Nord Anglia Schools empower young changemakers through sustainability education
Dubai, United Arab Emirates — Sustainability is a driving force behind Nord Anglia Education's (NAE) mission to empower students as global changemakers. Across its UAE schools, NAE integrates hands-on learning, innovative partnerships and community action to inspire students to think critically, act responsibly and address global challenges with confidence.
Through collaboration with world-leading organisations such as UNICEF, students at NAE schools explore the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and participate in initiatives like global challenges and community-driven sustainability projects. These efforts cultivate resilience, creativity and leadership skills, preparing students to make a lasting impact both locally and globally.
At Nord Anglia International School Dubai, the activation of solar panels across its campus marks a significant step towards reducing its carbon footprint while integrating sustainability into everyday school life. "This initiative not only mitigates our environmental impact but also inspires our students to take responsibility for shaping a sustainable future," says Matthew Farthing, Principal of NAS Dubai.
The Swiss International School Dubai (SISD) takes a holistic approach to sustainable education by integrating environmental education and promoting sustainability within its day-to-day teachings, with dedicated units across its IB curriculum focusing on topics such as biodiversity, climate change and sustainable development. Along with promoting eco-friendly practices within the school community, such as recycling programmes, planting and composting, SISD installed a solar panel car park last year which now provides nearly 30% of the school's energy requirements, for which the school won 'Solar Project of the Year' at the Middle East Solar Industry Association awards. 'Our Green Team students actively engage in a number of sustainability and green initiatives throughout the year and they mobilise the school community to support,' says Gullrukh Rafiq, Sustainability Co-ordinator at SISD. 'They've recycled books for our book sale, developed gardens at the school, worked with our uniform suppliers to create awareness around recycling uniforms and developed a giant water tap using recycled water bottles.'
NAS Abu Dhabi continuously integrates sustainability into its everyday school life, drawing inspiration from the UAE's vision for a sustainable future and collaborating with UNICEF and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Its sustainability blueprint is connected to the school's 6Cs, instilling compassion, creativity and critical thinking in its students, whilst nurturing the curiosity and confidence, allowing them to grow into responsible individuals who care for the planet. 'Beyond our classroom, our Eco and Sustainability Clubs give students a platform to discuss challenges, explore innovative ideas and create actionable solutions,' says Liam Cullinan, Principal at NAS Abu Dhabi. 'We also run community-wide initiatives, such as the Float Your Boat challenge and beach clean-ups, that bring our entire school community together to clean a stretch of coastline, showing students and the wider community the impact of collective efforts in real time.'
Building on the success of its One People, One Planet Days – in which Year 12 students championed the UN's Sustainable Development Goals – and its Year 4 Sustainability Conference, The British International School Abu Dhabi is further deepening its commitment to sustainability. Through different innovative projects and fundraising initiatives, BIS Abu Dhabi is empowering its students to actively shape a sustainable future through meaningful community engagement. Its new Eco Edventure outdoor learning space encourages hands-on engagement and invites students to explore sustainably, while its community garden enables pupils to grow edible plants, gaining vital, tangible practical experience in gardening and sustainable agriculture. 'These initiatives empower our students to actively shape a sustainable future for our school and beyond,' says Alan Cocker, Principal of BIS Abu Dhabi. 'Our next steps include integrating sustainability across our service providers, from transport to future school architectural designs.'
As Nord Anglia Education schools continue the drive to protect the planet and promote sustainable practices throughout 2025, its message reaches far beyond the school gates. NAE's vision is to instil a sense of purpose within both its pupils and the wider community, inspiring collective action towards building a brighter future, together.
Click here to learn more about enrolments and vacancies at Nord Anglia's schools in the UAE.
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