Back in 1948, Marie-Therese Maurette, a French teacher at the Geneva International School, was inspired by the international organisations that dotted the Swiss city to write a pedagogical piece on educational techniques for promoting peace. Two decades later, her piece would inspire others at the school to design the International Baccalaureate programme.

Now in its 50th year, International Baccalaureate - known around the world simply as IB - has expanded to some 5,000 schools. The Asia-Pacific alone has some 800, a number that grows by the year. Singapore has known of the programme since the United World College in Dover Road began offering it in 1977.