The 17th edition of GESS Dubai marked a remarkable milestone, featuring over 300 brands from more than 30 countries and the largest startup pavilion in the event’s history. This year’s event showcased a diverse range of innovations in education and served as a vital hub for industry leaders. The event also honoured exceptional educators and institutions with the prestigious GESS Awards, celebrating excellence and inspiring progress in education.
This year also highlighted significant collaborations in the education sector. HP and Skyline University signed an MOU to bring the HP Gaming Garage and HP Creator’s Garage programs to the university, enabling students to develop essential digital, design, and programming skills. Similarly, Schoolvoice partnered with Klickit, a leader in digital payment solutions, to offer efficient and enhanced payment options for schools and parents across KSA and the UAE, showcasing a commitment to seamless education administration.
Building on the success and momentum of this year’s event, GESS Dubai will return from 11 to 13 November 2025, promising another exciting year of growth and collaboration. Looking ahead, education professionals can also anticipate the inaugural GESS Saudi Arabia, scheduled for Monday, 26 to Wednesday, 28 May 2025, at Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh. This premier event will offer educators in the kingdom unparalleled access to innovative products and solutions designed to meet the evolving needs of today’s classrooms, empowering them to transform the learning experience for students. Accompanying the exhibition is a dynamic, free-to-attend conference program featuring three days of inspirational and innovative content, including seminars, live case studies, workshops, and panel discussions.
GESS Awards Winners Unveiled
This year, alongside the exhibition and conferences, GESS Dubai hosted a prestigious gala to celebrate excellence in education. The event recognized top educational products, services, and outstanding individuals. The GESS Awards highlighted the achievements of exceptional institutions and educators, promoting the advancement of quality in the sector. These awards aim to become a hallmark of excellence, inspiring further innovation and improvement within the education community.
The awards are divided into two sections – Teachers, Schools and Education Professionals; and the second for Suppliers and/or Distributors. The category winners ranging from over 900+ entries and 60 countries are:
Teachers, Schools and Education Professionals:
The Lifetime Achievement Award – Kevin Stedman (BEd, Hons, London; M.A, Sussex; FRSA)
Judges Commendation Award – Alan Smith – Jebel Ali School and Achille Kalinda – Green Hills Academy, Rwanda
Best Use of Digital Learning in the Classroom – Debra Gray – Hull College
Best Use of STEAM Learning in the Classroom – Smita Dhanke-Mayoor Private School
Ambassador for the Environment – Asha Alexander – GEMS Legacy School Dubai
Community Award for Citizenship – Lara Tseng – Small School Support Project
Innovation in Education – Ken Nee Chee – Sultan Idris Education University
Best Initiative to Promote Inclusivity – Selim Keçeli – Selim Keçeli Academy and Shamaila Nawaz-Small Steps Learning Difficulties Centre
Best Wellbeing Initiative for Students or Staff – Kathryn King – GEMS Founders Schools Dubai
Positive Change in Education – Kamil Majeed – Nordic International School Lahore, Pakistan and Shaikhah Alzeyoudi – Empowering Emirati Girls – ESE
Outstanding Contribution in Education – Gavin McCormack
Suppliers and/or Distributors:
Judges Commendation Award – HP Middle East and Interact x Spinneys
Start Up Company of the Year – 8billionideas
Best CSR Programme for Education – Voices of Future Generations
Early Years Resource/Equipment Supplier of the Year – TTS / RM Educational Resources
Primary Resource/Equipment Supplier of the Year – White Rose Education
Secondary Resource/Equipment Supplier of the Year – Interactive Charts of Natural Sciences (ICONS) / Learnetic
Higher Education Resource/Equipment Supplier of the Year – Oracle Academy
SEN and Inclusive Resource/Equipment Supplier of the Year – Incluzun
Best Free App/Software/Resource – Squirrel Education
Best Paid for App/Software/Resource – PowerSchool
Best Digital Educational Resource/Product – Quizizz Inc.
Best XR/VR/AI Product – Knowledge Hub – AutoAuto
Best Product to Promote STEM/Robotics/Coding – STEM PUNKS
Best Product to Promote Wellbeing – Lightspeed Systems
Best Product to Promote Arts, Music or Drama in the Classroom – StuDIYo Lab
Best Sustainable/Eco-Friendly Product – Oxford International Curriculum for Sustainability / Oxford University Press
Throughout GESS Dubai, key exhibitors and speakers shared their insights, highlighting the transformative impact of technology and innovation on education.
HP Gaming Garage, the founding sponsor of the new feature Gaming@GESS, emphasized the potential of Scholastic Gaming: “We’re excited to be part of this amazing educational community and show how Scholastic Gaming can make learning design and coding skills more fun and engaging for students, and GESS has helped us enable that goal.”
Anusree M, Marketing Specialist from Avientek, the largest exhibitor, mentioned: “Our goal is to make learning simpler and more engaging for everyone. By leveraging AI, we’re dedicated to delivering tools that empower students to connect with their education in innovative, exciting ways, ensuring that learning becomes more accessible to all.”
Dr. Thenyan Al Obikan from Our Education Learning Solutions, the largest Saudi Arabian exhibitor, shared their experience, stating, “Attending GESS Dubai has been an inspiring experience for Our Education. We’re excited to connect with education leaders who share our passion for transforming learning through innovation. Our solutions aim to empower educational institutions to achieve new levels of growth and engagement. The future of education truly starts here.”
One of the keynote speaker Gavin McCormack also reflected on the progress and potential within the field: “One of the fundamental aspects of educational innovation is our need to connect. We are a connected species after all and deep learning only occurs when we promote and cultivate this skill. And if I had to use one word to describe this years experience at GESS 2024 it would be exactly that- connection.”
