A Dubai-rooted education pioneer and philanthropist on Wednesday launched a $1 million Global Schools Prize in collaboration with UNESCO to honour schools “reimagining education for a rapidly changing world”.
The inaugural award, an initiative by the Varkey Foundation, will spotlight innovation across 10 categories, from sustainability and STEM education to AI transformation and teacher development.
The longlisted schools will be awarded a Global Schools Prize Badge, symbolising world-class impact and achievement. They will also be welcomed into the Global Schools Network, opening doors to international partnerships, professional development, and collaboration with other leading institutions.
The 10 categories are:
The prize is the latest initiative from the Varkey Foundation, which also created the Global Teacher Prize and Global Student Prize. With the new award, founder Sunny Varkey completes what he calls a “trilogy” that celebrates educators, learners, and now schools as institutions of innovation and change.
Together, the three prizes aim to spark a 360-degree global conversation about what it takes to deliver the best possible education for future generations.
Ten category winners will each receive $50,000. Of these, one extraordinary school will be named the overall winner of the Global Schools Prize, taking home $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 for the prize will come from the Global Schools Prize Council, a body of influential figures from education, technology, and philanthropy. It 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 will also sit within the wider Global Schools Prize Academy, which will choose the winner.
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 step forward.
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 the prize in 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.”
With its first edition now open, the Global Schools Prize signals a bold step in recognising schools not only as places of learning, but as hubs of innovation shaping the future of societies worldwide.
© Khaleej Times
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