About the Conference
The British Council in Saudi Arabia is proud to announce the Schools Conference Saudi Arabia 2026, taking place on 28 and 29 January 2026 at the Kempinski Hotel, Yanbu.
This two-day national conference will bring together school leaders, educators, policymakers, and education partners to explore future-focused approaches to teaching, learning, and leadership.
Theme and Format
The theme of the conference is “Future-Ready Schools: Developing Human Capability and Skills.”
The event will welcome over 120 participants from Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Through keynote sessions, panel discussions, and knowledge-sharing opportunities, the conference aims to:
• Strengthen collaboration across the education sector
• Celebrate best practice and success stories
• Explore how schools can better prepare students and teachers for a rapidly evolving world
Keynote Speakers
The keynote address will be delivered by Kathleen O’Hare OBE, a highly accomplished education leader, former headteacher, regulator, and Chair of the Northern Ireland Skills Council. Kathleen brings extensive national and international experience across curriculum development, assessment, teacher training, and global leadership projects. Her contributions to education have been recognised through multiple honours, including UK Headteacher of the Year and a King’s New Year Honour.
We are also delighted to host Mina Patel, who will speak on the Future of English and its economic value. Mina is Head of Research for the British Council’s Future of English programme, leading global research on the evolving role of English and its implications for education and policy. With over 25 years of experience in English Language Teaching across multiple countries, she is a recognised speaker, author, and assessment specialist, and is currently completing a PhD in language assessment literacy.
In addition to Kathleen O’Hare and Mina Patel, the conference will feature a wide range of education experts, leaders, and policymakers from schools, higher education, universities, curriculum and teacher development departments, the technical and vocational sector, and key industry partners from Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region.