BESIX Contributes to New State-of-the-Art School Campuses in Abu Dhabi

The Abu Dhabi Investment Office, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, has awarded the contract for the Zayed City Schools public-private partnership project to a consortium led by BESIX and Plenary Group.

The Zayed City Schools PPP project, located in the United Arab Emirates, includes the design, build, finance, maintenance and transfer of three new school campuses with a capacity of 5,360 students in Abu Dhabi’s Zayed City. As a pathfinder project developed from origination to award under Abu Dhabi’s new PPP regulatory framework, it will pave the way for increased private-sector participation in delivering public infrastructure.

The education services at each campus will be provided separately by a private sector Chartered School Operator, who will be selected under ADEK’s CSO PPP program. This unique, integrated PPP solution will be the first-of-its-kind vertically integrated PPP education solution for the MENA region, and will maximize operational efficiencies by bringing together high-caliber education and building service providers under a single PPP project framework.

The campuses have been designed to meet Estidama sustainability requirements and ensure COVID-19 resilience in terms of spatial layout and use. The campuses will provide students access to high-quality learning environments and modern facilities, enhancing the attractiveness of Zayed City and Abu Dhabi.

The scheduled term start date for all three campuses is September 2024.