Arbor School, Dubai, has been named the winner of the World’s Best School Prize for Environmental Action 2025. This achievement saw the school rise above 10 shortlisted schools worldwide, ultimately securing the top honor from an initial pool of thousands of entries.

This victory is especially important for the UAE, as Arbor School is the first UAE school to ever take a World’s Best School title. This accomplishment, awarded by T4 Education through their World’s Best School Prizes, which celebrate schools for their extraordinary impact in transforming lives and communities, cements Arbor’s status as a pioneer in sustainability and ecoliteracy education.

Arbor School’s educational philosophy centers on giving students the tools to become changemakers in a rapidly evolving world. It achieves this by integrating the British National Curriculum with a unique ecoliteracy programme for students ranging from Foundation Stage to Secondary.

The curriculum is supported by three pillars of sustainability-driven education:

1. Immersive Learning Environments

The school's physical infrastructure serves as a practical, hands-on learning laboratory. This includes a 'living campus' featuring biodomes, regenerative gardens, and native habitat areas.

2. Specialised Expertise and Collaboration

A dedicated department leads the focus on ecological and environmental education. Here, students engage in collaborative learning with "sustainability, science and systems thinking experts to tackle real-world challenges."

3. Integrated Action and Empowerment

Sustainability is deeply interwoven throughout the student experience via student-led action in:

These combined initiatives empower students to understand and address critical global concerns, including food systems, climate adaptation, and ecological resilience, making Arbor a beacon for sustainability in education in the UAE and beyond.

This prestigious global award reinforces the UAE’s commitment to its sustainability goals, aligning perfectly with the national vision established during the Year of Sustainability and the global momentum generated by hosting COP28. Arbor’s recognition serves as a testament to how UAE schools are innovating to shape future-ready learners equipped with the values and skills to lead global change.