In March 1998 ,His Highness Shaikh Hamdan Bin

Rashid Al Maktoum , Dubai Deputy Ruler and the UAE Minister of Finance & Industry , issued a decree to specify a prize entitled (Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for the Distinguished Academic Performance ) to undertake the task of upgrading the educational performance in all its stages and sectors that are under the supervision of the Ministry of Education.

The Award anguished Teacher , THE Distinguished Student , The Distinguished Social Worker , The Distinguished Supervisor , Best Scientific Innovation , Best Applied Project and The Distinguished Parent .His Highness The Award Sponsor — May Allah keep him - ,encouraged by the unprecedented success of the Award in its first session and by the community positive response, issued a decree for the Award to include all the Emirates.

Moreover , His Highness ordered increases in the Award financial remunerations ,the quotas , and the categories .Thus , two new categories were initiated : The Distinguished School Administration and The Distinguished Educational Zone. With these two additions the number of prizes rose up to 172 prizes

In November 2000 , His Highness the Late Shaikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum , The then Dubai Ruler ,issued the High Decree No 25 in the year 2000 to establish Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for the Distinguished Academic Performance ) From that time on the Award has had its legal personality . Now it is acting through its full legal capacity in accordance with its goals and regulations.

In the same year , by the end of The Second Session , His Highness The Award Sponsor ,gave his instructions to add a new category : Highly Distinguished Teacher, in confirmation of the high status of the teacher , and his message and role in raising generations of educated citizens . In the same year The parent Category was amended to be The Distinguished Family Category , with increases in its quotas and financial remunerations.

In March 2001 His Highness The Award Sponsor issued his directives to found The National Centre for The Gifted and The Distinguished ,Affiliated to the Award and to be a core institution for nurturing the gifted till they become the scientific , intellect8ual and creative elite of the country . Shortly after the founding of the Centre , thanks to its valuable achievements , it became a member in The World Council for The Gifted and Talented Children . In March 2002 , His Highness The Award Sponsor issued further directives to add two new categories :The Best Educational Research and The distinguished Central Administration . With these new categories The Award covered all the elements in the educational system

In March 2003 His Highness The Award Sponsor issued a decree for The Award to include The Gulf Cooperation Council Countries in the categories of THE Distinguished Student and The Distinguished School Administration.

These new additions initiated a new historical phase in the educational performance in the region , based on the philosophy of creativity and excellence simulations

In the conclusion of the Eighth Session in 2006 ,His Highness Shaikh — May Allah keep him- extended the scope of the Award for the benefit of the educators in the Arab Countries .Consequently His Highness issued his directives to initiate a new category under the name of “Best Applied Research in the Arab Nation “ to be the Award fourteenth category.

In the ninth session the prize sponsor His Highness sheikh Hamdan gave instructions to honor establishments supporting education either national or international there fore establishments supporting education prize came up.

And in the ten session ending ceremony in 2008 highness the prize sponsor announced his international initiation in establishing a global prize with cooperation with the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural ( UNESCO ) to develop teachers skills and abilities and performance, the prize was founded on the 15th of march 2009 in the French capital Paris under the name " Unesco-Hamdan Bin Rashed Al-Maktoum prize for outstanding practice and performance in enhancing the effectiveness of teachers"

In addition the prize sponsor announced the founding of 3 higher education prizes in the 11th session ending ceremony, which were Higher education/ distinguished university student, Higher education/ Best Applied Project, Higher education/ Best Scientific Innovation which will be launched in the 12th session.

The following table specifies the Award categories, quotas , prizes and geographical areas :