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.
The two sides also discussed developing the “ICESCO–IB Professional Excellence Pathway for Teachers and School Leaders,” based on the standards currently under development. The pathway aims to provide high-quality training and professional certifications in fields including artificial intelligence, digital teaching, values and ethics, inclusive education, future skills, and school leadership.
The discussions also covered joint participation in the Human Capability Initiative Conference (HCI 2026), to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in April 2027, and enhancing the IB’s participation in ICESCO Conference of Education Ministers.
Dr. AlMalik further proposed hosting one of the IB’s annual conferences in 2029 at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat. This would expand engagement with educational institutions across the Islamic world and open new horizons for cooperation.
The two sides also agreed to establish a professional exchange programme between the staff of both Organizations, to promote the exchange of knowledge and expertise. They will also work towards issuing a periodic report on the situation of teachers and school leaders in the Islamic world, contributing to the guidance of development efforts and support for education policies.
The two sides exchanged views on learning outcomes as reflected in international reports, affirming the importance of improving teaching quality and strengthening institutional support for education professionals. In this context, Mr. Heinonen commended ICESCO’s standing and growing impact in the Islamic world and beyond, expressing the IB’s pride in its partnership with the Organization.
The meeting concluded with an agreement to establish a joint technical team to finalize the action plan, identify its priorities, timelines, and implementation mechanisms, and monitor the delivery of the initiatives over two years, translating the strategic partnership into tangible and sustainable results.
The meeting was attended, on behalf of ICESCO, by Dr. Ahmed Albanyan, Head of Education Sector, and Mr. Waqas Afridi, Expert at the Sector. The IB delegation included the senior executive responsible for programme development and professional pathways, the regional directors for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Canada, the Global Head of Education Standards, Policy and Design, as well as the Senior Director for Education Systems Solutions and the Senior Director for Education Systems Operations.
