Kuwait: Building AI leadership in STEM education
Kuwait's Vision 2035 places education at the heart of building a strong, sustainable economy. As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes part of everyday life, teachers have a vital role to play in helping students use it effectively, responsibly and creatively.
In 2025, Cambridge University Press & Assessment partnered with the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) and Educate Ventures Research to launch one of Cambridge's first comprehensive teacher training programmes focused specifically on AI in education. Together, we brought 50 STEM teachers from across Kuwait through a three-month professional development journey combining online learning, personalised coaching and intensive face-to-face workshops.
The programme aimed to do more than introduce teachers to new technologies. It was designed to help educators evaluate AI critically, apply it confidently in their classrooms and become leaders of AI innovation within their schools and communities.
Our approach
Together, we created a blended learning programme that balanced theory, practice and ongoing support.
The programme combined:
- six self-paced online learning modules
- two face-to-face training workshops in Kuwait
- personalised coaching and mentoring
- a collaborative professional learning community
- ongoing access to a Moodle platform for learning, assessment and peer support.
This approach gave teachers time to explore new ideas, test them in practice and reflect on how AI could strengthen teaching and learning in their own contexts.
Building knowledge and confidence
Teachers completed six online modules covering AI fundamentals, innovation and pedagogy, purpose-driven AI integration, ethics and safeguarding, 21st-century skills, and AI literacy for learners. Together, the modules guided participants from understanding AI concepts through to practical classroom application. [
Teachers explored how AI could support personalised learning, assessment, feedback and creativity, while also developing a clear understanding of its risks and limitations.
Learning together in Kuwait
The online learning was supported by two face-to-face training experiences in Kuwait. The programme began with a three-day launch workshop that introduced key AI concepts through practical activities and discussion. Participants explored different tools, examined classroom scenarios and considered where AI could add value to teaching and learning.
The workshops encouraged teachers to start with educational challenges rather than technology itself. This helped participants think critically about when AI could improve learning outcomes and when other approaches might be more effective.
A second intensive workshop at the end of the programme helped teachers consolidate their learning and apply it in practice. Participants evaluated AI tools, explored ethical questions in greater depth and developed plans for introducing AI-enhanced approaches in their institutions. Leadership training helped participants support colleagues, lead change and embed new approaches sustainably.
Turning learning into action
One of the programme's most distinctive features was its coaching model. Each participant received personalised coaching throughout the programme, helping them apply what they were learning to their own classrooms, schools and learners.
Coaches used a structured planning framework known as the coaching canvas. This guided participants through understanding their context, setting goals, selecting appropriate tools, planning implementation, evaluating impact and managing risks. Rather than adopting AI for its own sake, teachers developed plans that responded to genuine teaching and learning needs.
Creating lasting impact
Fifty teachers completed the programme, representing a range of educational settings and career stages. Participants developed the skills to act as AI advocates and resources within their institutions. Ten participants were selected for an additional train-the-trainer pathway, receiving specialist support to help them deliver AI literacy training and mentor other educators.
By investing in local expertise, the programme is helping create sustainable capacity for AI integration in Kuwaiti education. Teachers are now equipped not only to use AI in their own practice but also to guide colleagues and contribute to wider conversations about the future of education.
One participant reflected:
"Thank you to the organisers and teachers for their efforts and cooperation, and for the wonderful experience we had with you. It was an honour to meet you and to participate with such a distinguished group of teachers."
"KFAS believes empowering educators is key to preparing the next generation for a future shaped by science and technology. This collaboration reflects our ongoing commitment to building local capacity and advancing innovation in education."
Dr. Ameenah Rajab Farhan, Director General, KFAS
Looking ahead
This is only the beginning. As participants share their learning and teacher-trainers support colleagues across the system, the programme's impact will continue to grow. Together, we are helping educators move from AI awareness to AI leadership, creating a foundation for responsible, effective and sustainable use of AI in Kuwait's classrooms for years to come.
"Our collaboration with KFAS reflects a shared vision for education in Kuwait, one where teachers are equipped to use AI and emerging technologies with confidence and creativity to support stronger learning outcomes for students. By developing local expertise through this programme, we are building lasting capacity in STEM education that aligns with Kuwait's Vision 2035."
Jane Mann, Chief Education Officer, Cambridge University Press & Assessment
