The UAE President welcomed the top graduates of the 2025-26 academic year to acknowledge their efforts and support their endeavors.
UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan shared touching photos from the event and emphasized the significance of education for the state. He stated that education is the foundation of the UAE's continuous development, and teachers and families play a key role in supporting students' lifelong pursuit of knowledge.
The leader also wished the graduates success and highly praised the 'tireless efforts of our nation's educators,' who contributed to their learning. The country's commitment to education is reflected in various indicators.
Recently, the UAE has strengthened its position as a global education hub: four cities have entered the QS Best Student Cities 2027 ranking, and Abu Dhabi has become the most notable growing city among the Emirates. Abu Dhabi rose eight places to rank 72nd globally, while Dubai ranked 79th overall and achieved an impressive fifth place globally in the Student Voice metric, which is based on feedback from international students.
Recent rankings demonstrate a trend that is becoming increasingly evident across the country: students value safety, diversity, lifestyle, and the overall learning experience in the UAE. Although the global reputation and scale of the country's universities are still developing, the appeal of the UAE to students continues to grow.
On the occasion of the 77th birthday of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai, his long-standing commitment to promoting Arab identity and culture is being noted. He frequently addresses the audience in Arabic, which is part of deliberate efforts to showcase the region's achievements to the world.
Sheikh Mohammed himself serves as an example of the region's greatness, becoming the youngest Defense Minister in the world in 1971 at the age of just 22, after spending his childhood in the harsh yet resilient Arabian desert.
In 2015, Sheikh Mohammed launched the 'Arab Reading Challenge,' aiming to encourage children across the region to read 50 million books. Participants are awarded prizes and grants totaling $3 million. This program is aimed not only at residents of the region but also at Arabs living abroad, helping them master the language.
In the 10th edition, which is the largest in the world, over 40 million students from 138,426 schools in 60 countries participated. This year's champion is a 12-year-old Emirati girl. Last year's winner was a Tunisian twins who won the title, beating 32 million other participants and receiving a cash prize of 500,000 dirhams. Awards are also given to teachers and schools for outstanding work.
The Ruler of Dubai also expressed support for Arab teams during the FIFA World Cup 2026. When Egypt reached the 16th stage of the tournament for the first time in history, the leader called the country's performance a 'heroic display,' noting the high level of competitive spirit of the Egyptian national team, the 'Pharaohs.' Despite the loss to Argentina on July 7, he called the team 'heroes in the eyes of all Arabs.' When Morocco qualified for the 16th round, Sheikh Mohammed used the term 'Arab grandeur' to describe their valor. He congratulated the Moroccan people, Mohammed VI, and the Moroccan national team, stating: 'Our joy today is Moroccan.' Even after the team's disqualification, the ruler ensured they were recognized, saying the team 'raised the Arab world to a worthy level.'
The prestigious intellectual initiative, the 'Great Arab Minds Award,' sometimes referred to as the 'Arab Nobel,' was launched by Sheikh Mohammed in 2022. A fund of 100 million dirhams supports outstanding Arab thinkers, scientists, and innovators in six different fields, providing each winner with 1 million dirhams to fund research. These achievements range from restoring historical buildings in Palestine to transforming the air of the UAE desert into water.
In 2025, six individuals received the award: Professor Majid Chergi in the field of natural sciences, Professor Abbas El Gamal in engineering and technology, Dr. Nabil Saida in medicine, Professor Badi Hani in economics, Dr. Suad Amiri in architecture and design, and Professor Charbel Dagher in literature and arts. At this ceremony, Sheikh Mohammed noted that 'the Arab nation is rich in geniuses,' especially when one of the laureates, Professor Omar Yaghi, received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2025.
'Dubai International Quran Competition,' founded by Sheikh Mohammed in 1997, is designed to honor those who have memorized the Quran, giving believers from around the world a chance to participate. Since its inception, 7,826 contestants from 123 countries have participated, and the fund has distributed over 67 million dirhams in prize money. Over the years, 24 Global Quran figures and three institutions have also been honored.
Recently, Sheikh Mohammed stated: 'The words of God are light, guidance, and mercy... We honor those who have memorized them for 29 years, and God willing, we will continue this path and journey,' announcing that this year's winners will be honored during Ramadan 2027. In a historic move in 2025, girls were allowed to participate in the competition for the first time after 27 years, making it one of the most prestigious Quran competitions in the world. Participants must be under 16 years old at registration and must have the Holy Quran memorized with correct recitation and Tajweed.
