The annual WISE Prize for Education is the first distinction of its kind to recognize an individual or a team of up to six people for an outstanding, world-class contribution to education. Established in 2011 by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, the WISE Prize sets the standard for excellence in education, giving it similar status to other areas for which international prizes already exist, such as literature, peace and economics. The Laureate receives a monetary prize of $500,000 (US) and a gold medal.

The first WISE Prize for Education was awarded to Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, Founder and Chairman of BRAC, one of the world’s leading development organizations which has contributed to the education of more than 10 million students at all levels. Dr. Madhav Chavan, Co-founderand CEO of Pratham, the largest education NGO in India, won the 2012 WISE Prize for Education for his remarkable contribution to low-cost mass literacy and numeracy.

Following the call for nominations that was open from March 1 to April 30, the 2013 WISE Prize for Education Laureate's name will be announced at the annual Summit, to be held October 29-31, 2013, in Doha, Qatar.