Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA)
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersDubai, United Arab Emirates
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA)
- Legal name
- Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA)
- Website
- https://khda.gov.ae
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Education Regulatory Services
- NAICS
- Administration of Education Programs (923110), Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (921)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Policy, Governance & Board Administration (EDAJAHAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- State/Federal Reporting, Accountability & Audit Readiness (EDAJAHAF), Privacy, Data Governance & Security Compliance (FERPA, GDPR, etc.) (EDAJAHAO), Subject-Specific Standards & Curriculum Councils (EDADAEAB)
Keywords
Where Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dubai
- HQ country
- United Arab Emirates
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices1 record
Markets served
Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Regulatory fees and licensing: KHDA charges fees for certificate attestation, school licensing, and regulatory services. As a government authority, its primary revenue is government-funded with fee-based services supporting private education oversight.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Educational parking subscription via Parkin |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KHDA is the government authority responsible for regulating, licensing, and improving the quality of private education in Dubai from early childhood through higher education. It delivers regulatory services through dedicated digital portals for education providers and parents/students, conducts school inspections, sets curriculum and fee frameworks, and administers scholarship and life skills programmes aligned with the Education 33 Strategy.
Product overview
KHDA is the regulatory authority for private education in Dubai, overseeing the sector from early childhood through higher education. Its product portfolio consists primarily of regulatory platforms and service portals rather than a unified software product. Core offerings include the Student Self-Service Portal and Education Provider Services Portal for administrative transactions, the Skills for Life Framework for life skills development across 8 domains, the Hamdan bin Mohammed Scholarship Programme and Dubai Distinguished Students Programme for Emirati student support, Certificate Attestation Services for credential verification, the Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau (DSIB) for quality assurance, Home-Based Learning Services for early childhood education alternatives, and the Education Directory for institutional discovery. Advisory councils (Dubai Students Council, Dubai Parents Council, Dubai Educators Council) provide governance input, while Life Camps and Financial Literacy initiatives support Skills for Life implementation. No public API exists; the Schools Inspection System is internal-only.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Student Self-Service Portal (Knowledge Portal) Online portal for parents and students offering services including parent-school contract signing, certificate attestation, transfer certificate requests, and other student-related administrative services.
- Education Provider Services Portal (KHDA Portal) Portal for educational institutions to access licensing services, advertisement approvals, fee management, and other school administrative and compliance services.
- Skills for Life Framework Integrated life skills ecosystem covering 8 domains — healthy lifestyles, nutrition and food practices, daily life and independence, financial and consumer practices, social and relationship practices, mental resilience and agency, digital life practices, and sustainability — designed for learners from early childhood through higher education.
- Hamdan bin Mohammed Scholarship Programme Fully funded scholarship programme offering 100 scholarships annually with a total budget of Dh1.1 billion, enabling outstanding Emirati graduates to pursue bachelor's degrees at leading global universities in future-focused fields.
- Dubai Distinguished Students Programme Programme providing educational opportunities for high-performing Emirati students in Dubai private schools. Third cohort announced for 2026-2027 with 333 scholarships.
- Certificate Attestation Services Attestation of school certificates and higher education certificates issued by Dubai private schools and higher education institutions.
- Home-Based Learning Services Regulated home-based learning alternatives including Center-Led Home Learning (CLHL) Hubs and one-to-one educators for children aged 0-6, deployed during distance learning periods.
- Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau (DSIB) School inspection framework evaluating quality of private education in Dubai. Resumed inspections in 2026-27 with 24-hour notice requirement, replacing longer-notice system.
- Education Directory Searchable directory of educational institutions in Dubai including schools, early childhood centres, higher education institutions, and training institutes.
- Life Camps Programme Summer programmes offering life skills development opportunities for students, part of Skills for Life connected initiatives under Education 33 Strategy.
- Study in Dubai – nol ISIC Student Card Multi-purpose digital student card combining student identification with nol transit card functionality, enabling students to access education-related services and transit through the RTA-KHDA-Parkin-PayPal partnership.
- School Fee Framework Framework governing school fee adjustments, including Education Cost Index calculations and exceptional fee increase guidelines for private schools.
Quantifiable outcome
- Dubai's private schools ranked 6th globally in PIRLS 2021 for reading skills and top 5 globally in TIMSS science
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA)
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration11 records
AI capability2 records
Feature3 records
Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- TECOM Group (Dubai International Academic City and Dubai Knowledge Park)coreKHDA collaborates with TECOM Group which operates Dubai International Academic City and Dubai Knowledge Park — home to more than 38,500 students from over 170 nationalities, with universities including University of Birmingham Dubai, Middlesex University Dubai, and Heriot-Watt University Dubai. The collaboration supports initiatives including Study Dubai and the Higher Education Leadership Network.
- Study Dubai Initiative PartnerscoreKHDA supports the Study Dubai initiative which promotes Dubai as a global education hub, working with universities and government entities to attract international students and support the higher education sector's growth.
- Parkin Company PJSCcoreKHDA and Parkin signed a strategic partnership to digitize parking subscription services for educational institutions across Dubai, replacing manual approval and document submission with an integrated real-time eligibility verification system. Parkin offers discounted educational parking at AED 100 per month or AED 1,000 annually. The collaboration supports Dubai's Education 33 Strategy and digital transformation goals for the education sector.
- Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (Leadership Directive)coreUnder Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's leadership directive, KHDA confirmed no private school fee hikes for 2026-27 and announced a Dh1.5 billion economic incentives package for schools including deferred licence fees, fines exemptions, and rent support. This directive supports sector stability while easing financial pressure on families.
