Partner school leaders, UK Awarding Body representatives and key stakeholders gathered at the Red Sea for the Annual Strategic Educational Summit 2026, reaffirming British Council’s role as Egypt’s most trusted partner in educational excellence
Egypt – June 2026: British Council Egypt brought together more than 225 leaders from Partner Schools across Egypt, representatives from all three UK Awarding Bodies operating in Egypt, and key education stakeholders in Hurghada, from 19–20 June 2026, with a pre-conference on 18 June, for the British Council Egypt Partner Schools Strategic Educational Summit 2026, the country’s most significant annual convening of school leaders focused on purposeful, practical educational leadership.
Under the theme, ‘From SMART Thinking to SMART Action: Leading Schools with Purpose and Impact,’ the two-day summit drew principals, school owners, academic directors, heads of department, IGCSE coordinators and education leaders.
As the largest annual gathering of the British Council Partner Schools community in Egypt, the Summit provided a platform for collaborative leadership, school leaders to exchange ideas, strengthen partnerships and explore practical solutions to some of the most pressing opportunities and challenges facing education today. In 2025, British Council Partner Schools supported more than 50,000 learners. The event forms part of the British Council’s global Partner Schools network, which works with more than 2,000 schools worldwide, supports over 100,000 teachers and reaches approximately one million learners annually. In Egypt, the network continues to play an increasingly important role in supporting school improvement, leadership development, professional learning and access to internationally recognised qualifications.
At a time when schools are navigating rapid technological change, evolving learner expectations and growing demands for educational quality, inclusion and future-readiness, the Summit focused on one central challenge: how can school leaders move beyond strategic ambition and drive measurable impact within their schools and classrooms?
Across keynote sessions, leadership dialogues, peer-learning workshops and collaborative discussions, participants explored evidence-based approaches to leadership, safeguarding, inclusion, SEND provision, learner wellbeing and school improvement, leaving with practical strategies to implement in the 2026–27 academic year.
A platform for purposeful leadership
The Summit opened with a clear call to action: that ambition without implementation remains aspiration, and that effective leadership is essential to creating meaningful and lasting change for learners. Through plenary discussions, interactive workshops and structured leadership exchanges, delegates gained access to expertise from across the wider education ecosystem, creating opportunities to learn from one another, challenge assumptions and identify practical solutions that can be applied within their own school communities.
Reflecting on the significance of the Summit and the power of educational partnerships to drive long-term change, Chris Mathews, Managing Director, English & Exams, British Council, said: ‘Egypt is one of our most important education markets, and the scale of what the team brought together in Hurghada speaks for itself. Bringing together 225+ school participants, UK Awarding Body representatives and key stakeholders demonstrates the power of partnership in action. I’m proud of what the British Council Egypt team has achieved and confident the conversations started here will have a lasting impact on schools across the country.’
Emphasising the transformative role of school leadership in shaping learner outcomes and strengthening education systems, Mark Howard, Country Director, British Council, Egypt, added: “Egypt’s Partner Schools are not waiting for the future of education to arrive; they are building it. This Summit is where conviction meets collaboration. Every conversation here, every commitment made across these two days, has a direct line to a student walking through a school gate next September with greater confidence, stronger skills and more possibility ahead of them. British Council is proud to stand alongside Egypt’s school leaders as a trusted partner, not just for this week, but throughout the year.”
Underscoring the direct link between effective leadership and educational quality, Ammar Ahmed, Director Exams Egypt, British Council, said: “What we consistently see across our Partner Schools network is that the quality of leadership shapes the quality of learning. This Summit exists to invest in that leadership, giving principals and school directors the opportunity to think clearly, collaborate openly and leave with actions that are both ambitious and achievable. The impact of those actions will ultimately be felt by hundreds of thousands of learners.”
Dr Manar El Amrawy, CEO and School Principal, New El Quds International School, said: “What makes this Summit unique is its focus on practical action. We leave not only inspired, but equipped with ideas, strategies and partnerships that we can take back to our schools immediately. The value lies in learning from peers who face similar challenges and share the same commitment to educational excellence.”
Celebrating excellence across the partner schools network
The Summit also recognised schools demonstrating outstanding progress in inclusion, SEND support, safeguarding and learner outcomes through the annual Partner Schools Awards.
The awards celebrated the educators and leadership teams who continue to raise standards, create inclusive learning environments and make a tangible difference in the lives of learners across Egypt.
Alongside the awards programme, engagement with UK Awarding Body representatives and strategic partners reinforced the strength of the collaborative ecosystem supporting schools throughout the year.
Building a community of practice
Beyond the exchange of ideas, the Summit reinforced the value of the British Council Partner Schools network as a community of practice, creating opportunities for school leaders to learn from one another, share successful approaches and build lasting professional relationships.
The conversations initiated in Hurghada will continue long after the event through ongoing collaboration, professional development opportunities and year-round engagement across the Partner Schools community.
A shared commitment to educational excellence
As schools prepare for the 2026–27 academic year, the Summit served not only as a forum for discussion, but as a catalyst for action, equipping education leaders with the insight, partnerships and practical tools needed to drive meaningful change in classrooms across Egypt.
By bringing together school leaders, education partners and stakeholders around a shared vision for educational excellence, the British Council continues to strengthen its role as a trusted partner to schools and a leading contributor to the development of education in Egypt.
