UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development 2025-2026 ($300,000 prize)

Get latest opportunities in your email

---

Join Our Telegram Channel

About UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development

The Hamdan Foundation was established in 1998 by His Highness the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, former Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance of the United Arab Emirates. The Foundation supports educational excellence and the sponsorship of giftedness and innovation, to improve educational performance in all levels and sectors, honoring all groups and relevant authorities in the education sector as well as institutions and individuals contributing outstanding innovations and creations.

• Sponsor Organisation: UNESCO

Benefits of UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development

• The Prize awards US$ 300,000 (divided equally between three winners), who each also receive a certificate.
• In addition, laureates may benefit from increased visibility, networking opportunities, and international recognition. Laureated projects have demonstrated outstanding achievements in improving teaching practices and enhancing the quality of teaching and learning, including potential for adaptation and mutual policy or programmatic learning.

UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development Requirements

The following organizations, active in the field of teaching and learning, are eligible to apply:

• International or national organizations and institutions​
• Governmental or non-governmental organizations​
• Educational or research institutions

Projects by individuals are not eligible and will not be considered. In addition, candidate projects must be nominated to be eligible. Please refer to the sections “Who can nominate” and “How to nominate” for more information.

Selection Criteria 

The project submitted by candidate organizations shall have made a significant contribution to enhancing teaching and learning, in line with UNESCO’s principles and objectives in this field:

1. The project must have demonstrated innovation aimed at promoting the quality and effectiveness of teaching;
2. The project must be exemplary, with the potential to inspire other programmes, cultivate new ways of thinking and working, and/or be adapted to other contexts.​
3. The project must be ongoing for at least three years at the time of the application, so its results can be evaluated and its effectiveness verified.​
    

Who can nominate

Governments of UNESCO Member States via their National Commissions to UNESCO and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in official partnership with UNESCO are eligible to nominate candidate projects.

Each nominating body (i.e. each National Commission and each NGO in official partnership with UNESCO) can nominate up to 5 candidate projects. Self-nominations are not accepted.

Application Date and Process

Nominations are requested through a nomination form, in either of the following ways:

1. Candidates may contact the National Commission for UNESCO of their country or an NGO in official partnership with UNESCO to request a nomination form;
2. Nominating bodies may identify organizations with candidate projects and send them a nomination form.

The nomination form will be completed by the nominated body and uploaded by the candidate to the online application. To be eligible, the nomination form must comply with the Prize eligibility and selection requirements and be completed by the following Representatives:

• National Commissions: the nomination form is completed by the President or Secretary General of the National Commission.
• NGOs in official partnership with UNESCO: the nomination form is completed by the President or Director-General at headquarters. If the NGO has branches, the Head of the NGO branch may complete the nomination form; however, a communication confirming that the candidate nomination has been approved by the executive leadership at headquarters should be joined to the nomination form from the branch.

Nominated candidates are expected to complete and submit an account request form to access the full application form. Please refer to the section “How to apply” for more information.
 

How to Apply

To access the full online application form, candidates must first complete and submit an account request form. In doing so, candidates must comply with the Prize eligibility requirements.

• After the account request form is submitted, eligible candidates will receive a link via email to access and complete the full application form;
• Candidates complete their full application and upload the nomination form (from the nominating body) to the online platform;
• Candidates receive an email notification once they submit their application. Their respective nominating body also receives an automatic notification announcing the submission of the application;
• The application is received by the Prize Secretariat and the process is complete.

Please consult the User guide if you need further assistance or information about the application process.

In exceptional cases (e.g. where candidates do not have access to the Internet), nominating bodies can request access to the online application to submit the candidate nomination and application. In this case, the National Commission to UNESCO or the NGO in official partnership with UNESCO may contact the Prize Secretariat.

Application Deadline

31 October, 2025

Scholarship Application Portal

View details of UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development

Apply for UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development