Celebrating the IBDP Class of 2026: Dev

This year, our 2026 graduates achieved outstanding results in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), with an impressive average score of 35.7 points—well above the global average of 30.88.

15% of learners scored 40 points or above, and 62% scored 35 points or more, placing them among the world’s top-performing IB learners.

As a cohort, they also achieved results that were, on average, 4.3 points higher than their initial predicted grades at the beginning of the programme.

Among these exceptional achievers is Dev, who achieved a perfect score of 45 points.

Two years ago, Dev joined Nexus International School Singapore after being awarded a Nexus Scholarship, eager to challenge himself both academically and beyond the classroom. Now, after achieving 45 points in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), he is preparing to complete National Service before pursuing university studies at the intersection of psychology, economics and artificial intelligence.

For Dev, learning has never been about staying within the boundaries of a single subject. Instead, he has always been fascinated by how different disciplines connect and how they can be used together to solve real-world problems.

“I’ve always been very curious about interdisciplinary things. I’ve always loved bringing different areas together.”

His interest in human behaviour led him to study psychology and economics, while his passion for computer science inspired him to explore how artificial intelligence could be used to better understand decision-making.

“I became really interested in human decision-making and behaviour. I took psychology and economics as a macro and micro perspective of human judgement. While I think that’s a great theoretical background, I also realised that I needed a tool for application. I’ve always loved computer science and coding. If I was able to bring these three things together, I could have a real impact in the field.”

Although his university journey will begin after National Service, Dev already has a clear vision for the type of work he hopes to pursue, from computational social science to using artificial intelligence to better understand human behaviour.

While those ambitions are driven by his own curiosity, he says Nexus provided the environment that allowed them to flourish.

“I think Nexus has done the fundamentals of a great school really, really well. That includes amazing teaching, amazing support and great facilities. But personally, I think it’s the emphasis on out-of-school activities that has really pushed me.”

Throughout his two years, he immersed himself in opportunities that stretched him beyond the curriculum. He became CEO of a company through the Junior Achievement programme, conducted research through the Science Castle programme, completed the Financial Times Student Advocate Programme, participated in AI ethics initiatives and collaborated with teachers on projects that aligned with his interests.

“Those were such amazing learning experiences that I took so much out of. I think they allowed me to build intangible skills, build my knowledge and obviously put things on my résumé.”

Just as importantly, Dev found mentors who encouraged his curiosity and challenged him to think more deeply.

“I’ve built amazing relationships with teachers over the two years here. I’ve been able to have so many intellectual discussions with them, and they’ve become a sounding board for any ideas that I have. I can ask them to read my university applications or even talk about personal things. At this point, I can talk about anything under the sun with them.”

Among those mentors, Mr Raza played a particularly significant role, encouraging Dev to take part in initiatives such as Junior Achievement, the Financial Times Student Advocate programme, Neutrino Coffee and the school’s AI ethics programme. Members of the Science department also helped him pursue scientific research through Science Castle, a journey that has since led to presenting his work and working towards publishing a research paper.

In the classroom, Dev particularly enjoyed psychology and economics because they encouraged learners to think critically rather than simply memorise content.

“I love psychology and economics because we go way beyond memorisation into debating assumptions and the real-world impacts of things.”

He also credits his teachers with introducing concepts in ways that encouraged genuine discovery, highlighting how interactive problem-solving in mathematics helped him develop a deeper understanding of the subject.

Some of his most memorable experiences, however, happened well beyond the classroom. A Year 12 CAS expedition to Nepal gave him the opportunity to work alongside local schools while immersing himself in a different culture.

“It was probably one of the most beautiful weeks of my life. We had the opportunity to work with schools there, but also learn from them personally. It pushed me mentally and physically, and I don’t think I’ll ever have an experience like that with my friends and teachers again.”

Junior Achievement remains another standout memory.

“I got the opportunity to be the CEO of a company and build a new product from scratch. I met so many new people and realised so many things about entrepreneurship that textbooks and business classes don’t always teach you. They’re things that can’t be taught, but can be learned.”

Looking back, Dev believes the greatest strength of Nexus is the sheer variety of opportunities available to learners willing to embrace them.

“I think there’s such a wide variety of things that you can do here, and it’s all about how you choose to push yourself and utilise those opportunities. You could be sitting in class, then presenting in a boardroom, giving a speech in the auditorium, playing basketball or doing science research.”

His advice to younger learners is to make the most of those opportunities and never become too comfortable.

“I’m a big believer in never letting yourself get too comfortable. I think Nexus has all the opportunities for you to do that. You just need to utilise them properly.”

Dev’s IB journey reflects so much of what we value at Nexus: academic excellence, resilience in the face of challenge, and a deep commitment to personal growth.

As Dev prepares to begin a new chapter, we have no doubt that he will continue to thrive and inspire. We are incredibly proud of all that Dev has achieved and are grateful to have been a part of his journey.

Dev is just one of our incredible learners in this year’s graduating class.  To see more highlights from our IBDP Class of 2026, including cohort statistics and success stories, click here.