Writing the entry
Write the award entry the way a judge will score it
A strong AEA Awards entry is four blocks: the business constraint, the learning intervention, dated evidence of what moved, and what you learned. Reputation and production quality are not scoring factors. Nominations open 20 October 2026.
What to cut before you submit
Mission statements, vendor brochures, and unnamed “industry benchmarks”. If a number has no source and no date, delete it.
Keep learner work samples, manager behaviours, and one chart the CFO would recognise.
How to write an AEA Awards nomination
- 1
Write the constraint in one paragraph
Who was failing which operational metric, by how much, over what period.
- 2
Describe the intervention
Population, duration, practice (not content dumping), language of delivery, manager role.
- 3
Attach dated evidence
Baseline date, result date, source system, comparison group if you have one.
- 4
State the caveat and the ask
What you still cannot measure, and why this category — not another — is the fit.
- 5
Register and submit when the portal opens
Interest registration is open now. The 2027 nomination window opens 20 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How long should the entry be? +
Long enough to prove four blocks. Padding with strategy poetry lowers the score.
Can we use AI to draft? +
For structure, yes. For numbers, no. Invented metrics are a disqualification risk.
Should we hire an awards consultant? +
Only to edit. The head of L&D must own the metric. Consultants should not invent impact.
English or Arabic? +
Whichever language holds the evidence. Do not reverse-translate under deadline.
Where are examples? +
See award nomination examples and the evidence-pack playbook.
2027 cycle
Register your interest before nominations open on 20 October 2026
AEA Awards is the MENA Learning & Development benchmark. Leave your details and we will remind you when the entry window opens.