UAE Launches $1 Million Global Schools Prize to Spotlight Innovation

Ten category winners to receive $50,000 each, with one overall winner to take home $500,000

A Dubai-rooted education pioneer and philanthropist has launched a $1 million Global Schools Prize in collaboration with UNESCO to honour schools “reimagining education for a rapidly changing world,” announced on Wednesday.

The inaugural award, an initiative of the Varkey Foundation, will recognise innovation across ten categories, from sustainability and STEM education to AI transformation and teacher development.

Recognising Excellence in Schools

Longlisted schools will be awarded a Global Schools Prize Badge, symbolising world-class impact and achievement. They will also join the Global Schools Network, opening doors to international partnerships, professional development, and collaboration with other leading institutions.

Completing a Global Education “Trilogy”

The Global Schools Prize is the latest initiative from the Varkey Foundation, which also created the Global Teacher Prize and Global Student Prize. Founder Sunny Varkey describes the three awards as a “trilogy” that celebrates educators, learners, and now schools as institutions of innovation and change.

Together, these prizes aim to spark a 360-degree global conversation about delivering the best possible education for future generations.

How the Prize Works

Each of the ten category winners will receive $50,000. One extraordinary school will be named the overall Global Schools Prize winner, receiving $500,000 to scale its initiative.

To support collaboration across borders, the Varkey Foundation is building a network of global partners and sponsors aligned with each category. Guidance will come from the Global Schools Prize Council, a body of influential figures in education, technology, and philanthropy.

The Council will be co-chaired by Stefania Giannini, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Education, and Dame Christine Ryan, former Chair of the Ofsted Board. The Council sits within the wider Global Schools Prize Academy, which will select the overall winner.

“More Than an Award — a Movement”

Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Varkey Foundation and GEMS Education, said:

“The Global Schools Prize is more than an award — it’s a movement to reimagine learning in a world of constant change. By recognising multiple winners, we shine a light on the many ways schools are driving progress — from innovation and teacher development to sustainability and student wellbeing. By celebrating these institutions, we can spark a global conversation about scaling the best ideas in education and inspire action that resonates far beyond the classroom.”

For educators already celebrated by the Varkey Foundation, the new prize is a natural next step.

Mansour bin Abdullah Al-Mansour, winner of the GEMS Education Global Teacher Prize 2025, said:

“The Global Schools Prize is so important because it shines a light on how schools in every corner of the world are meeting today’s challenges with remarkable creativity. From student-led sustainability projects to reimagined curricula, some of the most powerful innovations are emerging in the classroom. By celebrating these efforts on a global stage, the prize ensures the voices and visions of students, teachers, school leaders, and parents help shape the future of education.”

UNESCO’s Stefania Giannini, co-Chair of the Global Schools Prize Council, highlighted the importance of amplifying new ideas:

“The Global Schools Prize celebrates the ideas and innovations that are transforming education. Around the world, schools are reimagining what is possible – finding new ways to inspire curiosity, strengthen resilience, and unlock the potential of every learner. By sharing these breakthroughs on a global stage, the prize reminds us that the power of education lies not only in knowledge, but in the creativity and collaboration that drive progress.”

Shaping the Future of Global Education

With its first edition now open, the Global Schools Prize represents a bold step in recognising schools not just as places of learning, but as hubs of innovation shaping the future of societies worldwide.