SPORT @ DUBAI INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY - EMIRATES HILLS
Best Sport School Award Application
International Sports Travel – Tournaments, Camps & Trips
At DIA Emirates Hills, international sports travel is a vital extension of our commitment to holistic development through sport. These experiences go far beyond competition-they foster cultural understanding, personal growth, and global citizenship, while immersing students in new environments that challenge and inspire.
Our students proudly represent DIA at premier international tournaments including the World School Games, WSG Basketball in Valencia, Malaysia and Sri Lanka Cricket Tours, Swimming competitions in London, and Ski training camps in Switzerland. These high-level events provide exposure to international standards of play, while also building resilience, adaptability, and pride in representing the school on the world stage.
Beyond competition, we offer a range of experiential sport trips and camps that provide adventure, peer bonding, and cross-cultural learning. From alpine skiing to guided training intensives and exchange visits, these journeys offer students the chance to explore movement in unfamiliar settings, reflect on their growth, and connect with peers from around the world.
Each trip is carefully designed to enrich the whole child—not just the athlete. Students return more confident, globally aware, and deeply connected to their team, their coaches, and themselves. These moments often become defining memories in a student’s school journey—uniting performance, travel, and learning in the most meaningful way.
Global Collaborations and Federations
At DIA Emirates Hills, we believe that excellence in sport is driven not only by internal strength, but by meaningful connections with the global sporting community. Through strategic partnerships with international federations, elite clubs, and governing bodies, we continuously raise the standard of our programmes and extend opportunities for our students and coaches.
We collaborate with national and international organisations such as the UAE Fencing Federation, UAE Swimming Federation, and the Dubai Sports Council, while also developing relationships with sport-specific global entities and Olympic-aligned development programmes. These partnerships provide access to high-level coaching, talent identification, and federation-approved competitions-ensuring our student-athletes are connected to real performance pathways.
We also welcome international guest coaches, Olympians, and sport scientists to lead masterclasses and mentoring sessions on campus. These engagements expose students to world-class perspectives while supporting our coaching staff through joint planning, CPD, and shared learning.
By aligning with global best practices and embracing international partnerships, we empower our athletes to dream beyond school boundaries—while ensuring our curriculum and coaching remain modern, relevant, and world-class. These collaborations reinforce our standing as a future-facing school with a strong international sport identity.
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Student-Athlete Spotlight Abroad
At DIA Emirates Hills, we proudly celebrate the journeys of student-athletes who extend their sporting aspirations beyond the school environment - competing internationally, gaining recognition from national teams, and securing opportunities at prestigious universities around the world.
Our students have represented their home countries and the UAE in international competitions across a wide range of disciplines, including football, basketball, fencing, swimming, athletics, and triathlon. Many have earned places in national development squads and elite academies, while several have progressed to compete in events under the banner of global federations or their national Olympic pathways.
We also support students in securing sport-based university placements through personalised guidance, training documentation, and mentorship. Our alumni have received scholarships and offers from top institutions including Loughborough University, University of Toronto, UCLA, Boston College, and The University of Edinburgh, among others. Their success reflects not only individual talent, but also the strength of the support structures, training environments, and academic flexibility we provide at DIA EH.
Through our dedicated Sports Scholarship Advisory Programme and close coordination with families, coaches, and university counsellors, we ensure that our students’ sporting achievements are recognised and leveraged as part of their long-term academic and career development. These athletes serve as role models to our younger students—proving that sport at DIA can be both a passion and a powerful launchpad to future opportunity.
Cultural and Educational Enrichment Through Sport
At DIA Emirates Hills, we view sport as a powerful vehicle for cultural exploration and global education. Whether travelling abroad, hosting visiting teams, or engaging with international coaches, our students consistently experience sport as a pathway to deeper understanding, global awareness, and meaningful connection beyond borders.
During our international tours and camps, students don’t just compete-they explore historical landmarks, engage in intercultural exchanges, and reflect on global themes such as identity, resilience, and unity. From navigating bustling European cities during basketball tours, to learning about alpine geography and sustainability during ski trips, each journey blends movement with meaningful learning. These experiences are purposefully connected to the IB Learner Profile-developing inquirers, communicators, and internationally-minded young people through sport.
We also encourage students to reflect on the social, ethical, and cultural dimensions of their sporting experiences. In post-tour debriefs, wellness sessions, and student-led assemblies, learners share stories of adapting to new norms, forming friendships with peers from different cultures, and appreciating sport as a shared language.
Cultural enrichment is embedded even at home-through international-themed house events, visiting athlete workshops, and exposure to sport customs from around the world. This approach reinforces our belief that sport is far more than performance—it is an experience that shapes character, connects communities, and nurtures the global citizen in every student.