Hamdan–ALECSO Award Announces Winners For Distinguished Educational Research And Digital Innovations In Education 2025

The Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences, in collaboration with the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (ALECSO), has announced the winners of the 2025 Hamdan–ALECSO Award for Distinguished Educational Research and Digital Innovations in Education. This year, 116 educational research submissions from 13 Arab countries and 77 digital innovations from 11 countries were received, resulting in two winning research papers and three winning digital projects.

This cycle highlighted the extensive participation from Arab nations, showcasing a variety of research interests and emerging trends in digital education. The submissions reflected the region's growing scientific momentum, setting a foundation for selecting outstanding projects. Humaid Mohammed Al Qutami, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation, remarked that this announcement marks a significant step in advancing educational research and innovation across the Arab world.

The award has become a prominent platform for recognising distinguished researchers and innovators. It supports studies that contribute to developing educational policies, improving learning practices, and guiding future priorities. The strategic partnership between the Foundation and ALECSO aims to strengthen Arab knowledge production and empower researchers to propose innovative solutions to educational challenges.

The 2025 Hamdan–ALECSO Award for Distinguished Educational Research saw strong regional participation with 116 submissions from 13 Arab countries. Saudi Arabia led with 41 research papers, followed by Egypt with 16, Palestine with 13, and the UAE with 10. Other contributions came from Qatar, Jordan, Syria, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, Sudan, Bahrain, and Yemen.

Professor Mohamed Ould Amar, Director-General of ALECSO, stated that announcing the winning research represents an important scientific milestone. He noted that the award plays a crucial role in supporting Arab educational research and enhancing knowledge production quality. The award encourages researchers to produce innovative studies capable of informing educational policy development.

Digital Innovations in Education

The award for Digital Innovations in Education also witnessed strong regional participation with 77 innovations from 11 Arab countries. Algeria topped submissions with 21 innovations, followed by the UAE with 16. Other notable contributions came from Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Syria, Oman, and Qatar.

Following a rigorous evaluation process based on criteria such as innovation and educational impact, three winning innovations were selected. In the institutional category, Alef Pathways by Alef Education from the UAE won. In the individual category, Hind Abdullah Ali Al Ateeqi Al Junaibi's TAIA: Teaching AI Assistant from the UAE and Nouf bint Abdulaziz bin Muqbil Al-Jehani's Raseen Platform from Saudi Arabia were recognised.

Winning Research Papers

Two research papers stood out this year. The first paper titled "Concurrent and Longitudinal Predictions of Mathematics Anxiety" was authored by Prof. Dr Ahmed Mohamed Hamed Majriya and Prof. Dr Ahmed Abdulrahman Al Emadi. The second study titled "The Inflation of Illusory Competence" was authored by Assoc. Prof. Dr Magda El-Sayed Ali Bathish Al-Kushki.

These papers demonstrated strong scientific rigour and relevance to contemporary educational issues. They have significant potential to contribute to developing educational policies across Arab countries.

Both institutions remain committed to expanding these awards' impact while strengthening their role in developing education systems across the region. Winners will be honoured during the Conference of Arab Ministers of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Baghdad at December's end under ALECSO's auspices.

With inputs from WAM