A Hungarian school has, for the first time, secured a place among the world’s top ten institutions in the World’s Best School Prizes, in the 2026 Environmental Action category.
Hungarian school in global Top 10 of World’s Best School Prizes
REAL School Budapest, based in Óbuda, was shortlisted following a global competition that attracted thousands of entries, with just ten schools per category reaching the final stage, according to a statement issued on Monday, MTI wrote.
The school was recognised for embedding sustainability and regeneration not as standalone initiatives, but as integral elements of its daily operations and educational philosophy.
Its project-based learning model places pupils at the heart of real-world environmental challenges, combining systems thinking with practical problem-solving as core components of the curriculum.
Hungarian school is a non-profit international primary school
Nature-based learning also forms part of the weekly routine, with students spending every Wednesday immersed in outdoor education. Pupils have established composting systems, seed banks and biodiversity-supporting habitats, while older students have developed practical proposals addressing flood prevention and local food production.
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The award was founded in 2022 by Vikas Pota, creator of the Global Teacher Prize, often dubbed the “Nobel Prize for teaching”. While the latter honours individual educators, the World’s Best School Prizes recognise entire institutions, aiming to showcase and disseminate best practices in education on a global scale.
REAL School Budapest, established in 2019, is a non-profit international primary school. Its curriculum is based on the National Curriculum of England, combined with a project-based learning approach. The school, located in Graphisoft Park, educates around 100 pupils representing 27 nationalities.
