The Digital School, which is among the programs in the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, has declared a strategic global engagement with Starlink, the satellite internet provider, to widen access to high-quality digital learning to students in remote and underserved communities around the globe.
The collaboration was announced on the margins of the World Government Summit 2026 and will provide an integrated model that will offer reliable satellite connectivity coupled with coordinated, accredited digital education avenues.
The project is in line with the national interest of the UAE in ensuring future-ready education, internationalization of education, and equal access to education.
It was announced in the presence of Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, Vice Chairman of the World Government Summit, and Chairman of the Board of The Digital School.
WAM reported that the agreement was signed by Ryan Goodnight, Senior Director of Market Access and Development at SpaceX, and Dr. Waleed Al Ali, Secretary-General of The Digital School.
Omar Sultan Al Olama affirmed that with the World Government Summit, the UAE is sustaining its vision of establishing meaningful global collaborations in core areas, especially digital education, by the belief that the future of development lies in providing people with knowledge and digital literacy.
He noted that the collaboration with Starlink indicates the orientation of the UAE on the expansion of cooperation with the global community to design new solutions that generate broad positive effects on the communities, in recognition that digital connectivity has become a strategic need to secure equitable access to education in localities and underserved regions.
Ryan Goodnight said, “We’re thrilled to deliver high-speed connectivity to the UAE’s new global model for digital education with The Digital School and their students. With Starlink, students in remote, underserved, or connectivity-challenged areas can access online learning, real-time collaboration tools, global scholarships, and career resources، sparking curiosity and growth.”
As part of the partnership, Starlink will deliver high-quality and reliable satellite internet connectivity, and The Digital School will spearhead the formulation and implementation of a holistic digital education ecosystem.
This consists of personalized digital education programmes, learning platforms, and digital learning content, and long-term capacity development of teachers, making connectivity a designed learning experience.
The initial stage of the program is to achieve 100 locations in remote parts of the world, and its structure is flexible enough to expand as the program progresses, depending on impact, preparedness, and effective collaboration.
The partnership also launches enrichment opportunities in space sciences by tapping into the broader ecosystem of SpaceX to fuel student interest, support ambitions, and help bridge education with future-oriented careers.
Three schools in the Kingdom of Lesotho have already been installed with Starlink connectivity as part of early implementation with integrated digital education systems provided by The Digital School.
These implementations entail computers, specialized digital learning platforms, national curricula digitization, and an extensive teacher training programme, which guarantee a systematic, sustainable, and quantifiable educational influence.
Starlink is the largest and most sophisticated constellation of low-earth orbit satellites in the world that provides broadband internet, including streaming, online education, video conferencing, and real-time work.
SpaceX is the engineer and operator of the system; it is the largest provider of launch services worldwide, as well as the sole company with an orbital-class reusable rocket.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, launched the Digital School in November 2020. It is the first digital school in the world, accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges in the United States.
The program is aimed at empowering students with flexible digital and hybrid learning frameworks, with the main goal of reaching the underprivileged communities, such as refugees and displaced groups.
The Digital School has so far served more than 800,000 learners across the globe and has certified over 30,000 digital educators.
It is being delivered in seven languages: Arabic, English, French, Spanish, Sorani-Kurdish, Portuguese, and Bahasa Indonesia, and is indicative of the school having a mission of inclusiveness and localization as well as international accessibility.
