November 4th, 2014, YouGov
In a new Education Investment Study, YouGov has found that academic record, extracurricular activities and technology are amongst the most important considerations for UAE parents when investing in the best school for their child(ren).
The survey was conducted in association with Education Investment MENA, an annual education conference where YouGov has been selected to be the official research partner. Research was carried out using our Omnibus online research service, to understand key factors that impact a school's reputation across the Emirates.
The findings reveal that parents deem functional elements such as proximity of school to home, ease of access and school fees, less important when it comes to evaluating schools, suggesting that they are willing to pay more and travel further to find the school with the strongest academic record for their child(ren).
When it comes to perceptions of value for money, UAE parents said factors such as quality of class teacher, positive word of mouth recommendation and quality of head teacher were all attributes that contribute significantly to the 'value add' they receive from their child(ren)'s school. Overall, 44% of parents we surveyed believe they currently receive good value for money from their child(ren)'s school in the UAE.
YouGov's Managing Director for the UAE, Kailash Nagdev said, "These insights show that it is critical for schools to invest in their reputation. This means firstly understanding how parents evaluate schools and secondly, understanding what parents see as 'value add'."
"Our research and sector experience tells us that these needs vary according to nationality and choice of curriculum. A strong reputation needs to be earned over time but it starts with truly understanding parents and children’s needs. This research suggests that delivering on parents' needs will have a greater impact on the long term success of a school than other, often assumed important factors such as location and price."
Kailash Nagdev will be presenting the full results from the study to delegates at Education Investment MENA, on Tuesday 11 November 2014, to help them understand the decision-making process of prospective parents in the UAE.
Discover more about Education Investment MENA »
The Education Investment Study was conducted amongst 478 UAE parents, using YouGov's Omnibus online research service, between 12-19 October 2014. The data is broadly representative of the online parent population in the UAE.