NAS Dubai Named Among the World's Top 10 Schools for Community Collaboration

It Starts With A Question

For many of us living in Dubai, school is something that is embedded within the norms of everyday life. It is expected, it is accessible, and it is surrounded by opportunity. There are choices in how learning happens, flexibility in how students are supported, and a level of personalisation that allows young people to grow in ways that suit them individually.

However, in many parts of the world, attending school is not a given. It is something that must be fought for or built from the ground up or, in some cases, imagined as a possibility rather than a lived reality. This contrast has shaped an important question for our community this year, one that has influenced so much of what has taken place beyond the classroom: what does it mean to have opportunity, and what responsibility comes with it?

Turning Awareness Into Action

Throughout the year, that question has taken shape in the form of action. Across NAS Dubai, something meaningful has been taking shape, not as a single campaign or standalone initiative, but as a collective commitment to social impact. It has been visible in classrooms, in assemblies, in staffrooms and in conversations at home.

From Early Years through to Sixth Form, students have engaged with causes that extend far beyond their immediate environment. Parents have supported initiatives with generosity and trust. Staff have guided and encouraged student voice to lead the way. What makes this particularly significant is not the number of projects or partnerships that have taken place, but the consistency of intent behind them. There has been a shared understanding that education should not only prepare young people for examinations but also for their role in a wider, more interconnected world.

What started as small displays of initiative gradually formed something larger and more cohesive, a culture where contribution became normalised and where students increasingly saw themselves not just as learners but as active participants in global change.

A Global Recognition

It is within this context that we are proud to share that NAS Dubai has been named among the Top 10 shortlisted schools in the world for the World’s Best School Prizes 2026, in the category of Community Collaboration.

This recognition comes from T4 Education, whose World’s Best School Prizes were established in 2022 to highlight schools that are not only delivering strong academic outcomes but are also actively transforming lives and sharing practices that can improve education globally. The awards span five categories:

• Community Collaboration
• Environmental Action
• Innovation
• Overcoming Adversity
• Supporting Healthy Lives.

To be shortlisted in the top ten globally, from thousands of applications across the world, is an achievement that carries real weight. It places NAS Dubai among a small group of schools recognised for demonstrating what it looks like when a school community works with purpose beyond itself.

Why This Award Matters

While recognition on a global stage is significant, the meaning behind it matters more. It reflects students who have chosen to engage deeply with the world around them, not because they were asked to, but because they understood why it mattered. It reflects families who have supported those choices and teachers who have helped create the environment for them to thrive.

Most importantly, it reflects a belief that education should extend beyond academic achievement. That learning is at its most powerful when it develops empathy, responsibility, and the ability to act with intention in the world beyond school gates.

Explore Our Journey

Read our World’s Best School Prize profile: https://t4.education/5-prizes-finalists-winners/nord-anglia-international-school-dubai/

Watch our shortlisting video:

Vote Here: https://applications.worldsbestschool.org/public-vote-26/entry/4314

And if you'd like to learn more about the story behind this recognition, make sure to read:
From Dubai to Bwindi: A Story of Compassion in Action

This powerful story captures the heart of the work that helped earn NAS Dubai a place among the world's top schools for community collaboration.