Staff
One school will claim $500,000 to scale its vision, while 10 category winners will receive $50,000 each as part of the new Varkey Foundation initiative, delivered in collaboration with UNESCO, to celebrate the world’s most innovative and impactful schools
Dubai, Sept 10, 2025: Education pioneer Sunny Varkey launched the $1 million Global Schools Prize, a new award organised in collaboration with UNESCO, to honour schools re-imagining education for the future.
The Global Schools Prize will identify outstanding schools worldwide. Those longlisted will be awarded a Global Schools Prize Badge, symbolising world-class impact and achievement in areas ranging from AI transformation to teacher development. These schools will also be welcomed into the Global Schools Network, gaining access to partnerships, professional development and global collaboration opportunities with other leading institutions.
The longlisted schools will be split into 10 categories, and 10 outstanding category winners will each be awarded $50,000. To broaden opportunities for global collaboration, the Varkey Foundation is building a growing network of partners and sponsors across every category. Of the 10 category winners, one extraordinary school will receive the Global Schools Prize and $500,000 to scale its initiative.
The Global Schools Prize, a Varkey Foundation initiative, joins the Global Teacher Prize and Global Student Prize, which Varkey also founded, completing a powerful trilogy that celebrates educators, learners and now schools as institutions of innovation and change.
A Global Schools Prize Council, made up of some of the most respected and influential figures in global education, technology and philanthropy, will guide the prize and provide strategic insight. It will be co-chaired by Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education at UNESCO, and Dame Christine Ryan, former Chair of the Ofsted Board. The Council will be part of a wider Global Schools Prize Academy, which will choose the winner.
Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Varkey Foundation and GEMS Education says, “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 well-being. 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.”
Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director General for Education at UNESCO and Co-Chair of the Global Schools Prize Council says, “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.”
The inaugural Global Schools Prize will recognise schools across 10 categories including AI Transformation; Arts, Culture and Creativity; Character- and Values-Driven Education; Global Citizenship and Peacebuilding; Health and Well-being; Overcoming Adversity; SEND/Inclusive Education; STEM Education; Sustainability; and Teacher Development.
The Global Schools Prize is open to government-run and privately funded schools worldwide.
