The 16th edition of Global Educational Supplies and Solutions (GESS) Dubai, the Middle East’s most prominent education conference and exhibition, came to a triumphant close, hosting over 350+ brands and exhibitors, and featuring more than 180 speakers during its three-day event. GESS Dubai is set to return from 12 to 14 November 2024, as it continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of education in the region.
In addition to the exhibition and conferences featured at GESS Dubai, a gala ceremony was held to honour the exceptional quality and variety of educational products, resources, services, and individuals. This prestigious event also recognized outstanding educational institutions and dedicated educators. The GESS Awards serve the purpose of inspiring the elevation of standards in the education sector, aiming to become the widely acknowledged symbol of excellence in the industry.
The awards are divided into two sections – Teachers, Schools and Education Professionals; and the second for Suppliers and/or Distributors. The category winners ranging from over 900 entries and 60 countries are:
Teachers, Schools and Education Professionals:
- Best Wellbeing Initiative for Students or Staff: Kata Csuba – School of Humanity – Serbia.
- Ambassador for the Environment: Katy Munden Hays: BlinkNow Foundation – USA.
- Ambassador for the Environment: Noreen McGuckin: Safa British School – UAE.
- Mark Duncan Award for Educational Influencer of the Year: Thomas Blakemore – Primary Class Teacher – Kent College – UK.
- Community Award for Citizenship: Alicia Bandy – International Community School Singapore: Singapore.
- Innovation in Education Award – Category Sponsor: Education UAE Magazine: Krishnan Gopi – Advanced Neural Engine for Tomorrow (ANET) – GEMS Education – UAE.
- Positive Change in Education Award: Pranit Dharewa – Witty International School – India.
- Best Use of Digital Learning in the Classroom: John Maguire – The British School of Bahrain – Bahrain.
- Outstanding Contribution in Education Award – Category Sponsor: RAKEZ: Dr. Sreejit Chakrabarty – GEMS Dubai American Academy – UAE.
- Best use of STEAM Learning in the Classroom: Bhawna Sajnani – GEMS Legacy School – UAE.
- Best Initiative to Promote Inclusivity: Teju Sonuga – The Bridge Learning Center – UAE.
- Best Initiative to Promote Inclusivity: Eric Boadi Sampong – ATTA NE ATTA D/A BASIC SCHOOL – Ghana.
- Judges Commendation Award – Teachers, Schools and Educational Professionals: Daniele Manni – Istituto “Galilei-Costa” – Italy.
- Judges Commendation Award – Teachers, Schools and Educational Professionals: Jusinta Kwakyewaa – ST. FRANCIS SENIOR HIGH TECHNICAL SCHOOL – Ghana.
Suppliers and/or Distributors:
- Best CSR Programme for Education: Chicos.net – Argentina.
- Best CSR Programme for Education: Voices of Future Generations, delivered by Emirates Literature – UAE.
- Best Product to Promote Wellbeing: GL Education – UK.
- Best Digital Educational Resource/Product: classroom.cloud by NetSupport – UK.
- Primary Resource / Equipment Supplier of the Year: Monster Phonics LTD – UK.
- Secondary Resource / Equipment Supplier of the Year: The League of Extraordinary Minds 2.0 – Poland.
- Best Free App / Software Product/Resource: Amplify Education – USA.
- Best Product to Promote Arts, Music and Drama in the Classroom: Musical School International (featuring YuStudio, a purpose-built DAW for schools) – UK.
- SEN and Inclusive Resource / Equipment Supplier of the Year: Kinteract – UK.
- Early Years Resource / Equipment Supplier of the Year: International Early Years Curriculum – UK.
- Best Sustainable / Eco-Friendly Product: Kapes – UK.
- Best XR/VR/AI Product: Sandbox AR, Discovery Education Europe Ltd – UK.
- Best Paid for App / Software Product/Resource: Kahoot! – Norway.
- Higher Education Resource / Equipment Supplier of the Year: Snapplify – South Africa.
- Start Up Company of the Year: Earth Warriors Global – India.
- Best Product to Promote STEM/Robotics/Coding: Trusity – UAE.
- Best Product to Promote STEM/Robotics/Coding: LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Essential – USA.
- Judges Commendation Award – Supplier: Alef – UAE.
Exhibitors praised the event, affirming its continued role as a valuable platform for raising awareness about their products and services and connecting with influential industry decision-makers.
“This is our first time participating at GESS Dubai, and one aspect that stands out is our ability to directly connect with our clientele. In the business world, establishing connections with clients can be quite challenging, but GESS Dubai has provided the perfect environment for us to meet our clients face-to-face, present our ideas, and introduce our brand. The number of clients we’ve already met, both locally and internationally, is impressive. This platform has allowed us to reach clients in different regions like Qatar and the USA, including universities. It’s an opportunity to tap into new clientele that we didn’t even know existed.” Ashlin Ontong, Education Manager at Absolute Adventure.
Attendees expressed their pleasant astonishment at GESS Dubai exceeding their initial expectations. They emphasized how the conference not only provided them with inventive ideas and invaluable insights for leveraging digital technology in their classrooms and educational institutions but also made a substantial contribution to their professional advancement and growth.
“I’ve found this conference to be incredibly interesting and am looking forward to the future of education. It’s rewarding to see how we’ve come together after COVID and how much more powerful we’ve become compared to before. How we’re trying to put our thoughts together, and how everything is once again flourishing. It’s exciting to have this renewed mindset and focus on education for the future.” Dr Sarah Martinez Rebollo, Music Teacher at North London Collegiate School Jeju.
Featured speakers at GESS Dubai shared their appreciation about GESS Dubai, expressing their positive experience and the experience they gained from participating and speaking in this prestigious educational conference.
“The conference has been fantastic in many ways. I had the pleasure of being on stage a few times in the past but at GESS Dubai I was able to tackle a very diverse set of topics that I would not be able to touch upon in other platforms. I was on one panel on being a school leader in the Middle East, one about innovative schools and innovation for education, and then I gave a talk about the alchemy on spaces and education. It’s that rich,” Dr Steffen Sommer, Director General at Misk Schools.
Organized by Tarsus, GESS Dubai 2023 aimed to address the increasing demand for educational supplies and solutions driven by the growing number of international schools in the Middle East. With a record high of 2,068 international schools in the region and over 1.9 million students, GESS Dubai aims to equip educators with the tools and resources they need to meet the evolving needs of the education sector. The event highlights various themes and areas of emphasis, including sustainability, EdTech, wellbeing, and the transition from K-12 to higher education.
