Khalifa Foundation grants $12.8 million to support Indonesia’s education sector

DUBAI, 5th February, 2026 (WAM) — With a grant totalling US$12.8 million, the UAE is supporting the education sector in Indonesia through a strategic collaboration with McGill University of Canada. The grant, provided by the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, is allocated to the UAE–Indonesia Future Leaders Programme at McGill University, a comprehensive initiative designed to support Indonesia’s national and global development goals.

The programme focuses on sustainable development, infrastructure, health, engineering, and teacher training, while accelerating community development across priority sectors.

As an affiliate of Erth Zayed Philanthropies, the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation has awarded the US$12.8 million grant to McGill University to implement the UAE–Indonesia Future Leaders Programme.

The agreement was signed during the World Governments Summit 2026, in the presence of Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Secretary-General of Erth Zayed Philanthropies.

Under the agreement, the programme will be implemented by McGill University in collaboration with Indonesia’s Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and the University of Indonesia, with the participation of UAE University, Zayed University, University of Sharjah, and Khalifa University. The program includes scholarships, continuous professional development for teachers, research awards, knowledge-exchange initiatives, and leadership development programmes.

Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili stated: “This grant embodies the inspiring vision of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to strengthen international humanitarian and development cooperation with nations around the world. This initiative is pursued under the close follow-up of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, and the supervision of H.H. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affair and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Erth Zayed Philanthropies.”

He further emphasised the importance of pioneering humanitarian and development initiatives implemented by the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, in alignment with the UAE leadership’s directives and the national priorities of beneficiary countries, as well as the UAE’s foreign aid policy—particularly in strengthening vital sectors such as education, health, energy, environment, and infrastructure.

Prof. Abdul Mu’ti, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Indonesia, said: “High-quality teachers and school leaders are among the most cost-effective and enduring investments a nation can make. Through this collaboration with the UAE and McGill University, we aim to strengthen teaching practice, school leadership, and learning outcomes by expanding structured professional development for educators and administrators.

“Grounded in evidence and responsive to local realities, this initiative will help teachers advance literacy, numeracy, wellbeing, and deep learning, while reinforcing leadership as a driver of sustained improvement. Together, we will build a pipeline of high-calibre Indonesian education professionals who will deliver change and deepen people-to-people ties among Indonesia, the UAE, and Canada. We will ensure this next generation of professionals is not limited to university researchers, but extends to primary and secondary education, so that knowledge gained at McGill reaches schools and communities across Indonesia.”

Mohammed Haji Al Khouri, Director General of the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to advancing its civilizational mission through impactful development programs in cooperation with relevant authorities in beneficiary countries and leading global educational institutions.

He highlighted the importance of the UAE–Indonesia Future Leaders Program in leveraging McGill University’s extensive expertise and creating diverse employment opportunities in Indonesia’s health and education sectors, while also strengthening academic partnerships between Emirati and Indonesian universities.

Professor Deep Saini, President of McGill University, expressed his profound appreciation to the UAE, represented by the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, for the generous grant to implement the programme.

He stated:“This programme will have a significant impact across multiple research disciplines and will strengthen academic and institutional partnerships between McGill and our counterparts in Indonesia and the UAE. We will leverage McGill’s core strengths to serve the objectives of this initiative.”

He noted that the grant will enable McGill University to offer opportunities to Indonesian researchers in the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, in addition to graduate and postdoctoral programmes.

The UAE–Indonesia Future Leaders Programme at McGill University will span five years and aims to enhance the capacities of teachers, school principals, and administrators through skills development based on McGill University’s International Leadership in Education and Administrative Development (ILEAD) programme.

The initiative will focus on national capacity building in health and sustainability, supporting graduates’ transition into the private sector, improving faculty competencies at the University of Indonesia, and providing graduate and postdoctoral programs, joint master’s and doctoral fellowships, research fellowships, executive leadership development, and advanced training for Indonesian researchers and postgraduate students.