Riyadh: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Assistant Director-General for Education Stefania Giannini officially announced the "Global Award for Quality and Excellence in Education" (GAQEE) on International Day of Education 2026. Valued at $1 million, the award is described as one of the strategic programs of the UNESCO Regional Center for Quality and Excellence in Education (RCQE) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The announcement was made in the presence of UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany and several international leaders.
According to Saudi Press Agency, RCQE expressed its sincere thanks and appreciation to UNESCO for its continued support and constructive cooperation, commending the effective role this collaboration has played in strengthening qualitative initiatives to advance the quality of education globally.
In her remarks, Giannini praised the significant efforts undertaken by the Kingdom and the distinguished pioneering programs and projects delivered by RCQE. She also lauded the Kingdom's hosting of RCQE and its strategic support in funding and institutional enablement, considering this a decisive factor in ensuring the sustainability of qualitative initiatives, foremost among them this global award.