On 30th July 2026, the General Secretariat of the Khalifa Educational Award announced the introduction of a new category, “Innovation and Artificial Intelligence in Education,” for its twentieth cycle in 2027/2026. This category adds significant value to the award’s offerings, positioned as a pivotal element for advancing its mission and goals sustainably, in line with the technological and scientific advancements transforming the education sector.
Enhancing Educational Excellence
Hamid Al-Hooti, Secretary-General of the Khalifa Educational Award, remarked that as part of the Zayed Humanitarian Foundation, the award aims to measure the positive impact of receiving the accolade by various institutions and individuals at local, Arab, and international levels. This impact remains one of the essential elements for evaluating all nominees across the award’s categories during this cycle.
A Focus on Innovation and Technology
The current cycle includes ten areas distributed across eighteen categories, including the new category focused on innovation and artificial intelligence in education. This addition is designed to meet the needs of the educational landscape and to keep pace with the evolving teaching and learning systems. The category aims to recognise initiatives and projects that deliver innovative educational solutions through the deployment of cutting-edge digital technologies and artificial intelligence, ultimately enhancing the quality of education and improving teaching and assessment methodologies.
Target Audience and Project Criteria
This new category reaches out to individuals, teams, institutions, and students, as well as educational AI projects that have demonstrated a sustainable educational impact based on measurable performance indicators over the past three years. Notably, nominees are required to present original innovations and scholarly contributions while adhering to responsible and ethical AI usage principles, including safeguarding privacy, respecting intellectual property, and ensuring fairness, transparency, and academic integrity.
Commitment to Educational Advancement
Al-Hooti emphasised that the inclusion of this new category enhances the value compared to traditional practices, contributing significantly to the educational system. Updated assessment criteria now encompass key factors such as innovation and originality, clarity of vision and objectives, quality of design and implementation, documented educational impact, efficient use of AI and technological innovation, commitment to AI ethics and governance, sustainability, scalability, and effective evaluation and continuous improvement.
Alignment with National Vision
The introduction of this category aligns with the United Arab Emirates’ vision to solidify its global position in education and artificial intelligence. By encouraging innovation and promoting a culture of excellence, the award aims to develop pioneering educational solutions that create a sustainable impact on educational institutions and society, fostering a more efficient and flexible educational system prepared for future challenges.
Submission Details
Al-Hooti noted that the award accepts all candidate submissions through an online application system, with a specialised team available to respond to inquiries and provide necessary technical support for candidates domestically and internationally. The application period will remain open until 31st December 2026.