Spacetoon - GESS Saudi Arabia, Leaders in Education conference room sponsor

Q1: What is Spacetoon’s mission and vision with education?

At Spacetoon Education, we believe learning is an adventure, and we strive to bridge the gap between education and entertainment to create dynamic learning experiences that captivate young minds. Our vision is to be a leader in educational innovation, empowering every child to explore, learn, and thrive in a world where education is engaging, accessible, and endlessly inspiring. In line with this vision, our mission is to inspire over 5 million young minds by 2030, fostering leadership, creativity, and sustainability through innovative educational experiences. We are equally committed to empowering educators to inspire and shape future generations, leveraging our strong legacy in children’s edutainment and pedagogy to revolutionize learning beyond traditional formats.

Q2: You are supporting the GESS Leaders in Education conference room at GESS Saudi Arabia 2025. Why do you think it’s important to support leadership and innovation in education today, particularly in Saudi Arabia?

Supporting educational leadership and innovation is essential, especially as Saudi Arabia is experiencing a bold transformation in its education sector under Vision 2030. The Kingdom is investing heavily in modernizing learning systems, training educators, and preparing students for a fast-evolving world. By supporting the Leaders in Education conference room, Spacetoon Education is reinforcing its commitment to empowering school leaders, decision-makers, and system shapers to drive forward-thinking strategies and meaningful reform.

This is precisely why we’re proud to have BeGLAD – our flagship teacher empowerment program – featured as the keynote session on Day 1. BeGLAD is a globally recognized instructional model from the U.S. that provides teachers with over 70 actionable strategies to enhance classroom engagement and language development. We’re introducing it to the region not just as a product, but as a movement to elevate teaching practices through research-based professional development.

Q3: What do you hope your sponsorship of the Leaders in Education Club conference room will achieve for the education community attending GESS Saudi Arabia?

We see our sponsorship of the Leaders in Education Club room as a platform to inspire and equip educators with what “good” looks like in practice. By hosting forward-thinking sessions and programs, we want to spark ideas that educators, school leaders, and policymakers can carry into their own institutions. For example, our flagship Be GLAD program – a research-backed model from the U.S. now accessible to teachers across the region – is featured as the Day 1 keynote. Be GLAD has already empowered over 25,000 educators and 350,000 students worldwide, and by showcasing it at GESS we hope to share its innovative strategies for boosting language acquisition, literacy, and student engagement with the wider GCC education community. 

Another highlight is our Smart Speakers initiative, developed in partnership with renowned communication coach Bill Connor. This program includes a special storytelling module designed for teachers, aligning with our belief that engaging narratives can bring learning to life. Through Smart Speakers, we aim to boost teachers’ confidence and leadership in the classroom, providing them with new tools to nurture communication skills and critical thinking in their students. Bill Connor himself will be contributing his expertise at GESS – delivering a solo talk in the GESS Talks Live theater (Day 2, 16:35–16:55) and joining a panel in the Leaders in Education Club room (Day 3, 14:40–15:25). By bringing global experts like Bill into these conversations, we hope to expose attendees to fresh perspectives and practical techniques in areas like public speaking and storytelling. 

Q4: What trends are you seeing in the education space, and how is Spacetoon adapting to them?

One of the most defining trends in education today—across MENA and globally—is the urgent shift toward building 21st-century skills that equip students not just academically, but for real life. Schools and ministries are increasingly prioritizing competencies such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, and digital literacy. At the same time, we see a growing need to bridge the gap between what’s taught in the classroom and what learners truly need to thrive in a fast-evolving world.

Spacetoon is actively responding to this shift. We’re embedding real-life skill development at the heart of our edutainment approach—creating learning experiences that go beyond memorization to nurture curiosity, expression, and adaptability. For instance, our Smart Speakers program builds public speaking and storytelling skills, helping students and teachers communicate with clarity and confidence—an essential strength in both academic and professional life. Similarly, our partnership on Drawing Data with Kids introduces children to data literacy, a core 21st-century competency, through creative, screen-free activities that build analytical and visual thinking.

We’re also embracing gamified learning, hybrid delivery models, and voice-interactive experiences to meet learners where they are—especially digital-native children. And with increasing demand for high-quality Arabic content, we ensure our resources are both culturally relevant and future-oriented.

Ultimately, our focus is not just on what kids learn, but how they use it. By aligning our programs with future workforce needs and life skills, Spacetoon is preparing a generation that’s ready to explore, solve, lead, and thrive in the real world.

Q5: What are Spacetoon’s future goals in terms of contributing to education and edutainment across the region?