Sheikh Mohammed launched the 'Mohammed bin Rashid Arabic Language Award' in 2014, stating: 'The language of the Holy Quran is protected by Allah.' The competition has attracted over 163 million students and gained wide recognition in the Arab world. In 2025, the leader himself was awarded the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Award in the nineteenth cycle for his exceptional contribution to culture and knowledge over decades. The award aims to highlight modern educational methods, media initiatives, the popularization of reading, and digital applications that facilitate learning the Arabic language.
The UAE government previously announced that between 2026 and 2027, a package of measures, including a special Arabic Language Law, would be implemented as part of a comprehensive policy to enhance the role and status of the Arabic language in the country. This award serves as a key initiative in supporting the linguistic significance of the region, especially amid the country's efforts to preserve the language among youth.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE, presented an unexpected gift in the form of a cash prize of AED 100,000 to the top 12th-grade students in the UAE. This gesture was aimed at recognizing the outstanding academic achievements demonstrated by the students during the secondary school examinations for the 2025–2026 period.
This surprise from Sheikh Mohammed, who is also the Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, was presented on Saturday as a token of gratitude to the students who achieved the highest results across the country. The monetary award was given to the best graduates from public, private, and applied technology educational streams.
Among the national leaders in the public education system were recognized: Abeer Abdul Rahman Fayez Humaid Al Shamsi from Al Rashidiya Cycle 3 Girls School in Dubai (Elite Track); Adam Mohammed Awad Awad Ibrahim from Al Khatim Boys School in Abu Dhabi (Advanced Track); and Hessa Rashid Musbeh Abdul Rahman Al Ali Li from Al Mawaheb Girls School in Abu Dhabi (General Track).
In the private education sector, Ali Asim Hassan from Al Noor International Private School in Sharjah (Advanced Track) and Abdullah Yasser Abu Arabi from Al Falah Academy in Abu Dhabi (General Track) were awarded.
In the field of applied technologies, Rashid Ahmed Rashid Ali Al Dhanhani from Applied Technology Schools in Fujairah (Science Track); Sheikha Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al Hosani from Applied Technology Schools in Ajman (Advanced Track); and Mariam Said Hamad Al Hadfi Al Ketbi from Applied Technology Schools in Umm Al Quwain (General Track) were recognized.
This act of support brought joy to the students and their families, reflecting the UAE leadership's continuous commitment to supporting education, honoring excellence, and encouraging future generations toward academic success. This award followed public congratulations from Sheikh Mohammed, who praised the academic prowess and perseverance of high school students in his social media post on July 11.
Sheikh Mohammed stated: 'We congratulate our sons and daughters, the top graduates of the national General Secondary Education Certificate.' He added that he is proud of all of them and confident that they will be part of building the future of the Emirates. He emphasized that the country will continue to create the best environment for individual empowerment, and education will remain a vital national project, and children are its winning chance in the present and future.
He also noted that the UAE remains focused on creating an optimal environment for human empowerment through an outstanding and inspiring education system that strengthens the country's global competitiveness and equips youth with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to shape the future.
Omar Abu Arabi, Abdullah Yasser Abu Arabi's uncle, expressed his gratitude to Sheikh Mohammed for the generous gesture on Instagram. He wrote that he gratefully thanks His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for this generous recognition, noting that his unlimited support and visionary leadership always place the UAE and everyone who calls this country home at the center of priorities.
Furthermore, social media user abalobaidly shared reflections on this year's graduates' successes, noting that the class overcame exceptional difficulties throughout their school years. The user mentioned that this generation studied during the pandemic, witnessed global conflicts, and adapted between online and in-person learning, yet still succeeded thanks to 12 years of dedication, perseverance, and constant support from families and teachers.
Ali Asim Hassan's school, Al Noor International School in Sharjah, also acknowledged his achievement on Instagram, stating that the school continues its tradition of excellence by nurturing outstanding students who achieve the highest national rankings and new heights of success.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, as well as the Ruler of Dubai, sent sincere congratulations on July 11 to the top students of the country's high schools, acknowledging their hard work and academic excellence.
In his social media message, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum congratulated the top graduates of the national General Secondary Education Certificate, naming Abir, Adam, Hessa, Ali, Abdullah, Rashid, Sheikha, and Mariam among them.
He expressed pride in all the awardees, stating that he is confident they will become part of building the future of the Emirates. Sheikh Mohammed emphasized that the country will continue to create the best environment for personal empowerment, and education will remain a vital national project, with children being 'our winning bet in the present and future.'
The Ruler of Dubai also addressed his congratulations to parents for their support and encouragement. He mentioned families who 'stayed up late, closely monitored, and provided support.' Furthermore, Sheikh Mohammed thanked the teachers who instilled in the students a love for knowledge and diligence.
The article also presents a list of top students across various categories, including public education, elite track, advanced track, general track, private education, as well as applied technology and science educational fields.
