Inside the Middle East’s International Schools: Resilience, Regulation and What Comes Next
An ISC Research breakfast session at GESS Dubai
Wednesday 11 November 2026 | 8:30–9:45 GST | Leaders in Education conference room
The Middle East is home to almost 2,500 international schools and more than 2 million students, and the market is still growing. But 2026 has changed how schools operate. Regional disruption, widening regulation, a shift towards local and regional families, and fierce competition for experienced teachers have all reshaped priorities.
Join Danielle Fanton, Head of Commercial Sales, for the latest market intelligence from ISC Research, followed by a conversation with panel of school leaders and experts on what’s really happening inside their schools, and where budgets are going next.
What you’ll take away
- Where growth is coming from across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the wider region, and where the next wave of schools and brands is heading
- How schools responded to 2026’s challenges, from enrolment to procurement and capital projects
- What new regulation means for schools, including fee freezes, Arabic requirements, nationalisation and digital safety
- How school leaders are approaching AI, children’s digital safety, staffing, wellbeing and investment
- How schools find, evaluate and choose new solutions, and what suppliers most often get wrong
Who should attend
Education suppliers, investors and school operators who want a clear view of schools’ current priorities, where budgets are being allocated and where the biggest opportunities lie.
Session outline
The session opens with breakfast and the latest market intelligence from ISC Research, covering the region at a glance, who schools now serve, how schools weathered 2026, widening regulation and where growth is going next.
A panel of school leaders then shares what’s happening inside their schools, from AI and digital safety to changing families, fees and investment, staffing, and how they choose new solutions. We’ll close with audience Q&A.
Speakers
Panellists to be announced.
Attendee offer
Everyone who attends will receive an exclusive 10% discount code for previously published ISC Research reports, shared during the session. The code is single use and valid for one month after GESS Dubai.
Visit us at stand M22
Can’t make breakfast, or want to continue the conversation? Find the ISC Research team at stand M22 throughout GESS Dubai.
