Since 1959, Academia Cotopaxi has established itself as a leading educational institution,
introducing innovative and pedagogically sound practices to its community and to Ecuador. In
1983, Cotopaxi was the first school in Ecuador to receive authorization to offer the IB Diploma
program, and in 2005 became the first and only school in Ecuador to offer the Primary Years
Program of the IB. The school responsibly allocates the necessary resources to provide for the
continued improvement of student learning. Cotopaxi’s faculty is primarily responsible for the
instructional program of our students, and as such, hiring decisions are taken very seriously.
While the minimum hiring requirements include 3 years of successful teaching experience along
with a bachelor’s degree and teaching certificate, 65% of our teaching staff hold graduate
degrees and the average tenure of experience is at 7 years.

Academia Cotopaxi’s graduates attend universities around the world and many are recognized
through awards and scholarships for their academic and social accomplishments. While all
students pursue university studies, college admission every year focuses on helping students
enter the university that will be best for them. Students of the class of 2006 are now attending
schools in the US like Harvard, UPenn, Bard College. Students are also attending schools in
Canada, Argentina and England among other countries.

In addition to academics, Academia Cotopaxi’s faculty and administration recognize the
importance of providing students with a global education and opportunities to build citizenship. A
clearly articulated global citizenship philosophy along with the school’s core values guides
developmentally appropriate activities for the different grade levels. In the elementary grades,
students engage in student lead actions at the end of each of their PYP units. Beginning in 8th
grade students participate in a year-round community service project which includes team
building activities that will result in contributions to their student chosen sites. In 12th grade,
students travel to a rural city off the coast of Ecuador and spend eight days building homes for
needy families in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity.