GESS Education Awards 2026
This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award went to Dr. Abdulla Al Karam, recognising his contribution to education in the UAE. Winners across the 30 categories span 166 countries with highlights including Freadom Edu (India) taking Best AI Product/Tool in Education, Dr Bharati Kawale of Dewvale School, UAE, named for Best Initiative to Promote Inclusivity, EdTool.ai, powered by Learnetic (Poland), winning Secondary Resource/Equipment Supplier of the Year, and Kahoot! (USA) taking Best Game-Based Learning Platform.
This year’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Dr Abdulla Al Karam, former Director General of Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the development and transformation of education in Dubai and the wider UAE. During his distinguished tenure at KHDA, Dr Abdulla played a pivotal role in shaping Dubai’s education landscape, championing innovation, inclusion, educational excellence and collaboration across the school community.
Dr Abdulla Al Karam, who currently serves on the boards of Commercial Bank of Dubai, Orient Insurance PJSC and Dubai Sports Council, said: “I am delighted to be nominated for the Lifetime Achievement Award. It is such an honour, and I think it reflects all the work that has been done at KHDA, with the team, the schools and the community. I want to thank everyone for helping us get here. It means a lot because of all the hard work the team has put in over the years, and to see that turn into this award, I think they will be delighted and very happy. Job well done to everyone.”
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Abdulla Al Karam – UAE
- Best AI Product/Tool in Education: Freadom Edu – India
- Best Initiative to Promote Inclusivity: Dr Bharati Kawale – Dewvale School – UAE
- Secondary Resource / Equipment Supplier of the Year: EdTool.ai, powered by Learnetic – Poland
- Best Product to Promote Wellbeing: The Vape Detector by Araya Solutions – UAE
- Best Product / Resource to Promote Sustainability in Education: EcoEducation – Kazakhstan
- Best Wellbeing Initiative for Students or Staff: David Evans – Al Dhafra Private Schools, Abu Dhabi – UAE
- Best Use of Gamification in Education: Braden Cobb – HELP International School – Malaysia
- Best Use of STEAM Learning in the Classroom: Duygu Güney & Esra Tugce Bal – Ertugrulgazi Anatolian High School – Türkiye
- SEN and Inclusive Resource/Equipment Supplier of the Year: Everway – UK
- Community Award for Citizenship: Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation – UAE
- Ambassador for the Environment: Gummadi Suchitra – GEMS Modern Academy – UAE
- Creative School of the Year: Harrow Hong Kong Children School, Shenzhen Qianhai – China
- Best CSR Programme for Education: Cognita Impact – UAE
- Best Game-Based Learning Platform: Kahoot! – USA
- Best Use of Technology in Creative Education: Mayoor Private School, Abu Dhabi – UAE
- Primary Resource / Equipment Supplier of the Year: Magma Maths – UK
- Best Product to Promote STEM / Robotics / Coding: Kai’s Education – New Zealand
- Best Immersive Product/Tool in Education: CampuStore – Italy
- Outstanding Creative Educator of the Year: Nathan Holtom – The Studio / Safa Community School – UAE
- Best Use of Digital Learning in the Classroom: Aisha Ahmed Rashed Al Yammahi – Al Rayan Cycle 1 School – UAE
- Innovation in Education: Shafaque Riaz, Baz Nijjar, Ritesh Dhanak and Innovation Excellence Fellows – GEMS Education – UAE
- Best Digital Educational Resource / Product: Edmentum – USA
- Best Paid for Digital Tool in Education: CPOMS – UK
- Higher Education Resource / Equipment Supplier of the Year: Studiosity – Australia
- Outstanding Contribution in Education: Prof. Tahani Ibrahim Aldosemani – Ministry of Culture – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Positive Change in Education: Gavin McCormack – Upschool.co – Australia
- Rising Star – Start Up Company of the Year: SustAInED Ltd – Hong Kong
- Early Years Resource / Equipment Supplier of the Year: TTS – UK
- Best Free Digital Tool for Education: Sebrae MG – Brazil
- Judges Commendation – Suppliers: Growmore – UAE
- Judges Commendation – Suppliers: Kutubee – Jordan
- Judges Commendation – Teachers, Schools and Education Professionals: Fu Hong – The Education University of Hong Kong – Hong Kong
- Judges Commendation – Teachers, Schools and Education Professionals: Millicent Cassianes – Blessed Luigi Tezza Foundation / B.L. Tezza Special School for the Deaf – Kenya
Three Days in Review
The show opened on 10 November, inaugurated by Her Excellency Aisha Miran, Director General of Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), whose tour of the show floor marked the start of this year’s exhibition, joined by Her Excellency Aisha Sultan Majid Al Shamsi, Executive Director of the Ajman Private Education Affairs (APEA) Office. The floor welcomed its first dedicated EdTech and AI in Education pavilions this year, alongside exhibitors spanning classroom design, early years, SEN resources and sustainability. GESS Dubai 2026 welcomed more than 7,500 attendees and 160+ exhibitors from across 120+ countries over the three days.
Across the programme, delegates heard from Mohammad Al Natour (Collège De La Salle, Amman, with Tyrone Ruth of MBZUAI) on AI in assessment and the classroom; Ben Viljoen (Taaleem), Dr Bharati Kawale and May Zalat on inclusion and students of determination; Stuart Hardy (Terra, Expo City Dubai) on sustainability; and Muna Hussein (DESS) and Lubna Kakkengal (Emirates National Schools) on gamification in the classroom, among many others across the three-day conference programme.
Sarah Palmer, Brand Director at GESS, Informa, said: “Every year I say this, and every year it’s still true: the real story of this show is in the range of what’s covered, not just the size of it. Over three days we had people talking about AI, about inclusion, about sustainability, about gamification, often in the same conversation. That’s what keeps this community coming back, and it’s what we’ll be building on for next year.”
Looking Ahead
GESS Dubai will return from 1 – 3 November 2027. Education professionals can also look ahead to GESS KSA, taking place 28 – 30 September 2027, in Riyadh.
For more information on GESS Dubai, visit www.gessdubai.com.