ABU DHABI, 16th September, 2026 (WAM) -- In the presence of Sarah bint Yousef Al Amiri, Minister of Education and Chairwoman of ECAE’s Board of Trustees, the College held its Annual Academic Convocation 2026–2027 under the theme, “The Next Chapter: Designing Tomorrow. Together.”
The event convened ECAE’s leadership, faculty, and administrative staff and highlighted the College’s direction for the next phase, to further strengthen its role as a national partner in advancing education and building a self-improving learning ecosystem that continuously evolves based on its performance, while placing learners and the quality of educational outcomes at the heart of its priorities.
During the convocation, ECAE’s leadership noted that the College is currently shaping its 2027–2031 Strategy in collaboration with partners and stakeholders across the education ecosystem, drawing on data and insights and aligning shared priorities.
The announcement of the Strategy will follow the completion of a study of the education ecosystem’s future needs, the challenges and opportunities associated with the teaching profession, the rapid shifts in technology and knowledge outcomes, as well as learners’ needs.
During the event, Sarah Al Amiri highlighted the pivotal role ECAE plays in empowering education professionals, strengthening the education ecosystem’s readiness for the future, and preparing students for a world in which artificial intelligence is an integral part of learning, life, and work, while preserving the teacher’s role in developing thinking, values, and decision-making.
Sarah Al Amiri said, “The education ecosystem is undergoing a fundamental shift. ECAE’s 2027–2031 Strategy, currently under development, supports this transformation by empowering educationists and enhancing the quality of educational practices. This will strengthen the ecosystem’s readiness to benefit from the opportunities emerging technologies, notably AI, now offer, while navigating their challenges responsibly. Today, children not only have access to knowledge and information, but to the tools and technologies capable of influencing how they think and learn. We must, therefore, determine when these tools can deepen learning and when they may limit the development of human thinking skills.”
In conclusion, Sarah Al Amiri thanked the educators for their efforts in providing a safe, stimulating, and productive learning environment that supports students’ learning and development.
Dr. May Laith Al Taee, ECAE’s Vice Chancellor, said, “Our vision at ECAE stems from our wise leadership’s belief that education is an investment in people and that our children are our true wealth. Our responsibility goes beyond equipping teachers with knowledge and skills; it extends to empowering educators to create impact, spark curiosity and ambition, instill identity and values, and prepare our children to face the future as responsible and confident individuals.
“We believe that advancing education is a shared responsibility within an integrated ecosystem that brings together educators, schools, universities, families, communities, policymakers, and partners, with the goal of enabling every learner to fulfil their potential. At this year’s ECAE Convocation, we begin a new chapter that we are designing together, placing educators at the heart of this ecosystem. Investing in educators, and integrating the efforts of the ecosystem around them, is an investment in every learner and in the future of the UAE.”
Alongside the convocation, the College hosted its “ECAE Impact” exhibition, which showcased its role in building a self-improving learning ecosystem.
The exhibition focused on six interconnected capabilities: aligning stakeholders across the ecosystem around a shared direction; developing educators’ professional capabilities; building collective capacity; strengthening adaptability and innovation; embedding research- and evidence-based learning; and developing the education ecosystem’s capacity to learn from its experiences and continuously improve its performance.
The exhibition presented several key milestones achieved by ECAE to date: 12,000+ educators developed, 5,000+ graduates prepared, and partnerships with 200+ schools and organisations, alongside 70+ research and evaluation projects, 30+ international partnerships, and 15+ AI and innovation initiatives. Over the past year alone, 500+ new students joined ECAE across its Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Ajman campuses - registering continuing growth in the Arabic Language and Islamic Studies tracks toward strengthening the UAE's national teaching capacity.