Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) and a multinational consortium led by Plenary Group and BESIX Group, has inaugurated three state-of-the-art schools in Abu Dhabi’s Zayed City. The project marks the first time that school infrastructure has been developed and delivered in the UAE under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
Completed on schedule and within budget, the project has significantly enhanced Abu Dhabi’s educational landscape by adding capacity for 5,360 students from kindergarten to Grade 12 for the 2024-2025 academic year and beyond.
ADEK was instrumental to the project’s successful realisation and played a pivotal role in ensuring that the project met the highest standards of design, and material and equipment selection. Through the active coordination of various entities, the project was delivered successfully.
Officials gathered at one of the Zayed City school campuses to celebrate the opening in the presence of His Excellency Mubarak Hamad Al Mheiri, Undersecretary at ADEK; His Excellency Badr Al-Olama, Director General at ADIO; Dr Tareq Al Ameri, Assets and Facilities Office Director at ADEK; and senior officials from the BESIX-Plenary consortium, including Peter Lembrechts, General Manager BESIX Middle East; Elias Sfeir, Head of Concessions and Assets, BESIX Middle East; Benoit Vadani, Director of Development, BESIX Middle East; Paul Crowe, Chief Information Officer, Plenary Group; Moustafa Fahour, Chief Operating Officer, Plenary Middle East; Oliver Barbagello, Executive Director, Origination Plenary Middle East; and Sergio Calcarao, Managing Director, Origination Plenary Group.
As the first educational facilities delivered through ADIO’s PPP procurement framework, the Zayed City Schools project aims to elevate the standard of education infrastructure in the emirate and serve as a model for increased private sector participation in the delivery and financing of public infrastructure across Abu Dhabi.
Yaser Al Nuaimi, Acting Head – Infrastructure Partnerships at Abu Dhabi Investment Office, said: “The Zayed City Schools project exemplifies the transformative power of public-private partnerships in realising Abu Dhabi’s future-focused infrastructure development. By leveraging private sector expertise in design, construction, and financing, we’ve created world-class educational facilities equipped to empower students with the learning spaces they need to reach their highest potential. This success paves the way for further collaboration, offering our private sector partners unprecedented opportunities to contribute to Abu Dhabi’s sustainable growth while capitalising on long-term investment returns.”
The three new schools located in Abu Dhabi’s Zayed City span a combined area of 81,000 square metres. Designed to meet rigorous Estidama sustainability standards, the schools feature advanced technologies alongside learning spaces engineered to inspire creativity, marking a new benchmark for educational facilities in the Middle East.
Dr Tareq Al Ameri, Assets and Facilities Office Director at ADEK, said: “The inauguration of Zayed City Schools marks a significant milestone in our mission to provide world-class education in Abu Dhabi. This project not only empowers more students to access quality education, but also highlights the importance of public-private partnerships in realising Abu Dhabi’s ambitious educational goals. We remain committed to this journey, ensuring that every student in the emirate has the opportunity to learn and succeed in an environment that fosters innovation and excellence.”
Mohamed Badr El Din, General Manager at BESIX Plenary Education Properties Development, said: “As a key partner in the Zayed City Schools project consortium, BESIX/Plenary is proud to contribute to a project that embodies a visionary approach to infrastructure development. This strategic collaboration leverages the strengths of all partners to set new benchmarks, highlighting the transformative impact of uniting powerful government and private entities to drive innovation and development. The Zayed City Schools PPP project stands as a testament to the true spirit and success of public-private partnerships. This achievement, delivered on time and within budget, marks the beginning of a long-term relationship that will extend throughout the operation phase. It showcases the power of strong collaboration between the public and private sectors in shaping a brighter future. By merging public interests with private sector innovation, we are creating sustainable solutions that meet the needs of future generations and inspire new hope.”
The successful completion of the Zayed City Schools underscores ADIO’s commitment to expanding its PPP programme and serves as a testament to Abu Dhabi’s innovative approach to infrastructure development. This initiative aims to increase private sector participation and foreign direct investment, enhance accountability and efficiency in public asset management, develop long-term collaborations between government and private entities, and provide investors with access to lucrative concessions.
BESIX and Plenary are the key private sector partners in the Zayed City Schools PPP Project Consortium. Plenary is an independent long-term investor, developer, and manager of public infrastructure, with over US$56 billion in assets across North America, Australia, the Middle East, and the UK. BESIX, a leading Belgian group operating in the Middle East since 1966, designs and builds complex projects globally and acts as an industrial equity provider and leader in public-private partnerships, managing the operation and maintenance of diverse projects, including social infrastructure and environmental initiatives.
Building on this success, ADIO is advancing other significant PPP opportunities, including the development of world-class student accommodation facilities in partnership with the globally top-ranked Khalifa University of Science and Technology.