- International Exam Boards (IB, Cambridge, Pearson Edexcel, OxfordAQA)minorMajor international exam boards cancelled traditional written examinations in the UAE for 2026 citing security concerns. KHDA responded by issuing guidance to parents and coordinating contingency plans with schools for portfolio-based evidence collection and continuous assessment.
- Dubai Foundation for Women and Children (DFWAC)coreKHDA and Dubai Foundation for Women and Children signed an MOU to strengthen cooperation in supporting families and students across Dubai. The partnership focuses on community awareness programs, positive parenting guidance, and coordinated case follow-up, aligning with Dubai's Year of the Family initiative, Social Agenda 33, and Education 33 Strategy. Both parties will combine expertise and resources to launch joint research, training programs, and awareness initiatives through schools and specialized professionals.
- Roads and Transport Authority (RTA)minorRTA partnered with KHDA, Parkin PJSC, and PayPal during GITEX Global 2025 to transform the nol transit card into a multi-purpose payment solution. The KHDA collaboration enables nol card users to access education-related services via the new 'Study in Dubai – nol ISIC' student card.
- Socially-Driven Private Education InvestorscoreKHDA announced a strategy to reduce private school tuition fees by offering government incentives to socially-driven investors, including subsidized land and teacher housing. The plan, unveiled by Director General Aisha Abdulla Miran at the Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Forum 2025, is part of the Education 33 Strategy targeting 100 new private schools by 2033.
- Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for EducationcoreKHDA and Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation signed an MOU to strengthen discovery of gifted and talented students, supporting scholarship programmes and student excellence initiatives in Dubai's private education sector.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Singapore Ministry of Education: Singapore's MoE sets curriculum, teacher quality, and assessment standards for a system often cited as a benchmark. It is a broad incumbent in education governance whose policy choices are referenced by KHDA leadership for the Skills for Life and Education 33 frameworks.
- UK Department for Education: The UK DfE sets national standards for schools, qualifications, and teacher training that influence Dubai's British-curriculum schools. It is a broad incumbent reference for KHDA's policy development and is referenced in KHDA's award submissions.
- UAE Ministry of Education: The federal Ministry of Education sets national education policy, curriculum standards, and mandatory subject requirements referenced by KHDA. It is a broader incumbent that operates at the federal level rather than at emirate level, with KHDA implementing its guidance at the Dubai-private-sector layer.
Others
- Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) / TECOM Group: TECOM Group operates Dubai International Academic City and Dubai Knowledge Park, which are home to 38,500+ students across 170+ nationalities. KHDA collaborates with TECOM on Study Dubai and the Higher Education Leadership Network, making TECOM an adjacent enabling partner within Dubai's education ecosystem.
- International Baccalaureate (IB): IB sets one of the major curriculum standards used in Dubai private schools. KHDA coordinates with IB on exam administration, security-related cancellations, and curriculum guidance, making it an ecosystem peer whose decisions directly shape the regulatory landscape KHDA oversees.
- British Schools Overseas (BSO): BSO is the UK government framework for inspecting British international schools, including those in Dubai. KHDA works alongside BSO in schools that offer a British curriculum, making it a complementary inspection/quality peer rather than a competitor.
- Cambridge Assessment International Education: Cambridge International is one of the major examination boards operating in Dubai private schools. KHDA coordinates with Cambridge on assessment policies and contingency arrangements, making it a curriculum/exam-ecosystem peer rather than a direct regulator.
- Dubai Future Foundation: Dubai Future Foundation is a Dubai government entity shaping the emirate's future-readiness agenda including AI, education, and skills. KHDA's Digital AI Framework under Education 33 aligns with Dubai Future Foundation priorities, making it an adjacent policy peer within the Dubai government ecosystem.
Direct peers
- Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK): ADEK is Abu Dhabi's equivalent private education regulator, with parallel responsibilities for school licensing, inspection, curriculum approval, and quality assurance. It is the most directly comparable counterpart to KHDA, operating across the adjacent emirate with similar statutory scope over private schools and higher education institutions.
- Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA): SPEA regulates private education in Sharjah, performing the same licensing, inspection, and oversight role as KHDA but for the Sharjah market. It is a regional peer with directly comparable scope and operating model in the same country.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) social profiles
Digital presenceKnowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA)
What does Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) do?
KHDA is the government authority responsible for regulating, licensing, and improving the quality of private education in Dubai from early childhood through higher education. It delivers regulatory services through dedicated digital portals for education providers and parents/students, conducts school inspections, sets curriculum and fee frameworks, and administers scholarship and life skills programmes aligned with the Education 33 Strategy.
Is Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) a public or private company?
Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) founded?
Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) was founded in 2007. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) based?
Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) is headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in the Middle East region.
How does Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) make money?
One revenue line is on record: regulatory fees and licensing.
Who are Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA)'s main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Singapore Ministry of Education, UK Department for Education and UAE Ministry of Education. Others are Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) / TECOM Group, International Baccalaureate (IB), British Schools Overseas (BSO), Cambridge Assessment International Education and Dubai Future Foundation. Direct peers are Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) and Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA).
Does Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) have an API?
No public API is recorded for Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).
What industry is Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) in?
Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA)'s product category is Education Regulatory Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAHAG, Policy, Governance & Board Administration, with a secondary code of EDAJAHAF, State/Federal Reporting, Accountability & Audit Readiness. Its NAICS code is 923110 and its SIC code is 8200.