Spacetoon Education’s future goals are rooted in expanding our positive impact across the region while staying true to our edutainment ethos. We aim to continue enriching and broadening our educational offerings to reach millions more children, in line with our mission of inspiring over 5 million young minds by 2030. This means launching new programs and platforms that make learning more engaging, personalized, and skill-driven—whether through advanced technology, curriculum integration, or strategic partnerships.

A key part of our forward strategy is deepening collaboration with subject matter experts and global educational partners. We believe the best way to raise the bar for learners in the GCC is by blending global insights with regional relevance. That’s why we co-develop initiatives like BeGLAD (a U.S.-based teacher training model), or Drawing Data with Kids with international data literacy expert Gulrez Khan—then adapt them for cultural fit, language accessibility, and curriculum alignment across the MENA region. These partnerships help us infuse our content with world-class thinking while making it directly actionable for schools in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and beyond.

Ultimately, our vision is to remain the region’s leading force in educational innovation—empowering every child to explore, learn, and thrive through joyful, meaningful learning. Whether it’s a student discovering science through a game, or a teacher mastering storytelling to connect with their class, we want to be at the heart of that transformation. By continuously innovating and building bridges between global expertise and local needs, Spacetoon aims to reshape how education feels and functions in the Arab world—making it more exciting, impactful, and future-ready.

Q6: Spacetoon often collaborates with international educational experts. How do these partnerships enhance your offerings in the Middle East?

We believe strategic partnerships are key to bringing the best educational experiences to our region. By collaborating with renowned international programs and experts, we integrate proven methods and fresh ideas into our offerings. For instance, Spacetoon Education teamed up with the U.S.-based Guided Language Acquisition Design (BeGLAD) program to introduce its research-based professional development training to educators in the Middle East. We also brought initiatives like FameLab Academy – a science communication program for youth – to the Middle East for the first time in collbaration with SciComm X. These collaborations allow us to localize global best practices, whether in curriculum design, teacher training or student programs, and tailor them to the needs of our local schools. Ultimately, partnering with global thought leaders elevates the quality and impact of our content. It positions Spacetoon as a bridge between international innovation and local education – we take what works globally and adapt it so that children and teachers here can benefit in a way that resonates with their culture and aspirations. This approach not only enhances our offerings, but also accelerates the region’s access to cutting-edge educational solutions.

Q7: What role do emerging technologies like AI or AR/VR play in Spacetoon Education’s future plans?

Emerging technologies are set to play a significant role in how we enrich educational experiences. We are actively exploring tools like artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR) to make learning even more interactive and personalized. In fact, the global education sector anticipates massive growth in AI integration – AI in education is projected to skyrocket, with estimates predicting an increase of about $21 billion globally by 2028 – and we intend to leverage that trend to benefit our learners.

For example, AI can help us adapt content to each child’s learning pace or provide intelligent tutoring through apps, giving students real-time feedback and support. Similarly, AR and VR can bring subjects to life in immersive ways; imagine a student taking a virtual field trip to explore the solar system or historical sites, guided by their favorite Spacetoon characters. We’re also interested in child-friendly smart speaker technology, which would enable kids to engage with educational content through voice interaction at home. By incorporating such cutting-edge technologies into our products, we plan to engage students in immersive “edutainment” adventures that were never before possible. Our aim is to use tech not as a gimmick, but as a meaningful enhancer of learning outcomes – keeping children excited about learning while personalizing the experience to their needs.

Q8: How does Spacetoon Education measure the impact of its educational initiatives?

We take measuring impact very seriously, using both quantitative and qualitative measures to ensure our initiatives are truly making a difference. On the quantitative side, we look at reach and engagement: how many learners and educators we’ve reached, and how they interact with our programs. For instance, we have a clear target in line with our mission – reaching over 5 million young learners by 2030 – and we track our progress toward that goal. We also assess improvements in students’ skills or knowledge where possible (through pre- and post-program evaluations, quizzes, or other assessments) to see tangible learning outcomes.

Qualitatively, we gather feedback and stories from the community. We listen to teachers, parents, and the students themselves. Hearing a teacher say that their classroom became more engaged after using our content, or a parent report that their child’s public speaking and confidence improved thanks to one of our courses, is invaluable. We also look at the lasting effect of our programs: for example, do schools continue a club or practice we introduced even after the initial program ends? Are educators training their peers in the techniques they learned? By combining data with on-the-ground feedback, we get a holistic picture of impact. This approach not only helps us celebrate successes but also learn where we can improve. If an initiative isn’t achieving the desired outcome, we refine it. Continuous improvement is part of our DNA – it’s how we ensure we remain effective and accountable as leaders in the education and edutainment space.

https://www.spacetoonedu.com/partners 

Raneem Medhat – Head of Spacetoon Education