Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation Announces the Launch of the New Cycle of Its Local and Gulf Awards, along with the Hamdan–ALECSO Awards and World Giftedness Center Awards
2026-01-28Dubai, United Arab Emirates,
28 January 2026: Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for
Medical and Educational Sciences has announced the launch of the new cycle of
its local and Gulf awards, in addition to the Hamdan–ALECSO Awards and the
World Giftedness Center Awards. The new cycle reflects the expanded scope and
diversity of the awards and aligns with the rapid transformations taking place
in education, research, and innovation.
The nomination and evaluation
phases will commence in January 2026 and will include orientation workshops on
eligibility criteria and advisory sessions held between February and July. The
deadline for submitting applications has been set as 20 July 2026 for the local
and Gulf awards, 19 August 2026 for the Hamdan–ALECSO Award for Digital
Innovations in Education, and 24 August 2026 for the World Giftedness Center
Awards. The cycle will continue with adjudication processes in August, followed
by interviews and field visits in September, leading to the announcement of
winners in November 2026.
On this occasion, Dr. Khalifa
Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for
Medical and Educational Sciences, stated: “We are pleased to launch the new
cycle of the Foundation’s awards, in line with our established commitment to
our stakeholders and beneficiaries, and in accordance with the approved annual
and periodic plans governing the awards. Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Foundation places strong emphasis on the quality of its services as part of its
ongoing efforts to support excellence in education, encourage scientific
research, and recognise the qualitative contributions of students, teachers,
educational professionals, and educational institutions, in addition to
innovative initiatives and giftedness development. The 2026 awards cycle will
be distinguished by its focus on initiatives with measurable impact and
sustainable quality. Through these awards, we aim to motivate outstanding
performance and foster a culture of quality and innovation, contributing to the
advancement of education and the development of knowledge-based societies
capable of keeping pace with global changes and achieving sustainable
development.”
Dr. Al Suwaidi further
explained that the new cycle includes local educational awards dedicated to
recognising distinguished achievers within the United Arab Emirates. These
comprise the Distinguished Student Award, the Local Distinguished University
Student Award, the Distinguished Teacher Award, the Distinguished Educational
Professional Award, as well as the Local Distinguished School Award and the
Supporting Institutions of Education Award, in recognition of qualitative
contributions that enhance the educational environment and advance the quality
of education in accordance with established professional standards.
Dr. Al Suwaidi added that the
Gulf educational awards include the Distinguished Student Award, the
Distinguished Teacher Award, the Distinguished Educational Professional Award,
and the Distinguished School Award, reaffirming the Foundation’s commitment to
supporting educational excellence across the Gulf Cooperation Council
countries, promoting the exchange of educational expertise, and recognising
leading educational models in the region.
With regard to the
international awards in the new cycle, Dr. Al Suwaidi noted that they include
awards for research and innovation, foremost among them the Hamdan–ALECSO Award
for Distinguished Educational Research and the Hamdan–ALECSO Award for Digital
Innovations in Education, implemented in collaboration with the Arab League
Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO). These awards aim to
support high-quality educational research and encourage innovative solutions
that contribute to the development of educational systems and the advancement
of educational practices.
The international awards also
include those dedicated to gifted education, most notably the Applied Research
Global Award of Gifted Education and the School Global Award Initiative of
Gifted Education, implemented by the World Giftedness Center. These awards aim
to support leading initiatives and applied research that contribute to the
identification, development, and nurturing of gifted individuals at the
international level.
The launch of the new cycle
reaffirms the leading role played by Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation
for Medical and Educational Sciences in supporting educational excellence,
advancing scientific research, and empowering educational and student competencies,
in line with national, regional, and international directions for the
development of education.
For more information on the
awards and the terms and application procedures for all categories, please
visit:
