Riyadh · 15 June 2026

Early Years Leaders ForumRiyadh 2026

Name: Early Years Leaders Forum Riyadh 2026
Start: 2026-06-15T08:30:00+03:00
End: 2026-06-15T12:30:00+03:00
Location: Le Méridien Riyadh

A half-day forum bringing together nursery owners, operators, investors, employers, and education leaders to explore the opportunities, challenges, and future of early childhood provision in Saudi Arabia.

Date: 15 June 2026
Venue: Le Méridien Riyadh
Format: Morning Half-Day
Ticket: SAR 900 inc. VAT

Selected leaders and partner organizations may receive invitation codes through Arabian Child, GCA, or event partners.

Hosted in collaboration with

Why this forum, why now

Saudi Arabia's early childhood sector is evolving rapidly.

New opportunities, changing family expectations, workforce participation goals, quality standards, technology, and curriculum innovation are reshaping how early childhood services are planned, operated, and delivered.

Early Years Leaders Forum brings together those responsible for making decisions, managing growth, improving quality, and building the future of early childhood provision across the Kingdom.

Sustainable growth and expansion models
Operational readiness and quality systems
Workforce capability and leadership pipeline
Curriculum differentiation in a competitive market
Workplace childcare and partnership models
Parent and regulator expectations

From the previous forum

A look back at the Early Years Leadership Forum.

Highlights, sessions, and conversations from our previous edition — the strategic tone, the calibre of attendees, and the kind of practical, leader-led discussion you can expect in Riyadh 2026.

Watch on YouTube

Opening Plenary

Language · Arabic

مستقبل قطاع الطفولة المبكرة في المملكة العربية السعودية

09:30 – 10:10

The Future of Early Childhood Provision in Saudi Arabia

A strategic opening session exploring the changing early childhood landscape, leadership priorities, quality expectations, workplace nursery momentum, and the operating models needed for the next phase of growth.

Choose Your Track

Three concurrent workshop tracks.
Select one during registration.

After the opening plenary, attendees will join one of three concurrent workshop tracks.

Track 01English

Nursery Development & Investment Readiness

From concept to operation, this workshop explores the key considerations involved in developing, expanding, or commissioning early childhood services in Saudi Arabia.

Audience

Investors, employers, foundations, school groups, operators, and decision-makers exploring nursery setup, expansion, or workplace childcare models.

Nursery setup and expansion considerations
Operating models and implementation pathways
Workplace childcare readiness
Quality, staffing, and compliance considerations
What to prepare before requesting a proposal or advisory support

Request a Private Advisory Meeting

Track 02Arabic

Modern Nursery Operations & Sustainable Growth

Presented by Arabian Child + Illumine

A practical Arabic workshop on using nursery management technology to improve admissions, parent communication, enrollment conversion, payments, reporting, and daily operations.

Audience

Nursery owners, directors, admissions teams, operations managers, and administrative leaders.

Turning enquiries into enrollments
Managing admissions and parent communication
Reducing manual admin work
Improving center visibility through dashboards and reporting
Using CRM and operations workflows to support growth

Book an Illumine Demo

Track 03English

Future-Ready Curriculum for Early Childhood Centers

A focused workshop introducing the Global Childhood Curriculum as a future-ready Birth-5 curriculum framework for modern early years practice across diverse cultural, regulatory, and language contexts.

Audience

Nursery owners, principals, academic leaders, curriculum coordinators, and center groups seeking curriculum differentiation.

Curriculum differentiation in an increasingly competitive market
Planning, observation, and assessment systems
Future-ready learning, wellbeing, sustainability, and responsible technology engagement
How centers can implement the curriculum without losing their local identity
Membership and implementation pathway

Explore Curriculum Membership

Who Should Attend

Built for the leaders shaping early childhood across the GCC.

01Nursery owners & operators

02Investors & founders

03Employers exploring workplace childcare

04School groups & education companies

05Nursery directors & principals

06Academic & curriculum leaders

07Admissions & operations teams

08Foundations & strategic stakeholders

More Than A Forum

Join a growing network of people who care about the future of early childhood.

Every year, EYLF brings together nursery owners, operators, educators, investors, curriculum specialists, and emerging leaders from across the region.

Some attend to learn. Some attend to reconnect. Some attend to explore new opportunities. Most attend for all three.

The forum is designed to create meaningful conversations, lasting professional relationships, and new perspectives on where early childhood is heading across Saudi Arabia and the wider region.

Learn Something New

Even experienced leaders leave with fresh ideas, new perspectives, and practical approaches they can take back to their teams.

Meet The Right People

Connect with nursery owners, operators, educators, investors, employers, and decision-makers from across the sector.

Be Part Of The Community

Join a growing network that extends beyond the event itself through future forums, partnerships, collaborations, and ongoing conversations.

All attendees receive an official certificate of attendance issued by Arabian Child and Global Childhood Academy.

Your Certificate

A credentialed certificate, issued by Arabian Child and Global Childhood Academy.

Every attendee receives an official certificate of attendance carrying the EYLF Riyadh 2026 identity and the seals of both host organizations — recognition you can share with your board, your team, and your regulator.

Sample Early Years Leadership Forum certificate of attendance issued by Arabian Child and Global Childhood Academy

Sample preview · final certificate artwork applies on the day

Event Agenda

A focused morning, designed for leaders.

Monday, 15 June 2026 · Le Méridien Riyadh

08:30 – 09:15
Registration, coffee & networking
09:15 – 09:30
Welcome remarks
Bilingual
09:30 – 10:10
Opening plenary
The Future of Early Childhood Provision in Saudi Arabia
Arabic
10:10 – 10:25
Track transition
10:25 – 11:45
Concurrent workshop tracks
Track 01 (English) · Track 02 (Arabic) · Track 03 (English)
11:45 – 12:15
Certificates, networking, consultations & demo bookings
12:15 – 12:30
Close

Speakers & Hosts

Practitioners, operators, founders, and sector leaders shaping early childhood in the region.

Names and titles will be finalized closer to the event. Additional speakers to be announced.

Dr. Samia Kazi

Title to be confirmed

Arabian Child

Dr. Kathryn Peckham

Title to be confirmed

Global Childhood Academy

Michelle Bugby

Title to be confirmed

Global Childhood Academy

Areej Altuwaijri

Title to be confirmed

Arabian Child

Dr. Ejalal Jalal

Title to be confirmed

Arabian Child

Rafah

Title to be confirmed

Arabian Child