The UK's prestigious Harrow School will open an international campus in Abu Dhabi next year, which will be the emirate's first boarding school.
The 453-year-old institution, which has alumni including royalty and world leaders such as Winston Churchill and Jawaharlal Nehru, will be based on Saadiyat Island and cater for 1,800 pupils.
Harrow International School Abu Dhabi is set to open its doors in the middle of next year, with enrolment beginning in October.
No details on tuition fees have been released, but the school is being labelled 'super premium'.
The flagship school will be the first international Harrow branch in the Middle East and will be operated by UAE education provider Taaleem.
Taaleem acquired the rights to own and operate Harrow International Schools across the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait in a deal confirmed last year.
“The launch of Harrow International School Abu Dhabi, the first Harrow International School in the GCC, marks our strategic expansion into the super-premium education sector," said Khalid Al Tayer, chairman of Taaleem.
Edward Hobart, British Ambassador to the UAE, said the school will be primed to mould the next generation of leaders.
"The opening of Harrow International School in the UAE is a testament to the strong educational ties between the UK and the UAE and our shared aspiration for academic excellence," Mr Hobart said.
"As the alma mater of Winston Churchill, Harrow has a legacy of building character and educating leaders. By establishing this school, Abu Dhabi will benefit from the finest traditions of British education which should help to shape the next generation of the UAE’s leaders. This exposure to Emirati and British influence will inspire students to reach their full potential and contribute to a brighter future.”
The announcement was made on Wednesday following approval from the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) and the signing of a land lease agreement for a plot on Saadiyat Island.
The launch is being hailed as a milestone for Abu Dhabi Investment Office's Musataha programme, which allows UAE national investors to develop long-term infrastructure projects on public land.
The opening of the school aims to support the development of the UAE's expanding education sector and "attract high-net-worth individuals", Taaleem said.
Elite education
The school will be built on a 70,000 square metre plot and will initially cater to students from early years to Year 6, with gradual expansion through the higher years.
An ‘Expression of Interest’ process for families and students will open shortly and will be followed by the opening of enrolments in October 2025.
The school will offer a British curriculum and provide extensive co-curricular programmes to the UAE, Taaleem said.
"Class sizes will be optimised to ensure personalised attention, with a focus on academic rigour and holistic development," the school group stated.
UAE players with central contracts
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
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Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
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Martin Sabbagh profile
Job: CEO JCDecaux Middle East
In the role: Since January 2015
Lives: In the UAE
Background: M&A, investment banking
Studied: Corporate finance
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