Minerva Virtual Academy to Host Parent Event in Dubai on the Future of Education

September 6 event will bring UAE families together to explore personalised learning, flexible schooling and alternative education pathways

Dubai, UAE – 2 September 2026: The future of education may not look like the school model generations of parents grew up with. As families become more mobile, children's learning needs are better understood and technology opens up new ways of learning, parents are increasingly looking beyond the traditional classroom for greater flexibility, personalisation and choice.

This changing education landscape will be the focus of an upcoming parent event hosted by Minerva Virtual Academy (MVA) on Sunday, 6th September, bringing UAE families into a conversation about what the next generation of schooling could look like and whether one model can realistically meet the needs of every child.

The discussion comes as alternative education models move further into the mainstream. While traditional schools remain the right choice for many children, an increasing number of families are considering other pathways for students who may benefit from greater flexibility, individual support or the ability to organise learning around their circumstances and ambitions.

"We are at an interesting point in education where parents are no longer necessarily asking which school is the best, but which environment is best for my child," said Hugh Viney, Founder and CEO of Minerva Virtual Academy. "Traditional schooling works extremely well for many children, but it was never designed to be the perfect fit for every learner. The future of education is likely to offer families greater choice in how and where their children learn."

For some students, that choice can have a measurable impact. MVA reports an average outcome score of 4.62 for its students with special educational needs (SEN), compared with 3.3 nationally in England, which the Academy says is around 40% higher than the national average. Its reported average for non-SEN students is 5.02, putting the two groups considerably closer together.

MVA provides weekly one-to-one mentoring for every student, alongside structured self-study, live teacher-led lessons and flexible timetables. The aim is to combine academic rigour with a learning environment that can respond more closely to individual students.

Personalisation is not about lowering expectations. It is about understanding how each child learns best and giving them the right support to succeed," Viney said. "When children feel understood and supported, they are more likely to build confidence and achieve their potential."

Flexibility is also increasingly relevant to students whose ambitions extend beyond the classroom. Earlier this month, MVA student David Gutierrez won the Cadet Sailing World Championship, while continuing his education with the support of the Academy. For elite young athletes, performers and other students with demanding schedules, the ability to learn around training, travel and competition can make it possible to pursue both academic and personal ambitions.

The event will also look at how technology is changing the learning experience itself. MVA combines structured asynchronous learning with live teacher-led classes, allowing students to work through learning materials independently before using live sessions for discussion, collaboration, problem-solving and deeper engagement.

"Online education should not mean putting a traditional classroom onto a screen. Technology should make learning more interactive and engaging, while teachers remain at the centre of the experience," Viney said.

For parents, the emerging education landscape may therefore be less about choosing between traditional and online schooling and more about having access to different pathways depending on what their child needs.

"The future of education cannot be one-size-fits-all because children are not one-size-fits-all," Viney added. "The question we want parents to consider is simple: what environment will allow my child to thrive?"

The September 6 event will bring this conversation directly to UAE families, exploring the changing education landscape, the rise of personalised learning and what greater choice could mean for the next generation of students.

EVENT DETAILS

Event: Minerva Virtual Academy Parent Event
Date: Sunday, 6 September 2026 | 11:00 am–2:00 pm
Venue: Al Habtoor Polo Club, Dubai
Focus: The Future of Education, Personalised Learning and Flexible Schooling
Who Should Attend: Parents and families exploring alternative and flexible education pathways

Registration: Parents and families interested in exploring alternative and flexible education options can register to attend the event here: https://www.minervavirtual.com/ae/events/mva-dubai-friends-family-day-september-2026