International Baccalaureate diploma pupils in the UAE again outdid their global counterparts this year with an average score of 31.97 out of 45 points.
The global average diploma programme (DP) score for the May 2023 session was 30.24 points, a drop from 31.98 last year and 32.99 in 2021.
Last year, pupils from the UAE scored an average of 34.03 against the global average of 31.98.
To receive the IB diploma, a pupil needs to score a minimum of 24 points.
“I am so incredibly relieved and excited the results are out," Naja Baumann told The National. "Obviously, it is a difficult pathway and I am happy I can look forward to the next chapter in my life,” said the pupil at Gems Wellington Academy, Silicon Oasis.
Naja scored 42 out of 45, and will now attend the Xund University in Switzerland, her home country, to pursue nursing.
“I have always been passionate about nursing, and I feel this is a more practical step for me than pursuing medicine,” she said.
There were 2,492 pupils from the UAE sat for the IB programme this year, 177 of whom scored more than 40.
The average grade per subject in the country is 5.08 out of seven.
Reinstating pre-pandemic assessments
Globally, 179,917 pupils received their DP and Career-related Programme (CP) results after the May 2023 examination session.
This is a 3.47 per cent increase in the number of pupils receiving DP and CP results. The pre-pandemic assessment process also returned this year, with all components of the exams completed in full.
“This achievement would not have been possible without the unwavering support and guidance of my teachers. I am also indebted to my fellow students, who pushed me to reach new heights and inspired me with their own achievements,” said Siddhant Tandon, from Dubai International Academy Emirates Hills, who achieved the top score of 45 points.
Siddhant managed a feat achieved by only 0.1 per cent of students globally. He is off to the University of Oxford to read economics.
Innoventures Education, which runs Dubai International Academy Emirates Hills as well as Dubai International Academy Al Barsha and Raffles World Academy, said their pupils secured a 98.5 per cent pass rate across the group.
Their Emirati students achieved a 100per cent pass rate.
Pupils celebrate top scores
Saatvik Sharma, a pupil at Gems Modern Academy who scored 42, said he is going to the University of California, Los Angeles, to study finance.
“I feel ecstatic and relieved now that this chapter of my life has come to a close,” he said.
“It’s wonderful to see my hard work and dedication pay off. I look forward to university life and will carry the skills learnt during IB with me for ever.”
Chloe Dsouza, also a Gems Modern Academy pupil, scored 41 and is on her way to the University of Notre Dame in the US to major in applied maths.
“It’s been such a journey; I know all of us have come such a long way since we started the Diploma Programme. I am very relieved and overjoyed with my results.
“This would not have been possible without the support of my friends, family, and teachers,” she said.
Gems Education pupils received their results in the early hours of Thursday.
The biggest private education group in the UAE said 605 Grade 12/Year 13 pupils from seven schools sat exams for the DP, up from 533 in the previous academic year.
“With an average point score of 32.8 and a pass rate of 92 per cent, Gems students once again outperformed world averages from last year,” the school operator said.
One Gems pupil, from Gems Wellington International School in Dubai, achieved the highest possible score of 45.
Ethan Hildreth, superintendent and chief executive of Gems Dubai American Academy, said he was proud of the pupils’ remarkable achievements.
“Their outstanding IB results are a testament to their hard work, determination and commitment to excellence.
“Their exceptional scores have opened doors to prestigious universities throughout the world, which empowers our students to pursue their passions and embark on exciting opportunities.”
Top 1 per cent
Taaleem, another private school provider in the UAE, said its pupils had surpassed the global average.
“Taaleem is thrilled to announce another year of exceptional results achieved by our Diploma Programme and Career-related Programme students across our IB schools,” said Glen Radojkovich, deputy director of education, the IB and UK curriculum at Taaleem.
“We are delighted with the pass rates and averages, which once again surpass the world averages.”
He said many pupils had achieved scores that positioned them among the top 1 per cent of IB graduates worldwide.
Richard Drew, chairman of the IB Heads Association for the UAE, who is also the principal of Jumeira Baccalaureate School, a Taaleem school, said pupils had achieved outstanding results despite the challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in the recent past.
“The past couple of years have posed significant disruptions to traditional learning and examination patterns,” he said.
“The global health crisis forced schools to adapt swiftly to remote and hybrid-learning environments, creating an entirely new set of challenges for students and teachers alike.
“Despite these hurdles, our resilient IB students have demonstrated incredible perseverance, adaptability, and determination to succeed."
WHAT FANS WILL LOVE ABOUT RUSSIA
FANS WILL LOVE
Uber is ridiculously cheap and, as Diego Saez discovered, mush safer. A 45-minute taxi from Pulova airport to Saint Petersburg’s Nevsky Prospect can cost as little as 500 roubles (Dh30).
FANS WILL LOATHE
Uber policy in Russia is that they can start the fare as soon as they arrive at the pick-up point — and oftentimes they start it even before arriving, or worse never arrive yet charge you anyway.
FANS WILL LOVE
It’s amazing how active Russians are on social media and your accounts will surge should you post while in the country. Throw in a few Cyrillic hashtags and watch your account numbers rocket.
FANS WILL LOATHE
With cold soups, bland dumplings and dried fish, Russian cuisine is not to everybody’s tastebuds. Fortunately, there are plenty Georgian restaurants to choose from, which are both excellent and economical.
FANS WILL LOVE
The World Cup will take place during St Petersburg's White Nights Festival, which means perpetual daylight in a city that genuinely never sleeps. (Think toddlers walking the streets with their grandmothers at 4am.)
FANS WILL LOATHE
The walk from Krestovsky Ostrov metro station to Saint Petersburg Arena on a rainy day makes you wonder why some of the $1.7 billion was not spent on a weather-protected walkway.
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
The biog
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Where he works: Liberty Dental Clinic
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Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Day 2, stumps
Pakistan 482
Australia 30/0 (13 ov)
Australia trail by 452 runs with 10 wickets remaining in the innings
