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United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi
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AIS was founded in 1982 by Mrs. Jihan Nasr as a private, fully licensed coeducational K-12 school operating in a villa. In 1992 AIS opened its Abu Dhabi Campus, and a formal Parent Committee was established to involve parents in governance. By the 1990s the school had grown to over 300 students and expanded to two villas. In 2005, under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, AIS received praise for academic excellence while integrating sustainability and inclusion. AIS later opened the MBZ Campus in 2015, and today the school serves students and staff from more than 70 nationalities across two campuses, with a third campus planned on Al Saadiyat.
AIS has an international community with students and staff from around 60 nationalities across its two campuses in MBZ City and Abu Dhabi City. The AIS family emphasizes ongoing engagement with parents and the wider community through a formal Parent Committee and a Student Council, guiding decisions and representing parents at events and external evaluations. The school hosts a range of community and cultural events, including Emirati Women's Day workshops, the Annual University Fair, and the Student Council Presidential Debate, as well as activities such as UAE Civil Aviation Day and visits from authorities. These programs reflect a commitment to inclusion, service, and civic learning within the school community.
The Parent Committee is an official body established to involve AIS parents in school governance, with origins dating back to the early years of the school when the first classroom session in 1982 encouraged parent engagement. The Committee comprises a core body of permanent members and a volunteer roster, and parents can participate as Volunteers or Members, with roles including attending meetings, supervising events, and supporting school initiatives. The Committee represents all parents at official school events, external evaluation visits, and other required meetings, providing regular communication and feedback to the administration. Parents can apply to join the Committee through the AIS portal, and the group coordinates outings, events, and curriculum-related activities such as Career Days and chaperoned trips. The Policy for the Parent Committee formalizes its governance, responsibilities, and relationship with the school.
Abu Dhabi International School (AIS) operates across two campuses, the Abu Dhabi Campus at 121 Hadfah St, Al Manhal, and the MBZ Campus in Mohamed Bin Zayed City. Catering to students aged 3 to 18, AIS delivers three curricula under one private, coeducational K-12 umbrella: the British Program (IGCSE and A Levels) at the Abu Dhabi Campus; the American Program with Advanced Placement (AP) at the MBZ Campus; and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) also at MBZ for grades 11–12. The American track aligns English and Math with the Common Core, Science with NGSS, and Arabic with UAE Ministry standards. The High School offers Engineering, Medicine & Health Sciences, Economics & Business, and Liberal Arts tracks. Facilities span two campuses with libraries, theatres, laboratories, and sports grounds, plus spaces for co-curricular activities. AIS fosters nationalities (about 60) and a spectrum of clubs in science, arts, sports, service, and sustainability.
