UNESCO–Hamdan Prize awards $300,000 to three teacher development projects

Dubai: Three teacher development initiatives from Türkiye, Ethiopia and Indonesia have shared $300,000 at the ninth edition of the UNESCO–Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development, honoured at a ceremony at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris as part of World Teachers' Day celebrations.

Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan Al Maktoum, Supreme President of Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences in Dubai, and Professor Chun Chen, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, presented the awards. Senior officials, representatives of Permanent Delegations to UNESCO, and representatives of participating organisations and projects attended.

Established in 2008, the Prize recognises outstanding practices that strengthen teacher performance and improve the quality of teaching and learning worldwide. It is awarded every two years, and the $300,000 total is divided equally, with each laureate receiving $100,000.

From Türkiye, Öğretmen Akademisi Vakfı – Teachers' Academy Foundation (ÖRAV) won for "ÖRAV Education Festival – Teacher-Led Professional Learning Ecosystem". Launched in 2015, the initiative is a nationwide celebration of the teaching profession, organised by and for teachers. It promotes teacher-led professional learning and the exchange of knowledge and experience.

From Ethiopia, Gondar College of Teachers' Education was recognised for "Maker-Teachers". Launched in 2022, the project aims to improve early childhood education through low-cost, culturally appropriate, play-based teaching and learning materials for indoor and outdoor activities.

From Indonesia, the Guru Belajar Foundation took the Prize for its "Collective Teacher Leadership Development Programme". Launched in 2021, the scalable, community-led model aims to strengthen teaching effectiveness through collective leadership, reflective practice and cross-sector collaboration.

This year's edition drew the highest level of participation since the Prize was established.

It received 169 applications from 64 countries, of which 129 met the eligibility requirements. Fifteen countries took part for the first time.

After the international evaluation and jury process, 10 projects reached the final stage. They comprised the three laureates and seven other finalists.

Professor Dr Khaled El-Enany, Director-General of UNESCO, opened the World Teachers' Day 2026 programme at UNESCO Headquarters in the presence of Sheikh Rashid. He highlighted Hamdan Foundation's sustained contribution to supporting education and strengthening the teaching profession globally through the Prize, and congratulated the 10 finalists, including the three laureates.

In his address, Sheikh Rashid thanked the guests and participants gathered to celebrate teachers worldwide. He said the Foundation is proud of its partnership with UNESCO, which spans nearly two decades and reflects a shared commitment to turning vision into meaningful impact.

He said the Prize has continued to advance the goals for which it was established, including supporting teachers, recognising their contributions, highlighting their achievements and promoting successful educational practices that enhance teacher performance and improve education quality.

Sheikh Rashid said the 169 applications from 64 countries show that excellence in education is a universal aspiration. Teachers, whatever their country or context, are united by a common mission, he said, to empower people through knowledge and help build a brighter future for humanity.

Congratulating the laureates, he said their recognition honours not only their achievements and contributions but also every teacher who chooses to make a difference, every educational practice that places learners at the centre of the learning process, and every creative idea capable of inspiring teachers elsewhere in the world.

He also reaffirmed the Foundation's commitment to the vision of the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, founder of the initiative, and to continuing its partnership with UNESCO.

The ceremony also featured presentations of the teacher development programmes represented by the 10 finalists, recognition of members of the international jury, a special video highlighting the Prize, and panel discussions with representatives of the finalist projects.

An exhibition showcasing the 10 finalist projects was also held. Sheikh Rashid toured it and learned more about the participating initiatives and their work in teacher development.

The ceremony formed part of World Teachers' Day 2026, held under the theme "Standing with teachers: 60 years of protecting the profession, advancing its status and shaping our futures". The occasion marked the 60th anniversary of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers, highlighting the importance of protecting the teaching profession, strengthening teachers' status and recognising their role in shaping the future of societies.

Before the ceremony, Sheikh Rashid met Professor Dr El-Enany to discuss ways to strengthen the longstanding relationship between Hamdan Foundation and UNESCO. The talks focused on initiatives and programmes to support teachers, advance education, improve teaching practices and promote the exchange of knowledge and expertise for sustainable educational development.

On the sidelines of the ceremony, Sheikh Rashid witnessed the signing of an agreement between the Foundation and UNESCO for a joint research project titled "Innovations in Teacher Professional Development: Lessons Learned from UNESCO–Hamdan Prize Laureates".

Humaid Mohammed Al Qatami, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation, and Professor Chun Chen signed it.

The project will draw on the experiences and practices of winning projects from previous editions of the Prize to examine innovative and effective approaches to teacher professional development, including programme implementation, sustainability and scalability. Its findings will help inform future initiatives and policies aimed at strengthening teachers' capacities.

Al Qatami said the agreement extends the strategic partnership between the Foundation and UNESCO and reflects both organisations' commitment to maximising the impact of the Prize by drawing on the accumulated experience of its winning projects. He said the initiative goes beyond recognising outstanding practices by studying and analysing them, and passing the resulting knowledge on to educational institutions, policymakers and organisations involved in teacher development worldwide.

He added that the research project is an important step towards translating the successful experiences of laureates into applicable knowledge that can support more effective and sustainable teacher professional development programmes. He also reaffirmed the Foundation's commitment to the legacy of the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum through continued investment in education, support for teachers and international partnerships that help improve education quality globally.