ABU DHABI, 13th September, 2026 (WAM) -- The General Secretariat of the Khalifa Award for Education, one of the institutions of Erth Zayed Philanthropies, has reaffirmed the importance of the Award’s role and mission in promoting excellence across the academic and education sectors in the UAE, the Arab world and internationally.
The General Secretariat expressed pride in the positive impact the Award has achieved at all levels since its establishment in 2007 as a pioneering national initiative dedicated to fostering a culture of excellence across the education sector.
Through fields that keep pace with contemporary developments and anticipate future needs, the Award contributes to advancing a modern education system that prepares future generations for the opportunities and challenges ahead.
The remarks came as the General Secretariat launched its Applied Excellence Workshops Programme, which began yesterday with the participation of experts and specialised academics, alongside a number of winners from previous editions.
The programme aims to promote the exchange of expertise with prospective applicants to the Award’s 20th Edition, which features 10 award fields across 18 categories.
The fields include the Distinguished Educational Personality, which recognises public figures who have made significant contributions to advancing education at the UAE and Arab levels, as well as the Khalifa International Award for Early Learning, which comprises two categories: Research and Studies, and Programmes, Curricula, Methodologies and Teaching Practices. The international award is overseen by an Awarding Committee comprising experts and specialists in early childhood education from around the world.
The 20th Edition also includes General Education, comprising the Creative Teacher – UAE, Creative Teacher – Arab World, and Institutional Education Performance categories; Education and Community Service, comprising the Institutions and Distinguished Emirati Family categories; People of Determination, comprising the Individuals and Institutions and Centers categories; Innovation in Arabic Language Teaching, comprising the Innovative Teacher, Innovative University Lecturer – UAE, and Innovative University Lecturer – Arab World categories; Higher Education, featuring the Distinguished University Lecturer category; Educational Research; Educational Authorship for Children, comprising the Educational Innovations and Children’s Literature Studies Research categories; and Innovative Educational Projects and Programmes, comprising the Individuals, Educational Institution, Secondary and University Students, and Innovation and Artificial Intelligence in Education categories.
Introduced for the first time in this edition, the Innovation and Artificial Intelligence in Education category aims to highlight outstanding research and applied initiatives, as well as innovative educational solutions that contribute to advancing teaching and learning through the use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, thereby enhancing the quality of education.
Humaid Al Houti, Secretary-General of the Khalifa Award for Education, emphasised the importance of the Applied Excellence Workshops Programme, describing it as a bridge connecting the Award with the various stakeholders across the education sector. He noted that the workshops brought together members of the judging committees, specialists in the Award’s fields and winners from previous editions, with the participation of administrators and educators, as well as Emirati families interested in applying for the current edition.
Al Houti explained that the programme will continue in the coming period, supported by advanced digital platforms launched by the Award to strengthen engagement with the education sector at the local, regional and international levels.
He added that the Khalifa Award for Education has established itself as one of the world’s specialised education awards, noting that its previous edition attracted applicants from 56 countries worldwide, reflecting its prominent international standing.
The Applied Excellence Workshops Programme included a Creative Teacher workshop featuring Dr Qasem Al-Shannaq and Award winner Sheikha Al-Zeyoudi. The Innovative Educational Projects and Programs workshop featured Dr Shawqi Kharbash and Award winner Heba Allah Sayed.
Dr Majdi Ben Souf and Dr Ali Al Hammadi spoke during the Innovation in Arabic Language Teaching workshop, while Dr Hassan Tirab and Award winner Issam Yahya Abdelbari participated in the Educational Research workshop.
The Educational Authorship for Children workshop featured Dr Ghanem Al-Bastami and Award winner Maryam Al-Madhoub, while the Higher Education workshop featured Dr Laabidi Bouabdallah and Award winner Dr Amina Al-Sumaiti.