Chinese International School (Hong Kong), The

International Baccalaureate (Diploma) - Schools offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB Dip) prepare students for university entrance by following the IB programme over the final two years of high school. This involves taking six subjects (three at higher level and three at standard level). Assessment is based on a combination of final examinations and course work that are evaluated by external examiners worldwide, and (in some cases for coursework) by internal assessment. IB examinations for each subject are held on the same days for all students worldwide - in May in the Northern Hemisphere and in October in the case of most Southern Hemisphere schools. Each subject is scored from 1-7, and up to 3 additional points may be awarded for TOK (Theory of Knowledge) essays and for the Extended Essay. A minimum of 24 points is required to obtain the IB diploma, while 45 points is the maximum. A school that has 35 diploma candidates in a given year, out of which 32 passed, has a pass rate of 91%. You can judge the results for yourself by knowing that the world average pass rate is approximately 82%. (Pupils may also opt to take certificates in the individual subject areas, though these on their own may be insufficient for university entry.)

International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP)

Council of International Schools (CIS)

New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) - Founded in 1885, the New England Association of Schools & Colleges, Inc. (NEASC) is the nation's oldest regional accrediting association and is one of the six regional agencies recognised by the US Secretary of Education to accredit schools; it serves more than 2,000 public and independent schools, colleges and universities in the six states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont and American/international schools in more than sixty nations worldwide from pre-K to the doctoral level. From the NEASC web site: Accreditation of American and International Schools Abroad American and international schools located in foreign countries are eligible to seek regional accreditation through the New England Association of Schools and College's Commission on American and International Schools Abroad (CAISA). These schools must offer an educational program at the pre-K through grade 12 level following an American-style or international program of studies using English as the primary language of instruction. Normally, an overseas institution is expected to achieve accreditation status within three years of being granted candidacy.