On Wednesday, a pioneering education advocate from Dubai launched a $1 million Global Schools Prize in partnership with UNESCO to honor schools that are “reimagining education for a rapidly changing world.”
The inaugural award, initiated by the Varkey Foundation, will highlight innovation in 10 categories, including sustainability, STEM education, AI transformation, and teacher development.
Schools making the longlist will receive a Global Schools Prize Badge, symbolizing international impact and achievement. They will also join the Global Schools Network, gaining opportunities for global partnerships, professional development, and collaboration with leading institutions.
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The 10 categories include:
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AI Transformation
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Arts, Culture, and Creativity
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Character- and Values-Driven Education
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Global Citizenship and Peacebuilding
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Health and Wellbeing
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Overcoming Adversity
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SEND/Inclusive Education
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STEM Education
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Sustainability
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Teacher Development
This prize is the latest initiative from the Varkey Foundation, which also established the Global Teacher Prize and Global Student Prize. With this new award, founder Sunny Varkey completes a “trilogy” recognizing educators, learners, and now schools as centers of innovation and change.
Collectively, these three prizes aim to ignite a worldwide discussion on delivering the best education for future generations.
How the prize works
The winners in each of the ten categories will receive $50,000. Among them, one exceptional school will be named the overall winner of the Global Schools Prize, receiving $500,000 to expand its initiatives.
To promote cross-border collaboration, the Varkey Foundation is building a network of global partners and sponsors for each category.
The prize will be guided by the Global Schools Prize Council, consisting of influential figures from education, technology, and philanthropy. 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 broader Global Schools Prize Academy, which will select the winner.
“More than an award — a movement”
Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Varkey Foundation and GEMS Education, stated, “The Global Schools Prize is more than an award — it’s a movement to reimagine learning in a constantly changing world. By recognizing multiple winners, we highlight the various ways schools are fostering 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 beyond the classroom.”
Photo: Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Varkey Foundation and GEMS Education
For educators already recognized by the Varkey Foundation, this new prize is a natural progression.
Mansour bin Abdullah Al-Mansour, winner of the GEMS Education Global Teacher Prize 2025, commented, “The Global Schools Prize is crucial because it highlights how schools worldwide 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 globally, the prize ensures that students, teachers, school leaders, and parents’ voices and visions shape the future of education.”
UNESCO’s Stefania Giannini, co-Chair of the Global Schools Prize Council, emphasized the prize’s role in amplifying new ideas.
“The Global Schools Prize celebrates the ideas and innovations transforming education. Schools worldwide are reimagining possibilities — inspiring curiosity, enhancing resilience, and unlocking every learner’s potential. By sharing these breakthroughs globally, the prize reminds us that education’s power lies not only in knowledge but also in the creativity and collaboration driving progress.”
With its first edition now open, the Global Schools Prize marks a significant step in recognizing schools not just as learning centers, but as innovation hubs shaping future societies worldwide.
