This award plays an important role in promoting female students into leadership roles, says executive vice-president at GEMS Education
Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Award for Excellence has played an important role in promoting female students into leadership roles and helping them achieve greater heights in the future, a senior GEMS Education official said.
Addressing the annual award ceremony at GEMS Winchester School Dubai on Tuesday, Ranju Anand, executive vice-president at GEMS Education, paid tribute to Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak’s vision of fostering leadership and supporting the active role of women in society.
She noted that the award, introduced in 2005, recognises female students across GEMS schools for outstanding academic performance, leadership and community commitment and provides scholarships to help nurture future leaders.
“Today is a very special day. Each year, we present this excellence award to female students to encourage and elevate them into leadership roles across various sectors, particularly sports, education and social development,” she said.
This year, 11 students were selected from GEMS schools across the UAE for their exceptional academic results, leadership qualities and meaningful contributions to social, environmental and global citizenship initiatives.
The award-winning students expressed their excitement saying that recognising young learners for academic and co-curricular excellence is both inspirational and motivating. “GEMS provides an extremely important platform that empowers female students and recognises their skills,” they said.
Dino Varkey, Group CEO, GEMS Education
Benchmark for excellence
Dino Varkey, Group CEO, GEMS Education, said the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Award is a powerful reminder that education is about more than academic results. “By recognising young women who excel in learning while also contributing to their communities, embracing innovation and sustainability, and upholding the UAE’s values and cultural heritage, the award encourages students to go further in how they think, act, and lead. It sets a clear benchmark for excellence rooted in character and purpose, inspiring students to use their education as a force for positive change, both within their schools and in the wider society,” Varkey told Khaleej Times.
Carl Roberts, Executive Principal, CEO of The Westminster School, Dubai, and Brand Ambassador for Westminster Schools, and Hareem Rizvi with Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Award for Excellence.
Hareem Rizvi, an outstanding student from The Westminster School Dubai, vowed to maintain her excellence in the years ahead. “It is a proud moment for me, family and the school and I finally captured the prize,” she said.
“I threw my hat in the ring twice for this award over the past two years but couldn’t quite cross the finish line. I never gave up and now I hold the crowning jewel of excellence in the education sector. Be persistent, never give up and always try something new,” Hareem told Khaleej Times.
Another award recipient, Ebunoluwa Hannah Atinuke Adelani from GEMS Winchester School, Abu Dhabi, said she was thrilled and credited her parents and teachers for helping her reach this milestone.
“I’m happy and absolutely thrilled. I genuinely thank my parents and teachers, who have been my guiding stars on this journey to achieving such an important milestone,” she told Khaleej Times.
Manju Anand, Executive Vice-President at GEMS Education, giving Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Award for Excellence to Ebunoluwa Hannah Atinuke Adelani.
To a question about how the GEMS will further improve the Sheikha Fatima Award, Varkey said: “Our focus is on evolving the Sheikha Fatima Award into a platform that continues to reflect the ambitions of the UAE and the changing nature of education. Going forward, we aim to deepen the award’s emphasis on innovation, sustainability, and social impact, while strengthening the consistency and transparency of the selection process across our schools.”
“A key priority is to further empower girls by recognising their achievements, leadership potential, and contributions as future changemakers. We also see value in creating stronger networks among award recipients, allowing them to learn from one another, share ideas, and grow as a community of young leaders who embody excellence, purpose, and responsibility,” he said.
Promoting future-ready skills
“We are committed to supporting award recipients as they progress into higher education pathways that align with the UAE’s vision for future-ready skills, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence, technology, and innovation. This includes early academic guidance, exposure to emerging fields, and access to learning opportunities that build strong foundations in critical thinking, digital literacy, and ethical leadership,” Varkey said.
He said special attention is given to encouraging and supporting girls to pursue advanced studies and careers in AI, technology, and other specialised fields where their leadership and participation are vital to the UAE future.
“By nurturing curiosity and capability from an early stage, we aim to empower these students to pursue specialised disciplines that contribute meaningfully to national priorities and long-term economic development,” Varkey said.
Earlier, Matthew James Lecuyer, principal and CEO of GEMS Winchester School Dubai, delivered the welcome address and congratulated the winners. The school’s head boy, Yousuf Aly Mohamed, and head girl, Niharika Arvind, co-hosted the event.
Nominated by their schools for academic excellence, social responsibility and commitment to global citizenship, each award winner received a scholarship covering one year’s tuition fee at their respective school.
Award winners for 2025-26
1. Hareem Rizvi, The Westminster School, Dubai
2. Basmah Hamad Amer Salem Alzarei, GEMS Cambridge International School, Abu Dhabi
3. Leen Nael Abdel Latif Suleiman, GEMS Westminster School, Sharjah
4. Riffa Mehnaz Ziaul Rahman, The Cambridge High School, Abu Dhabi
5. Sowmyaraju Iyer, GEMS Winchester School, Dubai
6. Nour Ahmed Mahmoud Helal Mosaad, GEMS Cambridge International Private School, Sharjah
7. Maha Gul, GEMS Winchester Private School, Fujairah
8. Joshika Jain, The Winchester School, Jebel Ali
9. Ebunoluwa Hannah Atinuke Adelani, GEMS Winchester School, Abu Dhabi
10. Soha Abdulla, GEMS Cambridge International School, Dubai
11. Sangaynangsal Tamang, GEMS Winchester School, Ras Al Khaimah
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