Hamdan Foundation Reveals Ten Finalists for UNESCO Prize Honouring Excellence in Teacher Development
The ninth edition of the prestigious UNESCO–Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development has attracted record participation, with ten pioneering projects from across the globe advancing teaching standards and educator support.
The Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences has unveiled the ten projects selected for the ninth edition of the UNESCO–Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development 2025–2026. The three laureates will be announced on 5th October, 2026, at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris during the global celebration of World Teachers’ Day, in the presence of H.H. Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan Al Maktoum, Supreme President of the Foundation.
This year’s competition has established a remarkable milestone, recording the highest participation since the Prize’s inception. The ninth edition attracted 169 applications from 64 countries, of which 129 met the eligibility requirements. Notably, fifteen countries participated for the first time, whilst overall participation increased by 66 percent. The award ceremony takes on particular significance as it coincides with the 60th anniversary of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.
Dr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences, commented on the exceptional quality of submissions: “The ten projects shortlisted for the ninth edition reflect a remarkable diversity of experiences and practices responding to the needs of teachers across different educational and cultural contexts worldwide. They demonstrate the role that innovative professional development can play in improving teaching practices, strengthening teachers’ capabilities and supporting educators as they respond to the challenges arising within their schools and communities.”
The finalists represent pioneering approaches to teacher development from across five continents. Brunei Darussalam’s Ministry of Education has established a nationwide peer-learning model that has engaged 6,700 teachers through 33,596 course participations. Ethiopia’s Gondar College of Teachers’ Education operates the Maker-Teachers initiative, which has reached 98 cluster schools and benefited over 15,000 pre-primary learners through culturally appropriate, low-cost learning materials. India’s Language and Learning Foundation operates a multilingual education programme that has trained more than 2,000 teachers to integrate indigenous languages into classroom teaching.
Indonesia’s Guru Belajar Foundation has engaged 61,717 teachers across 91 districts through its Collective Teacher Leadership Development Programme. Mexico’s Fundación Tarahumara José A. Llaguno supports secondary educators in indigenous rural communities, whilst Palestine’s school-based resilience model strengthens teaching practice during protracted crises. Two Turkish initiatives address professional learning: the Teachers’ Academy Foundation operates an education festival that has engaged 38,000 teachers over ten years, whilst the Rural Schools Transformation Network builds communities of practice in marginalised settings.
Uganda’s Kimanya-Ngeyo Foundation promotes reflective, inquiry-driven practice across three districts, reaching 2,500 teachers, whilst EdCamp Ukraine’s grassroots professional development initiative has facilitated 374 events and reached approximately 50,000 educators. These initiatives collectively demonstrate the transformative potential of investing in educators’ professional development and status as a foundation for enhancing educational quality globally.
Source: WAM – Hamdan Foundation announces finalists for UNESCO–Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development