Innovating Internationally: MVA Takes Home Trophy at 2026 PIEoneer Awards
The MVA Office award shelf got a little bit heavier last week as the school took home first prize in the Secondary School International Innovation Award at The PIEoneer Awards 2026.
Narrowly beating out worthy competitor GEMS Modern Academy,Dubai, Head of Admissions Gemma Schofield and Admissions Officer & Technical Growth Lead Isabelle Heptinstall gratefully accepted the award on behalf of the fastest-growing school in the UK, in a hall packed with some of the most passionate and impactful changemakers in education.
It was such a brilliant (and glamorous) evening, and a real privilege to have MVA recognised alongside so many fantastic organisations and teams.
- Isabelle in a recent LinkedIn Post
This comes after MVA's first year with its new regional hub in the UAE, providing local in-person events and a timezone-adjusted timetable - something which has proved a massive success even in the face of unforeseen and difficult circumstances in the area causing significant disruption.
As MVA's student body continues to grow across the globe, with pupils in more than 60 countries, the team is constantly looking for ways to ensure that every child gets the same quality of education whether they are logging in from Birmingham, Buenos Aires, or Brunei.
To see that effort recognised is deeply gratifying, and a sign that MVA's work is paying off even at this early stage.
MVA Founder Hugh Viney has often said that he wants Minerva to be the first school on Mars, and the foundation for that lofty goal is being built today with the systems and technology necessary to eliminate physical location as a barrier to a world-class education.
Thank you once again to the team at The PIE for this fantastic award, and deepest congratulations to all the other winners and runners up.
Here's to another year of building a world where any child can go to a school they love.
