Dubai Expands Education Sector with 25 New Institutions and 14,000 Seats for 2025–26 

Key Highlights :

25 new private schools are opening in Dubai for 2025-26 offering more than 14,000 seats.

Includes 16 ECCs, six schools, and three universities offering education in multiple curricula and internationally ranked institutions.

Key Background :

Dubai’s education sector continues to experience strong growth, supported by rising demand from its diverse population and sustained investor confidence. The latest announcement by KHDA confirms the opening of 25 new educational institutions in the 2025–2026 academic year, marking one of the most significant expansions in recent years.

From the early childhood, 16 new early childhood centres will offer more than 2,400 early childhood spaces. Most of them will use the UK's Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), a world-approved learning program that delivers whole child development to learning through play. Other alternatives such as Montessori, Creative Curriculum, and Maple Bear will be made available in a bid to offer families options, thus making Dubai a city that offers plenty of options for families.

The six new schools will expand capacity for primary and secondary learners. Five of these schools will follow the UK curriculum, continuing its strong demand in the emirate, while the Lycée Français International School will provide a French-language option in Mudon. The availability of different curricula not only supports Dubai’s multicultural population but also enhances the city’s appeal for expatriate families considering relocation.

Opening three flagship universities is a higher education record. A globally ranked business school, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA), is opening its first campus outside India in Dubai. The American University of Beirut (AUB), the highest ranked Middle East university in the Arab region, will also add academic diversity, with Fakeeh College for Medical Sciences adding to the increased emphasis in Dubai on the study of medicine. All these additions are targeted to make the emirate a global higher education hub as it was meant to be.

KHDA Director General Aisha Miran revealed that the boom is a clear indication of investors' trust in the Dubai education sector. According to her, the move also supports the Education 33 Strategy (E33), which aims at offering quality education to every student at every level. The new schools that are entering some communities should also introduce innovation, enhance the future of the students, and make socio-economic contributions towards the city.

Due to this expansion, the Dubai private education system will be increased to 331 early childhood centers, 233 private schools, and 44 higher education establishments. The increase introduces the potential for alternative education models, curricula, and international requirements allowing Dubai to remain capable of adapting to the changing needs of its diverse population as well as fulfilling its position as a higher-ranked educational center.

About the Author

Mia Jones

Mia Jones is a Managing Editor at Education Excellence Magazine.