King Charles III’s Alma Mater Gordonstoun is Set To Open in The UAE
The prestigious school – which was featured in The Crown – will open its doors in 2026
Gordonstoun is a renowned boarding and day school situated in Scotland with an impressive list of alumni, which includes His Majesty King Charles III.
Recently, the Jubail Island Investment Company (JIIC) and Spaces Investment and Real Estate Development (Spaces) signed an agreement with the school to launch it on Abu Dhabi’s Jubail Island. This agreement was signed very recently in September 2023, increasing the list of international boarding schools in the UAE.
King Charles’ Alma Mater Gordonstoun Set To Open in The UAE
Gordonstoun offers a great educational experiences from ages four to eighteen making it an ideal school to be brought to the region. The agreement signed will enable JIIC and Spaces to license the name of “Gordonstoun School”, trademarks, curriculum and know-how in developing the school all whilst maintaining its the level of quality.
Managing Director of JIIC, Mounir Haidar, Chairman of Spaces, Fahad AlBooshi, and David White Gordonstoun Chair of Governors, and Chair of Gordonstoun International Ltd at Gordonstoun Scotland were all who signed the agreement.
The Gordonstoun school in Abu Dhabi is scheduled to open in September 2026 bringing the Scottish schools experience to the UAE. The institution shall blend together their focus on leadership, challenge and service with opportunities for students to interact with UAE’s culture and tradition.
In Scotland, Gordonstoun has been one of the world’s leading global institutions in character education, with boarding and day students, for more than 80 years. It is also where the famed Duke of Edinburgh Award was first created and offers the English GCSE and A Level curriculum to its students also teaching them being confident and resilient throughout challenges they may encounter.
Jubail Island is a perfect destination for this prestigious school adding to Jubail Island’s leading destination reputation with the creation of residential communities as well. LEAD Real Estate Developer manages the island which is surrounded by nature and places great emphasis on luxury, sustainable living and wellness. Between Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island and Saadiyat Island this Island shall have a range of six residential estates.
“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,” Managing Director of JIIC, Mounir Haidar, said.
“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. We’re thrilled to be partnering with Gordonstoun and Spaces to bring this vision to life and look forward to welcoming students to Jubail Island’s Gordonstoun School in just a few years’ time.”
“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,” Chairman of Spaces, Fahad AlBooshi, said.
“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.”
“At Gordonstoun, we are world-leading in the education delivered to our students and it has always been our vision to make our unique approach more universal. This agreement is a big step towards making a Gordonstoun education more widely available to students in the region, and we are delighted to open up this unique form of learning to other parts of the world,” Chair of Governors and Chair of Gordonstoun International Ltd, David White, noted. “We hope it will be the first of many similar ventures in the future.”
For more information, visit gordonstoun.org.uk
Lead image courtesy of Instagram/@gordonstounschool