The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) has officially granted foreign board equivalence to the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) - a globally recognised senior secondary curriculum from the Government of Western Australia. This historic nod paves the way for the WACE curriculum to be formally introduced in Indian schools, making it the first international government-backed school board to be launched in India. WACE is seen as a high-quality, but moderately priced alternative to existing international boards, offering K-12 education. In India, WACE is looking to onboard 100 schools in India the next 3 years.
The WACE program is administered by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA), a statutory body of the Government of Western Australia. With over 37 years of delivery across 16+ countries, including Singapore, China, Japan, and Malaysia, WACE is known for its future-ready curriculum that emphasises academic depth, skills development, and global university pathways.
Offered through a network of partner schools across India, WACE will provide students with a unique identification number from SCSA, and all certifications are issued directly by the Government of Western Australia.
Aligning closely with the vision of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, WACE promotes competency-based and inquiry-driven learning among students. It seeks to move beyond rote memorisation to foster critical thinking, creativity, and real-world application. The program also reflects NEP’s emphasis on holistic and formative assessment by integrating school-based evaluations, practical projects, and moderated grading that reduce exam pressure while tracking learning outcomes effectively.
In addition, SCSA will enable comprehensive teacher training and curriculum support, in line with NEP’s call for continuous professional development and innovative pedagogy in schools. As part of onboarding schools into WACE, about 30 teachers are attending training workshops in Bangalore on WACE curriculum, teaching pedagogy and classroom delivery. WACE students receive the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) - a globally recognised university entrance score used by top-ranking universities across Australia, the UK, US, Canada, Europe, and Asia. The AIU’s recognition ensures that Indian students completing WACE can now apply for Indian universities with full Grade XII equivalence, in addition to international admissions worldwide.
