Dubai, UAE, 8th October, 2026 – Global Educational Supplies and Solutions (GESS) Dubai 2026 returns to Dubai World Trade Centre from 10-12 November built around a simple premise: the ideas that change education rarely start as strategy – they start as a spark, a session, a conversation or a tool that gives a teacher a genuinely new way to do their job. This year’s theme, “The Spark”, puts that moment, and the educators behind it, at the center of the event.
Theme for this Year
This year’s theme, “The Spark”, centers on the flashes of insight that change how a teacher works, reminding the audiences of why people came into this profession in the first place. It is a thread that GESS Dubai has built across this year’s programme, from curriculum design to classroom AI.
Frances Powell, Director of Human Potential at GEMS SRI, who opens this year’s Leaders in Education stream with a session on curriculum design, said: “The best curriculum decisions do not come from a policy document. They come from teachers trying something different, seeing a child switch back on and become engaged again, then thinking creatively about what might work next. That’s what ‘The Spark’ should be about – giving teachers the confidence to try something new on Monday morning and making a real difference for children in our care.”
That same instinct of testing an idea against what actually helps a teacher, rather than what looks impressive is what runs through this year’s approach to artificial intelligence.
Zaineb Mahdi, Director of Technology & Innovation at GEMS School of Research and Innovation, said: “AI can automate a lot of what happens in a classroom, but it cannot replace the relationships and judgement a good teacher brings. My session explores what happens as that boundary starts to shift, what we should hand over to AI, what we shouldn’t, and what it means to be an outstanding teacher when technology can do more than ever before.”
Zahra Shelke, Founding Head of Innovation and Digital Learning at Arcadia Global School, Dubai, said: “’What is the purpose of this technology?’ For me, that is the question I want teachers walking the floor at GESS Dubai to ask. Not simply ‘what does this do?’, but ‘what could this genuinely change for me and my students on a regular school day?’ That is where purposeful technology begins – when it has a clear reason for being there and makes a meaningful difference to teaching and learning.”
That same test, not what’s new, but what it changes; is one some school leaders have already put into practice.
Dr. Vanda Gammoh, Campus Director at American Gulf School, Sharjah, said: “We did not set out to build an AI strategy, rather we set out to stop guessing which students needed help before it was too late. The AI came after; it’s a tool, not the point. If GESS Dubai gives more school leaders that same starting point, it will have done its job.”
Things to Look Forward to on the Exhibition Floor
That same energy will play out directly on the exhibition floor, where GESS Dubai 2026 brings teachers face to face with the companies building those ideas. A new Startup Spotlight pitch competition gives six selected education startups the chance to present live to a panel of leading education investors and decision-makers, with access to live feedback, dedicated pitch coaching, networking with Education Investment MENA attendees, and exposure to potential customers and partners. The accompanying Startup Pavilion will showcase 45 cutting-edge education startups, with confirmed exhibitors including Assessment Works, Tradie Roo, Taaleem For Publishing and Brain Venture Mind Abilities Development Centre.
A new Design & Build Zone, created for school leaders rethinking their physical learning spaces, has already seen such strong demand that only two stands remain; exhibitors there include Kidzink, which has delivered more than 1,000 learning environments globally, and Guidecraft, a leading manufacturer of educational furniture and early childhood classroom systems. The British Pavilion has also expanded this year following strong interest from UK-based suppliers, continuing its role as a cornerstone of the show for cutting-edge educational technology and resources from leading UK companies.
The Early Years and Sustainability & Wellbeing Pavilions are on course to be their largest yet, welcoming back exhibitors including Chapters & Co and Terra Expo City alongside newcomers such as Montessori Language, showcasing multi-sensory literacy materials, and Tempera Professional Development, launching a new teacher-support platform for neurodivergent learners. New EdTech and AI in Education Pavilions join the show floor for the first time in 2026, following demand seen in those two pavilions last year. With three months still to go, GESS Dubai has already confirmed a record number of sponsors for the 2026 edition.
The wider programme also includes the 13th annual GESS Education Awards, taking place on 11 November at The Conrad Hotel Dubai. The awards span 30 categories across two broad groups, namely suppliers and distributors, and teachers, schools and education professionals. This year’s edition has attracted a record-breaking 1,200+ entries from 70 countries, with winners selected by an independent panel of education experts.
GESS Dubai 2026 takes place from 10-12 November 2026 at Dubai World Trade Centre, Sheikh Saeed Halls. Registration is free for education professionals. Visit www.gessdubai.com for the full agenda and registration.