FAQ
What is the GBA, who is eligible to apply?
GBA refers to the “Greater Bay Area”. This includes: the two Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macao, and the nine municipalities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, and Zhaoqing in Guangdong Province.
I’m not in the GBA, can I apply?
The awards are open to schools that are physically located in the GBA or for businesses that operate (service schools) in the GBA.
What is the cost to participate?
No fees are required to apply for the award. The only cost to schools/applicants is to attend the Gala Dinner. Anyone involved in Education is welcome to attend. Although it is required for nominated entities to send at least one representative to the Gala Dinner to witness the announcement of winners. More about the Gala Dinner.
Why create this award for the GBA?
The GBA is the largest and most populated urban area in the world as well as one of the fastest growing. Already a center for innovation in multiple areas including education. These awards are designed to showcase and promote innovation and excellence in education in this dynamic and interconnected part of the world as well as to provide a platform for sharing and collaboration between schools that are part of a dynamic region that will help shape the 21st Century.
Who are the organizers of these awards?
These awards are organized by 21st Century Learning (21CL), a Hong Kong-registered company in cooperation with its partners. 21CL has a long history of bringing together educational innovators through their conferences and events throughout the region. They also previously ran the prestigious Innovative Educator and Innovative Teacher Awards which were sponsored globally by Pearson.
Can a school submit applications for multiple award categories?
Yes, absolutely.
Can I use same application to submit into multiple award categories?
Yes, you may submit the same application into multiple award categories as long as your submission is relevant to each of them. If you do intend to submit into multiple categories, do note that the Application Form only accommodates one award category selection per submission, thus you will need to fill in the form every time you select a different category.
Must our submission represent the “whole school” or just a particular segment of the school?
The award submission can represent just one particular initiative your school leading/engaging in. For example, for the School Library Award, it could be for a new student leadership initiative in a particular school library (if you have Early Year/Primary/Secondary libraries). Or the Experiential Learning Award, it could be for a program that impacts only on a particular grade level for example.
What happens at the Gala Dinner?
All nominees will be invited to the Gala dinner, where we will spotlight them during the event and announce the winner LIVE for each award. Winners and finalists will be invited for photo op with the distinguished judges. Nominees should send at least one representative to the Gala Dinner on 13 February 2025.
The Gala Dinner is also open to anyone involved in Education to attend.
Tickets are $250USD per seat per person, or $199USD per seat for groups of three or more. Learn More.
What do I receive for the award?
Award winners will receive a trophy and plaque which they can showcase in their school. There will also be digital badges issued to award winners for display on their digital platforms.
