Global Education and Responsibility: Tackling School Dropout and Preparing Conscious Generations. The Role of the IB and the Leadership of Dr. Nicole Bien.

Our time is marked by increasingly complex global challenges, in this context, education plays a crucial role: it should not be limited to transmitting knowledge but must prepare citizens capable of understanding the complexity of the world and acting responsibly.

Examples of innovation in the area can be found in the technological area, like us with DINO by Paperbox, but also within schools, with global excellences like the International Baccalaureate (IB) was born precisely from this need. With programs implemented in over 150 countries, the IB offers an educational model that places the student at the center, encouraging curiosity, reflection, openness to intercultural dialogue, and engagement in building a more sustainable future.

School Dropout: A Global Challenge

Despite progresses in recent decades, school dropout remains one of the main global challenges and, according to UNESCO, in 2022 approximately 244 million children and adolescents had no access to schooling at all.

In low-income countries, the main causes for in-education are poverty, lack of infrastructure, and gender inequalities.

In high-income countries, dropouts are often linked to unrecognized learning difficulties, emotional vulnerabilities, or lack of motivation.

Everywhere, the impact is enormous: fewer employment opportunities, higher risk of social exclusion, and fractures that affect society as a whole.

Addressing school dropout therefore means not only investing in education but also laying the foundation for equitable and sustainable growth.

An excellence example: The Role of the International Baccalaureate (IB) and the Leadership of Dr. Nicole Bien

It is precisely in this context that realities like IB have a strong impact, with their work playing a crucial role in shaping the future of education . By promoting equity, inclusion, and academic rigor, the IB provides students with opportunities to develop skills essential for navigating the future with awareness.

A key figure in this mission is Dr. Nicole Bien, Chief Schools Officer of the IB. With a background combining educational research, experience as a school leader, and international leadership, Dr. Bien works to ensure that IB programs are not just learning tools, but formative experiences capable of:

• Developing critical thinking and complex problem-solving skills

• Encouraging empathy and social responsibility

• Preparing students to become active citizens in an interconnected world
  

Alongside large global educational networks, approaching the issue from the institutional side, innovative initiatives like Paperbox Health are emerging. 

Paperbox Health’s Commitment: Starting from the Roots

With its DINO by Paperbox platform, it works to strengthen learning from the earliest stages of school life.

DINO is designed to:

• Identify learning difficulties early

• Offer personalized support pathways

• Foster the development of social and cognitive skills essential for integration

The goal is simple yet powerful: help every child fully develop their potential, preventing early vulnerabilities from becoming permanent obstacles.

This vision aligns perfectly with the IB philosophy: starting with the youngest to build a generation capable of understanding complexity, acting responsibly, and contributing positively to society.

Looking Ahead: Education That Transforms

School dropout is a global challenge that requires courageous and innovative responses. The mission of the International Baccalaureate, the leadership of Dr. Nicole Bien, and initiatives like DINO by Paperbox demonstrate that inclusive and transformative education is possible.

Preparing students not only to “know,” but to “know how to be” and “know how to act” means investing in a fairer, more resilient, and sustainable future.

Sources:

• UNESCO – Out-of-school children and youth 2022 (unesco.org)

• UNICEF – Education and Equity (unicef.org)

• Eurostat – Early leavers from education and training 2023 (ec.europa.eu)

• IB – Mission & Values (ibo.org)

• IB – Leadership: Dr. Nicole Bien (ibo.org)