AI Literacy Initiative In Dubai Private Schools Led By DP World Foundation And MIT RAISE

A new education partnership between DP World Foundation, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, and MIT’s Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education is launching a long-term AI literacy programme for Dubai private schools, aiming to build responsible AI skills among students and teachers through structured modules and training running until February 2030.

The collaboration focuses on students in Grades 6–8, also known as Years 7-9, and aims to reach about 80,500 learners and some 3,600 teachers. The roll-out follows phases, starting with co-design work alongside selected schools, classroom pilots, and early training, before expansion across Dubai’s wider private school system.

The AI literacy programme places short, practical lessons inside six school subjects: Math, Science, Computing, Art, English, and Arabic. Students are expected to explore how AI systems operate, assess AI-generated outputs, and use AI tools carefully in daily class tasks, supporting deeper understanding and helping teachers integrate AI concepts into routine lessons.

Teacher development sits at the centre of the design. Educators will gain classroom-ready materials, structured professional development, and guidance for implementation, supported by a curated online portal of AI tools that suit learning needs. These tools are intended for supervised use, with clear stress on age-appropriate access, responsible practice, and safe experimentation in lessons.

Professor Cynthia Breazeal, Director, MIT RAISE, said, "MIT RAISE’s mission is to expand access to AI literacy for all learners. This programme builds on what we’ve learned around the world and adapts it to Dubai’s context — supporting responsible practice, building local capacity, and giving students the confidence to engage with AI in meaningful ways."

The wider programme has two main components that serve different student groups. The first targets AI literacy for Dubai private schools in Grades 6–8, with cross-subject material, teacher development, and assessments. The second offers a FutureBuilders-style AI enrichment track during school breaks for high school students, based on MIT’s Future Makers/Builders model.

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The enrichment course combines four weeks online with one week in person. It includes mentorship, team capstone projects, and entrepreneurial pitch-style presentations. Each edition is planned to serve between 40 and 100 students. Participants receive completion certificates and formative evaluation to track learning progress and judge programme design quality.

AI literacy and Dubai private schools economic agenda

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO, DP World, said, "AI will shape every industry, and every job. Dubai’s long-term competitiveness depends on talent, and that starts in the classroom. Supporting this programme is about giving young people in Dubai the practical skills to understand AI, question it and use it responsibly — and giving teachers the tools and training to bring that learning into everyday lessons at scale."

Aisha Miran, Director General of KHDA, said, "The collaboration with DP World and MIT RAISE reflects Dubai’s Education 33 vision and the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), which place future-ready skills, talent development and innovation at the heart of our growth. By embedding AI literacy across everyday learning, we are preparing students not just to use emerging technologies, but to think critically, act responsibly and contribute confidently to a fast-evolving economy. At the same time, we are supporting teachers with the tools, training and confidence they need to lead learning in an AI-enabled world."

The partners intend that, by February 2030, Dubai’s private schools will have embedded AI literacy into regular teaching across subjects, backed by trained educators, tested resources, and monitored tools. The long-term effort supports Dubai’s skills and economic strategies, while giving students structured, responsible exposure to AI systems during key middle and high school years.

With inputs from WAM