IB school budgets—have intensified the urgency of finding sustainable, cost-efective approaches to faculty development. This study investigates a university-school afiliation model that addresses these challenges by embedding IB-specific postgraduate certification programs within a collaborative institutional framework. Drawing on qualitative case study data from seven schools (five IB and two aspiring IB), the research examines the outcomes of postgraduate pathways, specifically the PostgraduateDiploma in Education with IB Certificate in Teaching and Learning (PGDEIBCTL) and the Master of Education with IB Advanced Certificate in Teaching and Learning Research (MEd-IBACTLR). The findings reveal four interrelated themes: (1) structured pathways to professional growth, (2) pedagogical shifts driven by reflective practice, (3) the emergence of collaborative learning cultures and distributed leadership, and (4) measurable gains in financial sustainability and faculty retention. These outcomes highlight the potential of afliation models to reduce recruitment costs, foster leadership capacity, and create enduring professional development pipelines. The study contributes to the growing  literature on sustainable international education, of ering a replicable framework that aligns academic rigor with school-based practice. Implications are discussed for IB schools, aspiring IB institutions, and policymakers seeking scalable approaches to global teacher capacity-building.