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Dubai to open 26 new private education institutions in 2026-27, with nearly 17,000 seats
This includes seven new schools, 17 early childhood centres and two international universities, as Dubai’s private education sector records continued growth
- PUBLISHED: Tue 25 Aug 2026, 6:30 PM
Dubai is set to open 26 new private education institutions during the 2026-27 academic year, including seven schools that will add nearly 17,000 new seats, as the emirate continues to expand education options for families.
The new openings will also include 17 private early childhood centres (ECCs), adding more than 1,700 early-learning places, and two international higher education institutions.
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The expansion comes as Dubai’s private education sector recorded annual growth of 4.6 per cent across early childhood education, schools and higher education over the past three academic years.
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The growth comes despite the exceptional circumstances faced during the 2025-26 academic year, with continued investment from education providers and the arrival of internationally recognised institutions helping drive the sector forward.
New schools expand choice for Dubai families
For parents looking for school places, the seven new private schools will offer a mix of curricula, with four following the UK curriculum and three offering the International Baccalaureate.
The new schools include Dubai campuses of established British institutions such as Harrow International School Dubai, Queen Elizabeth’s School Dubai Sports City and Rugby School Dubai.
Over the past three years, Dubai’s private school sector has added 21 new schools, while enrolment has grown by 3.1 per cent.
KHDA Director General Aisha Miran said the continued expansion reflects the confidence families and education providers have in Dubai.
“The continued growth of Dubai's private education sector reflects the trust that learners, families, educators and investors place in Dubai as a destination for high-quality education. Every new early childhood centre, school and higher education institution expands opportunities for learners at every stage of their educational journey and contributes to our shared ambition to build one of the world's best education systems.”
The early-years sector is also expanding, with the 17 new ECCs offering curricula including the UK’s Early Years Foundation Stage, Montessori, Ontario, French and Indian programmes.
That growth adds to 87 new ECCs that have opened in Dubai over the past three years, alongside a 2.6 per cent rise in enrolment.
The overall expansion is also creating demand for teachers. The number of educators working in Dubai’s private education sector has increased by 17.5 per cent over the past three academic years, reinforcing the emirate’s growing appeal as a destination for education professionals.
Universities in Dubai to launch MBA programmes
Dubai’s expansion is also reaching higher education, with two globally recognised institutions set to strengthen university choices for students in the emirate.
Peking University HSBC Business School will launch its MBA and EMBA programmes in January 2027, while the American University of Beirut’s Dubai campus is due to open in September 2026.
Peking University HSBC Business School is ranked 47th globally in QS ratings, while the arrival of the two institutions adds to a higher education sector that has seen 11 new institutions open over the past three years and enrolment rise by 29 per cent.
Miran said the growth is being driven by a broader ambition to create an education system that gives learners more opportunities while supporting Dubai’s wider economic goals.
“Through the Education 33 Strategy, we are creating an education ecosystem that offers greater choice, nurtures talent, attracts world-class institutions, and equips learners with the knowledge, skills and values they need to thrive in the future, in line with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, and the emirate’s social and economic priorities.”
