Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Mr. Olli-Pekka Heinonen, Director-General of International Baccalaureate (IB), agreed to elevate cooperation between their two Organizations to a strategic partnership. The partnership will be guided by a two-year joint action plan featuring high-impact initiatives to enhance the quality of education and advance the performance of teachers and school leaders across the Islamic world.

The agreement was reached during their meeting on Friday, 23 October 2026, held on the sidelines of the annual IB Conference in Lyon, France, from 22 to 24 October 2026, in which ICESCO participated.

At the outset of the meeting, ICESCO Director-General expressed his appreciation for the invitation and warm reception. The IB Director General, in turn, commended Dr. AlMalik’s participation and address at the opening plenary session, as well as the contribution of ICESCO’s Education Sector to the Conference and the organization of a joint event by the two Organizations.
Both parties expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved since the signing of the strategic MoU at ICESCO Headquarters in April 2026. They affirmed their commitment to building on its outcomes through initiatives that have a direct impact on educational institutions.

The action plan includes completing the professional standards initiative for teachers and school leaders in early 2027, in preparation for its launch and presentation at the ICESCO Conference of Education Ministers in the Islamic World, scheduled for the last quarter 2027.
It also provides for adapting these standards to national contexts and piloting them in three to five Member States, thereby enhancing their effectiveness in developing educational practice.
The two sides also agreed to launch the “ICESCO–IB Award for Educational Excellence,” which will recognize the best teacher, school leader, and school, in order to encourage inspiring practices and showcase experiences that make a meaningful difference in student learning.

Dr. AlMalik presented a proposal for the “ICESCO–IB Schools” initiative, to be included in the joint action plan. The initiative would establish defined standards that schools may seek to fulfil in order to obtain accreditation under the initiative. The proposal draws on ICESCO’s knowledge of its Member States’ priorities and the IB’s expertise in curricula and assessment, offering an educational model that respects national particularities while benefiting from international best practices.

ICESCO Director-General also announced the allocation of 200 places for IB school teachers and leaders in ICESCO’s “10,000 AI Leaders” programme, supporting their capacity to employ these technologies in teaching and school leadership.