• School set to open in time for 2026-2027 academic year

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates: Arada has awarded the main construction contract for the second school at Aljada, the AED35 billion mixed-use megaproject in Sharjah. Valued at AED128 million, the contract to build Raffles World Academy, Aljada was awarded to Al Rehab Al Arabi Building Contracting Co. LLC, a Sharjah-based contractor.

Developed in partnership with Innoventures Education, Raffles World Academy, Aljada is a new premium K-12 international school located on a 480,000 square foot plot in the north-west corner of the megaproject. The campus benefits from a strategic location near key community features, including residential neighbourhoods.

Set to welcome its first pupils at the beginning of the 2026–2027 academic year, Raffles World Academy, Aljada will play a central role in the fast-growing community, which already has some 20,000 residents. The school will offer the full International Baccalaureate (IB) programme, which comprises the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), IB Diploma Programme (DP) and the IB Career-Related Programme (CP). It will provide personalized pathways to higher education by also offering the US High School Diploma to meet the growing demand for high-quality academic institutions in the Northern Emirates.

Ahmed Alkhoshaibi, Group CEO of Arada, said: “This contract award highlights our ongoing investment in community infrastructure and our long-term vision for Aljada as a fully integrated destination. We look forward to delivering another school of exceptional building quality, with a wide variety of facilities that will offer best-in-class education to families in Sharjah.”

Poonam Bhojani, CEO of Innoventures Education, said: “We are delighted to be on track to open our first school in Sharjah, which will offer a full IB programme in line with our existing Raffles World Academy in Dubai and also offer the US High School Diploma. Raffles World Academy, Aljada will empower students with a holistic, rigorous, and international education for success in an ever-changing world.”

The new school will be one of the first facilities to be completed on West Boulevard, the second major street within the Aljada master plan. The new boulevard is set to become the next major construction focus for the megacommunity, mirroring both the curved architectural design and success of East Boulevard, which has become one of the UAE’s most vibrant new outdoor retail and family entertainment destinations.

World-class facilities at Raffles World Academy, Aljada will include two swimming pools, a full-size football pitch, an athletic track and pit, and climate-controlled gymnasiums, alongside basketball and tennis courts. The campus will also feature dedicated learning studios, a large auditorium, and a modern library.

Around 30% of Aljada’s 25,000 homes are now completed, alongside a wealth of other entertainment, retail, educational, and sporting attractions and amenities, including SABIS International School–Aljada; East Boulevard, the tree-lined shopping avenue that features over 100 dining and retail outlets; and two out of three phases of Madar, the family entertainment district designed by Zaha Hadid Architects.

Spanning 24 million square feet, Aljada is Sharjah’s largest project to date, transforming the Emirate with its residential districts, hospitality, entertainment, sports, education, healthcare, and Sharjah’s new commercial hub, Arada Central Business District (CBD) - all within a walkable, green community. Aljada enjoys excellent connectivity with Sharjah city centre, Dubai, and the Northern Emirates via Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.

About Arada

Launched in 2017 and headquartered in the UAE, Arada was created to build spaces people connect with for healthier, happier and more meaningful lives.

Arada’s scope of operation covers property development, retail, education, healthcare, fitness, wellness and hospitality.

The master developer has so far launched ten record-breaking communities in the UAE and has expanded internationally into the UK and Australia.

Arada also operates a portfolio of complementary brands and experiences, which includes large-scale gyms, F&B and retail assets, social initiatives and visitor destinations.

For more information about Arada: www.arada.com

About Innoventures Education

Founded in 2004, Innoventures Education is committed to providing world-class education to the UAE. It manages five schools, namely, Dubai International Academy - Emirates Hills, Dubai International Academy - Al Barsha, Raffles World Academy, Raffles International School, Collegiate International School, and nine Raffles Early Childhood Centres (ECC). Children are offered the International Baccalaureate, American and British curricula across its schools and ECCs for ages between 45 days – 18 years. One of the salient features of its schools and ECCs is that it provides instruction of the mother-language in 16 different languages during the school day. All schools and ECCs are renowned for their high-quality curricula, inspiring learning environments and commitment to high-quality student outcomes. Together it has a total enrolment of over 9,500 students from over 120 countries, with a dedicated and inspirational team of educators and administrators from virtually every corner of the globe.

It is launching two new schools for the academic year starting August 2026: Raffles World Academy, Aljada, Sharjah (IB with US High School Diploma) and Dubai International Academy – Town Square, Dubai (IB).

For more information about Innoventures Education: www.innoventureseducation.com