Built for More: The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award at BSB
How can The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award impact a student’s school experience? Who better to answer than our students themselves? From developing new skills and volunteering to outdoor adventures and personal achievements, they share what their DofE journey has meant to them. These are experiences that cannot simply be taught. They have to be lived.
At the British School of Bucharest, The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award gives students the opportunity to challenge themselves, take responsibility for their progress and discover what they are capable of achieving. Open to young people from the age of 14, the Award combines Physical Recreation, Skills, Voluntary Service and an Adventurous Journey. BSB offers all three levels – Bronze, Silver and Gold – with each bringing greater challenge, commitment and independence.
DofE at BSB
By January 2026, 43 students were undertaking Bronze, 29 Silver and 17 Gold. Together, students had already recorded more than 265 hours of Physical Recreation, 185 hours of Skills Development and 180 hours of Voluntary Service.
The range of activities reflects how personal each DofE journey can be. Students pursued interests as diverse as debating, running and Computer-Aided Design, while their volunteering included supporting charities connected with BSB and helping teams across the School with activities and events. For Ali, a Bronze participant, DofE became an opportunity to work on an area in which he wanted to grow:
“I chose Debating as my skill because I like public speaking and I also think it is a point where I need to improve on. I participated in a Debate Competition in the School and we got second. I think my hard work has paid off.”
Challenge in the Outdoors
The Adventurous Journey takes that personal challenge into a very different environment. During the year, Bronze, Silver and Gold students took part in increasingly demanding journeys across Romania, involving hiking, camping, navigation and cooking. Experiences ranged from the Sinaia and Bușteni region to Brașov and Sovata, with some journeys also incorporating kayaking, rock climbing and high ropes.
Students navigate their routes, prepare their own meals and, most importantly, learn to look after one another and work as a team. For Alberto, a Bronze participant, the experience also brought a sense of personal growth and a greater connection with the natural environment:
“I’m most proud of, I think, growing up as a person, staying more in contact with nature and appreciating more the environment.”
For Ali, completing the challenge brought a strong sense of achievement:
“After we finished the hiking, after the challenges are done, I feel like I’ve accomplished so much and I’ve overcome all of these adversities and it makes me very proud of myself.”
More Than an Award
By the end of the 2025–26 academic year, 35 BSB students had successfully completed their Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – 21 at Bronze and 14 at Silver, while 10 Year 12 students were progressing towards Gold. Those who completed their Awards were recognised at BSB’s end-of-year Key Stage Awards Ceremonies.
BSB students also connected with the wider Award community when they volunteered at the Gold Award Ceremony at Elisabeta Palace, supporting the event by welcoming guests and assisting with registration.
The real value of DofE, however, lies in everything that happens before the certificate: the commitment to a goal, the hours spent developing a skill, the contribution made through volunteering and the moments when students discover that they can do more than they expected.
The Award may be Bronze, Silver or Gold, but what students take from the journey can last far longer.
