What the students say

International Baccalaureate – An Academic & Social Adventure

Joining IB at Hasseris Gymnasium and IB School is an educational experience unlike anything else. On top of the exceptional academic challenge it presents, it also gives way to forming friendships spanning across continents and cultures – all within one classroom. Every class discussion contains a myriad of viewpoints and positions originating in cultures from across the globe.

For most new students beginning the IB programme is a big step into the unknown. Though this can potentially present a daunting and overwhelming first impression, the diversity among the students assures that everyone stands as equals. With the guidance of the IB tutors not forming acquaintances and friendship is virtually impossible!

To put emphasis on this cross-culture and age bonding, IB at Hasseris Gymnasium has a special IB Day at the beginning of the school year. Here all IB students from all three year groups attend to get to know each other and socialise by being sent on different tasks that involve team bonding.

On top of the unique and extraordinary social opportunities IB offers, focus on personal development is offered via the syllabus itself. An example of this is CAS (Creativity, Action and Service) which is a compulsory part of the IB programme – outside school hours – where students are encouraged to explore new ways of creativity and activity and offer help to whoever might need it. In excess to the ways in which this encourages people to explore new interests, it also creates a form of unity in the class as the service aspect of CAS is usually an initiative made by several people in the class.

With regular intervals and to help maintain the unique social life in the IB section of the school, the IB Social Committee arranges parties ranging from Christmas lunches to Halloween parties where everyone dress up and have a good time.

In essence, whether you join the IB for the unique social experience and the many friendships it offers or if you join it for the extraordinary academic challenge it presents, it is undoubtedly an experience akin to none other. Plus, you get a really cool, international hat!

Rasmus Greve Andreasen and Christian Bredvig Larsen, 3.i 2011–2012

Once an IB, Always an IB

»Once an IB, always an IB« is a line that would fit perfectly to former and current IB students at Hasseris Gymnasium and IB School. The International Baccalaureate is not only an academic development opportunity for young people. It also offers social development and cultural understanding for its students.

At our school people from different countries attend the IB programme, and also Danes who have lived abroad or simply want to pursue a further academic career abroad come here. Even though homework is a large part of your everyday life as an IB student, you will be rewarded with lifetime friends, superb study habits and a broadened cultural horizon. Who knows? It might even change your outlook on life.

Every year at the beginning of the school year, pre-IBs (1.i) and first year IBs (2.i) go on an introduction trip, and the unity between new and old IB students already starts to sprout during this trip. On the second day of the introduction trip 1.i and 2.i are joined by the 3.is, who have been planning the annual IB Day, a day which consist of dressing up, participating in activities and competing for the golden prize. The IB Day always has a theme which you are expected to dress according to, and the best costume will win a prize (Note that the weather tends to be horrible!)

But the fun doesn’t stop here: We also have an excellent IB Social Committee whose members plan parties and get-togethers for the whole of the IB student body. One of these events is the IB Christmas Lunch where former and current students bring along a traditional dish from their home country, making a buffet of various cuisines.

IB – producing awesome and ambitious world citizens since 1968!

So once an IB, always an IB.

Caution! After being in the company of IB students for a prolonged amount of time, one might contract a MAJOR case of insanity!

Line Broe and Jessica Dam, 2.i 2011–12

IB Student Life – Mutual Respect and Understanding Across Cultures

Joining the IB World School at Hasseris Gymnasium is not just joining any old school somewhere in the world. Here at Hasseris Gymnasium we IB students are faced not only with an exceptional educational opportunity, but also with the privilege of developing friendships with people
from all over the world.

Like any new beginning, coming here can be a daunting prospect. As one student may be shy and quiet and another bolder and more outspoken, differences are even more clear-cut in the IB as you add the myriad of cultural backgrounds represented here. While this multitude of differences may in fact seem to make things all the more daunting, they are also exactly the reason why the IB is the perfect opportunity to get to know a lot of interesting people, simply because there is room for anyone here.

To contribute to this cross-culture and cross-age bonding, each new school year is marked by the IB-Day, on which students dress up in costumes and go off into the woods to fight supervillains, do piratey stuff or whatever the theme of the day may require. In addition, each year we celebrate Christmas with our Christmas lunch, to which people bring traditional dishes from their respective countries. This provides yet another unique opportunity to learn more about people’s origins as you feast on this equally delicious and diverse meal.

In essence, there are many great moments to be had in the IB. Be it the first time you meet a fellow football fan from halfway around the globe to follow your favourite team’s progress in the Champion’s League or perhaps the first time you gather up with classmates from all over the world to prepare for one of the IB Social Committee’s splendid parties, you will soon realize that the IB represents more than just a school.

This is a place of new beginnings and the friendships you make here boil down to something much more important: Mutual respect and understanding.

Signe Mikkelsen, Gustav Thur and Jens Kærsgaard, 3.i 2009–10

Opdateret: 6. februar 2012