International School of Protocol in Brussels
The number one college in Europe on Diplomatic Protocol, Business Etiquette and Multicultural
Events Organisation.
The International School of Protocol (ISP) was created in 1996 accredited by the University of Madrid Camilo Jose Cela and the University Miguel Hernandez. It is the first centre in the world to specialise in teaching Protocol, Institutional Relations and Organisation, Event Production and Planning. It is also the first centre to offer university degrees in Protocol and Institutional Relations, and in Event Organisation and Production.
Programs offered in Brussels 2009-2010
Official degrees:
Postgraduate Degree in Protocol and Ceremonial (on site and e-learning)
Master’s in Events Organization, Diplomatic and Business Protocol (on site and e-learning
Executive Education:
Open short certified courses
Thematic certified courses
Guest Seminars
Open doors and workshops
Summer school
Accreditation
Our degrees are endorsed by prestigious universities, such as the Miguel Hernández University in Elche, Granada University and the Camilo José Cela University in Madrid.
International School of Protocol Brussels
Rue Froissart, 57 – 1040 Brussels
+32 240 077 38
www.protocolbrussels.com protocolbrussels@ protocolo.com
Parenting provides one challenge after another, from naming your baby to deciding what to wear to graduation. And if their babyhood didn’t wear you out, the challenges of shepherding your teenage son or daughter through secondary school will really put you to the test.
As part of a strategy to provide the best for their children, many parents around the world are turning, with growing confidence, to the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) Diploma Programme.
Small beginnings Founded in Switzerland in 1968, this non-profit organisation has grown from a mere idea to offering a comprehensive educational programme for expatriate schoolchildren and a first-choice programme for students in countries around the world.
Because of its association with families working overseas, the Diploma Programme (IB) is still seen as serving an important function in providing access to an internationally recognised curriculum in the farthest corners of the world. There are IB schools in 122 different countries. By far the greatest number are found in the USA – they head the list with 624 – while Canada is second with 217, followed by Australia and the UK with 85 schools each. The annual growth rate for the IB Diploma is a steady 10%, while for the IB primary years, the growth rate is a staggering 25%.
Growing successSo what is it that leads parents and school governing boards in these Western countries to abandon their local matriculation system in favour of an IB Diploma?
There is a combination of factors. The reality of a global world has meant that a truly international education system has obvious attractions in focusing curriculum content and educational philosophy beyond national borders. In addition, national systems are struggling with the politicisation of education and stiff competition for budget to resource schools for the 21st century.
But nothing attracts attention more than success. Universities worldwide are impressed by the breadth and depth of the Diploma. They recognise the importance of a skills-based curriculum, compared to a content-driven one, and understand that fostering a broad outlook of respect and tolerance is at the very foundation of learning. Their own statistics show that IB students complete degrees in the minimum time with a negligible attrition rate.
So, what’s your choice?
Examining the finer pointsDiploma students take six core subjects over two years. They choose three ‘higher level’ subjects comprising 240 hours of teaching, and three ‘standard level’ subjects with 150 hours of teaching. Theory of Knowledge is a seventh compulsory subject. In addition, IB students must complete a 4,000-word research essay plus 150 hours of Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) over the two years.
Theory of KnowledgeStudents study philosophy and look at the principles underlying our knowledge and beliefs. They discuss, amongst other things, emotional intelligence and the connections between belief and knowledge and the cultural and historical foundations that shape them as individuals in the broader society.
Creativity, Action, ServiceStudents get credit for continuing the sports or hobbies they are already interested in. They are also encouraged to develop new interests. For most, the ‘service’ part of the programme is an enriching experience that develops compassion and personal growth.
The extended essayStudents choose a topic in a subject they are interested in and, with the support of a supervisor, create a hypothesis and follow through with a research process. Diploma students find this one of the most valuable parts of their preparation for college and university.
To find out more:
www.ibo.org/ ;
www.ais-antwerp.be
AIS,
Veltwijcklaan 180,
2180, Ekeren-Antwerp
BELGIUM
Tel. +32 3 543 93 00
Fax +32 3 541 82 01
E-mail: ais@ais-antwerp.be
Khaled Diab looks into what Belgium can offer those students who want to take undergraduate courses in English.
Life is full of milestones, but one of the most memorable for many people is their university days. For young people, the choice of where to study is often a tricky one, and many students start thinking about it long before their final school year. Nowadays, the issue is even more complex with the widening geographic dimension as people have become more mobile.
The dilemma faced constantly by young expats is: “Should I study back home, in my host country or in a third country?” For a growing number of Belgian youth, the question has become: “Should I study in my native language, or would I gain more advantages in the international setting by studying in English?”
Read more: May/June 2006 issue
In the second of our series on the cost of university education, Alasdair White looks at the facts and figures of funding students in the United States.
Over the years, more and more students from Europe have opted to attend university in the USA. The US system has its roots in the Scottish university approach in which students cover a wide range of general subjects for the first two years of their university life before, in their third and fourth years, focusing on their ‘major’ field of study. This is thought to provide a more rounded undergraduate education, although it does commit the student (and paying parents) to university study for four years.
Read more: January/February 2006 issue
Autumn – the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, and the time for university applications to be made. And while the teenagers in the family are busy selecting the right course at the right university, their parents are beginning to realise that the next few years are going to be rather expensive, warns Alasdair White.
But how expensive?
In this first article, I will be looking at the financial implications of sending a child to university in the United Kingdom, and what you as parents need to do to ensure that your student gets the best from university life without breaking the bank.
Read more: November/December 2005 issue
