British Council Strengthens Egypt–UK Education Links Through MENA UK Study Tour 2026

The Egypt delegation joined regional counterparts to explore innovation, wellbeing and quality leadership in UK schools

The British Council successfully concluded the MENA UK Study Tour 2026, welcoming a delegation of 12 Egyptian partner schools to the UK for a week-long programme designed to deepen education collaboration and share best practice

Delivered from 18–24 January in London and Cambridge, the tour brought together 46 senior education leaders and Ministry of Education representatives from Egypt, Jordan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Morocco and Lebanon. Participants engaged in expert sessions at British Council HQ, alongside curated school immersions and leadership workshops translating UK insights into practical school improvement

This year in its 12th edition, and themed: ‘Leading with Vision: Innovation, Wellbeing and Quality in Schools,’ the programme explored whole-school self-evaluation and continuous professional development frameworks that align global standards with local priorities

Building Leadership for a Changing Educational Landscape

Key priorities include:

AI in teaching and school operations

 Teacher recruitment, retention and wellbeing

 Inspection readiness and school improvement

 Inclusive teaching and whole-school leadership

Governance, safeguarding and qualite assurance

Participants visited leading UK schools and institutions, engaging directly with practitioners and observing effective leadership and teaching approaches in action

Leadership Perspectives

Mark Walker, Director, English and Exams at the British Council, noted: ‘The British Council remains deeply committed to supporting schoolsto navigate rapid change, from digital transformation to new regulatory expectations. The 2026 tour created space for learning, reflection, and co-creation of solutions that will directly strengthen teaching, leadership and student outcomes across the region

Hebatullah El Ansary, Business Development Director, Egypt, British Council, added: ‘This year’s study tour reinforced the value of cross-border collaboration in rethinking what quality education can look like. By connecting UK best practice with the real priorities of our partner schools, we are supporting leaders to build resilient, future-ready institutions that deliver excellence for every learner

Haidy Wagdy Louis, Leader and Vice Chair, St. Fatima International School – Al Hegaz, shared: ‘The study tour offered practical insights we cannot access elsewhere. Seeing how UK schools integrate technology while placing wellbeing at the centre gave us clear models to adapt in our own context

Programme Highlights

 British Council HQ: Expert briefings on AI in education, safeguarding and teacher retention

UK school visits: Lesson observations, leadership meetings and pastoral systems

Workshops and roundtables: Ofsted preparation, digital literacy and inspection frameworks

Cultural experiences: Exposure to UK heritage and education traditions

 Networking: Cross-regional peer learning and emerging +partnerships

A Continued Commitment to Strengthening Education

Through the MENA UK Study Tour, the British Council continues to support Egyptian schools through our Partner Schools network, leadership development programmes and ongoing professional engagement designed to enhance education outcomes for learners nationwide

For media enquiries please contact:  Stella Wekesa, Regional Senior Communications Manager, Middle East and North Africa at stella.wekesa@britishcouncil.org

About the British Council

The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We do this through our work in arts and culture, education and the English language. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2024–25 we reached 599 million people. www.britishcouncil.org

For more information, please visit: www.britishcouncil.org . You can also keep in touch with the British Council through http://twitter.com/britishcouncil and http://blog.britishcouncil.org/