90 years of British Council: Beyond just teaching English in the UAE

Dubai: For many long-time residents of the UAE, the British Council has a special place in their hearts. As the world’s “oldest cultural relations organisation” marks its 90th anniversary this year, it evokes deeply cherished memories – of sourcing precious books, newspapers and magazines from its library, teaching and studying the English language in its classrooms or just being part of the vibrant community it has fostered.

Retracing the journey of the epic institution over the decades, Martin Daltry, the Council’s Country Director for the UAE, told Gulf News in an exclusive interview, “This year is a milestone for the British Council as we celebrate building connections, understanding and trust worldwide for 90 years.”

Get exclusive content with Gulf News WhatsApp channel

He said work on the British Council started in 1934 following the Great Depression. As the annual report of the council for 1940-41 states, the idea was “to create in a country overseas a basis of friendly knowledge and understanding of the people of the UK, of their philosophy and way of life…”

Daltry spoke of the time the Council opened teaching centres and libraries across the Gulf and wider Middle East, beginning with Egypt.

“The aim was to promote English language, study in the UK and provide access to English literature and academic publications,” said Daltry.

Dubai office launch

According to him, the ribbon for the new Dubai office’s building was cut by the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum in 1973.

“This included the launch of a book presentation programme and library development scheme and training for overseas librarians to support education systems and libraries across the region.”

As part of the high-profile visits to the UAE, he said King Charles, the then Prince of Wales visited the British Council in 1990 and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1992 .

From a small team of four, the council in Dubai grew to 34 staff by 2008, by which time it had taught over 500,000 students in the UAE, he said.

“We now have 200 staff. At first, we were the only international organisation in education and culture and I gather it was a big challenge to attract foreign educators here, but things could not be more different now where there are many players in English medium education, not to mention international arts and culture,” added Daltry.

Most widely spoken 

But why is proficiency in the English language deemed important?

As Daltry pointed out, “English is the most widely spoken language in the world. It is now the global language of communication and likely to retain this position for the future. Learning English enables people to secure better jobs and economic security. English is important in technology including computer programming, higher education with much research only published in English, and social media.”

He said, “Today, we teach English in 40 countries, including the UAE, and support over 100 million learners and four million teachers online, delivering four million exams in 140 countries enabling access to UK qualifications.”

The Council has facilitated the study of many thousands of Emirati students studying in the UK.

“We help Emiratis pursue higher education in the UAE and abroad by providing IELTS tests, a key requirement for university admissions and supporting access to global academic opportunities. We also support young people by delivering UK school qualifications for over 10,000 students annually in partnership with major UK exam boards (Cambridge, Pearson Edexcel, and AQA) and provide professional and university exams for working professionals pursuing distance learning with UK institutions,” he explained.

Daltry shared little-known nuggets from the history of the British Council.

A treasured gift

“In 1935, our Arts Department used a gift of £1,000 per year from British businessman Lord Wakefield to buy drawings and prints. These artworks were later brought together in the British Council Collection designed to promote abroad the very best British artists, craft practitioners and designers. It now includes over 8,500 pieces, some of which are on display in our centres in the UAE,” he said.

“In 1937, we took on responsibility for the British Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, a role we continue to this day,” he added.

“In 2017, we organised a memorable UK/UAE Season with a year of creative collaboration and cultural exchange under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and The Prince of Wales. There have been so many highlights including the UK as Guest of Honour at the Sharjah International Book Festival, the display of the Birmingham Qur’an manuscript and a London Book Fair showcase, the second edition of our Cultural Excellence programme with ADMAF, a UK/UAE film festival, the list could go on.”

Roadmap to the future

Going forward, Daltry said the Council’s plans for the UAE are aligned with the UAE’s Vision 2030, focusing on developing young people’s talent, creativity and skills for employability. “This includes developing our high quality English language offer and IELTS testing and access to UK and international qualifications to support academic and professional success. We plan major new initiatives aimed at building a stronger network of UAE alumni of UK universities and developing young creative entrepreneurs and cultural leaders,” he let on.

He also said the Council is working on digital innovation, providing flexible, online learning opportunities for students.

“You can learn English online with us in a private or small group class with a British Council teacher 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also have fully personalised preparation for the IELTS exam online 24/7 through our IELTS Coach. We have a digital library with a wealth of educational, English and entertainment content,” he added.

What British Council means to UAE residents

Its very mention brings to mind an institution tha​​​​​​​t is robust, innovative, diverse and motivational.”

Valuable resource

“The British Council is a symbol of Great Britain and has long been a valuable resource for education and building good relationships.

Transforming lives

“The British Council is more than just about teaching English—it’s about empowering learners, fostering leadership, and building a global community that connects people through language and culture.

'Real English'

“I enjoy the lessons at British Council because they teach us how to use real English in everyday situations. The British Council makes learning practical and fun, and I feel more confident speaking English now.”

British Council in numbers

• Over 70,000 exams delivered annually, enabling access to UK qualifications.

• 3,000 students enrolled in English language courses in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah teaching centres.

• Over 10,000 students supported annually with UK school qualifications through partnerships with UK exam boards like Cambridge, Pearson Edexcel, and AQA.

• Exams for 200 UK boards administered in UAE.

• Over 4,000 ACCA exams delivered since 2022 in partnership with the UAE Ministry of Economy and the Accountants and Auditors Association.

• Over 2000 members use the Council’s Digital Library.