Leading UAE developer Jubail Island Investment Company (JIIC) has joined hands with Spaces Investment & Real Estate Development (Spaces) to open a school within its masterplanned Jubail Island development in Abu Dhabi, in agreement with Gordonstoun International.

 

A co-educational school for both boarding and day students in Moray, Scotland, Gordonstoun is one of the world’s top independent schools that caters for students aged four to 18. 

 

It has served as the leading global institution in character education for over 80 years and is also the birthplace of the prestigious Duke of Edinburgh Award. Following the English GCSE and A Level curriculum, Gordonstoun teaches students resilience and confidence in the face of challenges.

 

This collaboration will see Gordonstoun School grant JIIC and Spaces the exclusive regional right to license the 'Gordonstoun School' name, trademarks, curriculum, and know-how in the development of the school. 

 

The school will comply with Gordonstoun’s high standards and reputation, bringing an enhanced sense of excellence and distinction to the region’s already-impressive educational offerings, stated the developer.

 

The agreement was signed by Mounir Haidar, the Managing Director of JIIC, Fahad AlBlooshi, the Chairman of Spaces, and David White, the Gordonstoun Chair of Governors and Chair of Gordonstoun International at in Scotland, United Kingdom, at a special event held in Abu Dhabi.

 

It was also attended by Engineer Abdulla Saeed Al Shamsi – Operations Corporate Director at JIIC, Ali Yassin – Chief Finance Officer at JIIC, Feras Abu Ibrahim – CEO of Spaces, Lisa Kerr – Principal of Gordonstoun, Pamela Muir - CEO of Gordonstoun International, Ralph Tabberer - Gordonstoun International Director and Jon Longdon - Gordonstoun International Director.

 

Jubail Island’s Gordonstoun School will be aligned with the student experience offered by the institution in Scotland, and will aim to combine Gordonstoun’s emphasis on leadership, challenge, and service with opportunities for students to engage with UAE culture and tradition. It is expected to welcome students in September 2026. 

 

On the deal, Haidar said: "The opening of Gordonstoun School in Jubail Island will see the iconic destination elevated even further, propelled by Gordonstoun’s prestigious global reputation and unique educational ethos."

 

"Once functional, the school will serve as a world-class institution for students throughout the region and will underscore Abu Dhabi’s leading status as an exclusive hub for living and learning," he added.

 

AlBlooshi said: "Partnering with JIIC and Gordonstoun on the launch of the first Gordonstoun School in the region is an incredible opportunity that will see the foundations laid for a new kind of education."

 

"Gordonstoun’s specialised approach to value-based education, which teaches students hands-on skills and supports with positive character building, is in alignment with UAE values and culture, which aim to encourage independence, perseverance, and discipline. We’re excited to debut the school in Jubail Island and look forward to the ways in which it will continue to shape the future generations of the UAE," he added.

 

White said the agreement was a big step towards making a Gordonstoun education more widely available to students in the region.

 

"We are delighted to open up this unique form of learning to other parts of the world. We hope it will be the first of many similar ventures in the future," he added.-TradeArabia News Service