UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa Prize celebrates 20 years of advancing ICT in education
Manama, Oct. 9 (BNA): The UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa Prize for the Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Education was launched by the Kingdom of Bahrain in 2005, in partnership with UNESCO. The prize reflects the vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, who believes investing in knowledge is investing in people and the future, and highlights Bahrain as a global beacon of innovation in educational technology.
Established by UNESCO's Executive Board decision No. 56 during its 172nd session in 2005, the prize honours initiatives promoting e-learning worldwide. The award documents are prepared in UNESCO’s six official languages: Arabic, English, French, Spanish, Russian, and Chinese.
The prize recognises individuals, institutions, and NGOs implementing innovative projects that improve learning quality, teaching methods, and share best educational practices, aligning with UNESCO’s strategic goals and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 4 on quality education. It also aims to reduce the digital divide and expand educational opportunities for marginalised groups to ensure education as a universal right.
Over two decades since it’s launch, 34 innovative projects from 21 countries have been honoured. Each year, two winners are selected by an international jury of five experts, approved by UNESCO’s Director-General, and receive financial awards shared equally. The prize has become a leading global platform recognising outstanding ICT initiatives to advance education, emphasising Bahrain’s pivotal role as a primary UNESCO partner in promoting responsible, sustainable digital education, preserving cultural and linguistic diversity, fostering innovation, and enabling the exchange of expertise and best practices among countries.
This prize uniquely focuses on ICT in education, a rapidly evolving field affecting all aspects of life. Its philosophy links education and technology functionally to enhance teaching quality and make education responsive to the demands of the digital age.
The 2025 edition’s theme is "Preparing learners and teachers for the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence". Four winners were honoured at a ceremony hosted in Bahrain for the first time outside UNESCO headquarters in Paris, marking the prize’s 20th anniversary.
The award targets three categories: innovative individuals in e-learning, educational and research institutions, and NGOs or other educational entities. It focuses on projects using integrated modern technology solutions, including overcoming infrastructure challenges, reducing education costs, innovations in online learning, smart learning management systems, machine translation, big data, and imaging technology.
The prize is a landmark in international education, recognising creativity and innovation in technology use to modernise education. It highlights Bahrain’s educational leadership, global cooperation, and active partnership with UNESCO in promoting sustainable, inclusive education and pedagogical innovation worldwide. It also highlights Bahrain’s global standing in education and culture by showcasing exemplary digital education practices.
Over twenty years, this prize has become a symbol of global excellence in digital education and an inspiration to thousands of scholars, researchers, and educators worldwide who compete annually to present projects embodying the spirit of innovation envisioned by His Majesty as the foundation for Bahrain’s and the world’s educational progress.
