What exactly is CAS Project in the IB Diploma Program?

What does CAS mean?

Creativity, activity, and service (CAS) is at the heart of the DP. With its holistic approach, CAS is designed to strengthen and extend students’ personal and interpersonal learning from the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP).

The three strands of creativity, activity, and service that contribute to CAS are as follows.

  • Creativity- entails experimenting with and expanding on ideas to create a unique or interpretative product or performance.
  • Activity – any kind of physical engagement which is important for a healthy lifestyle.
  • Service—a collaborative and reciprocal relationship with the community in response to a genuine need.

What is the purpose of CAS?

CAS allows students to demonstrate IB learner profile attributes in real and practical ways, to grow as unique individuals, and to recognize their role in others.

Students learn skills, attitudes, and dispositions through a variety of individual and group activities that allow them to explore their interests and express their personalities, opinions, and passions. CAS is a holistic supplement to a demanding academic curriculum, providing chances for self-determination, collaboration, accomplishment, and enjoyment.

CAS aims to develop students who:

  • enjoy and find significance in a range of CAS experiences
  • purposefully reflect upon their experiences
  • identify goals, develop strategies and determine further actions for personal growth
  • explore new possibilities, embrace new challenges and adapt to new roles
  • actively participate in planned, sustained and collaborative CAS projects
  • understand they are members of local and global communities with responsibilities towards each other and the environment.

What is a CAS experience?

The CAS programme formally begins at the start of the DP and continues regularly for at least 18 months with a reasonable balance between creativity, activity and service.

A CAS experience must:

  • fit within one or more of the CAS strands
  • be based on personal interest, skill, talent or opportunity for growth
  • provide opportunities to develop the attributes of the IB learner profile
  • not be used or included in the student’s DP course requirements.

At the school level, CAS students are guided by a variety of resources, including the school's CAS handbook, information sessions, and meetings. In addition, students have three formal interviews with the CAS coordinator/adviser at their school.

What are the different stages of CAS?

Typically, students’ service experiences involve the following stages.

  • Investigation, preparation and action that meets an identified need.
  • Reflection on significant experiences throughout to inform problem-solving and choices.
  • Demonstration allowing for sharing of what has taken place.

What is CAS Reflection?

Reflection is emphasized in CAS and is critical to developing a deep and rich experience. Students' learning and growth are informed by reflection, which allows them to explore concepts, abilities, strengths, limitations, and areas for further development, as well as consider how they might apply existing knowledge in new situations.

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