Hugh Viney, Founder and CEO of Minerva Virtual Academy, discusses how personalised learning, live teaching, mentoring and regional communities are reshaping education for more than 1,500 students across 60 countries
Flexible learning models are gaining momentum as families seek educational options that better accommodate mobility, specialist interests, neurodiverse learning needs and student wellbeing. Minerva Virtual Academy (MVA) responds to this demand through a digital-first model that combines live teaching, independent study, one-to-one mentoring and in-person community activities.
Founded in 2021 by Hugh Viney, MVA has grown into a multi-award-winning online school serving more than 1,500 full-time students across over 60 countries. MVA delivers the British curriculum through a student-centric approach designed for globally mobile families, elite athletes and performers, alongside students who benefit from a more personalised and adaptable learning environment.
Viney previously established Minerva Tutors, which has supported thousands of students globally. Building on that experience, he launched MVA to expand access to high-quality personalised education through a full-time school model.
MVA was launched in the UAE in September 2025, marking the next phase of its international growth and reflecting rising demand across the UAE and wider Gulf for flexible, wellbeing-led alternatives to traditional schooling.
In an interview with Sandhya D’Mello, Viney discusses the role of AI in personalised learning, the operational realities of international expansion and the importance of keeping teachers and mentors central to education. He also explores how digital platforms and changing family expectations could reshape schooling by 2030.
Interview excerpts
How does a digital-first school differ operationally and technologically from a traditional school that simply delivers lessons online?
A digital-first school is not simply a technology platform or a conventional school offering lessons through video calls. MVA operates as a complete school with a principal, vice-principals, assistant vice-principals, heads of department, heads of year, teachers, and pastoral teams. We have around 1,500 students, 250 employees and approximately 200 teachers. Our academic model combines self-directed and teacher-led learning. Students complete about 50 per cent of their learning independently and at their own pace through a virtual environment, while the remaining 50 per cent takes place with teachers in live classrooms. Every student also receives a weekly one-to-one mentoring session. Community remains an important part of the model.
School trips, family days and in-person meet-ups complement the online experience, making MVA closer to a hybrid school than a platform that simply delivers lessons remotely.
What role does AI play in personalising learning at MVA, and where must teachers and mentors remain central?
AI can support personalisation across almost every part of a digital-first school because teaching, learning and engagement already take place through online systems. Students can access content in video, audio and text formats, with materials adjusted to their individual needs. AI-supported tutoring can also guide students through questions without simply providing the answers. Live lessons generate valuable information that can help teachers understand student engagement. We can examine factors such as classroom participation, contributions, camera use and even the use of emojis. AI can analyse these data points and help teachers identify students who may be struggling, disengaging or progressing more quickly than expected. Future developments could include an AI assistant for every student, helping them manage deadlines, daily priorities and personal commitments. Human relationships, however, must remain at the centre of education. AI should help teachers and mentors make students happier, more engaged and better supported. Replacing the human elements of teaching and mentoring would be unnecessary and potentially problematic.
How can an online school scale across international markets without physical infrastructure, and what are the main commercial and operational challenges?
Online delivery removes the need to build a conventional campus in every market and enables a school to reach students across borders more efficiently. MVA now supports more than 1,500 full-time students across over 60 countries, demonstrating how a digital-first model can extend access to the British curriculum internationally. Successful expansion still requires a strong local presence. International students may be able to access the academic programme online, but they also need the school trips, family days and face-to-face activities available to families in established markets. MVA Middle East was created to bring that wider school experience to students across the region. We now have locally based team members in Dubai and Abu Dhabi covering leadership, student community, admissions, marketing and teaching. The main challenge involves scaling efficiently while preserving educational quality, personal support and a meaningful sense of community.
International growth cannot rely on technology alone. Regional expertise, local relationships and in-person engagement remain essential.
What has Minerva’s expansion into Dubai and Abu Dhabi revealed about demand for flexible, technology-enabled education in the UAE and wider Gulf?
Minerva was launched in the UAE in September 2025, and the response has demonstrated growing regional demand for educational models that provide families with greater flexibility while maintaining academic structure, personal mentoring and community engagement. Demand in the UAE reflects many of the same needs we see in the UK. Families typically choose MVA because they require greater lifestyle flexibility, want to support a child pursuing elite sport or the performing arts, or need a learning environment better suited to neurodivergence, mental health concerns or anxiety. The UAE also presents some distinct requirements. Globally mobile families need educational continuity, while some parents want to avoid lengthy daily school journeys. Talented athletes and performers require schedules that allow them to balance education with training and professional commitments. Exceptionally able students may also want to study above the academic level normally associated with their age. Our first 50 UAE students lived within approximately 90 minutes of one another, compared with a seven-hour geographical spread among our first 50 UK students. This geographical proximity creates greater scope for regular meet-ups and community activities
By 2030, how will AI, digital platforms and changing family expectations reshape the traditional school model and the skills students need?
AI is developing so quickly that nobody can predict precisely what education will look like in 2030. Schools must therefore prepare students for an uncertain future by helping them become independent, adaptable and confident when working with digital tools. The future does not require every child to attend an online school. Traditional schools work well for many students and will continue to play an important role. The most significant change will be greater choice. Families could select between conventional schools, fully online models, and hybrid schools where students attend a physical setting for part of the week and study online for the remainder. Greater choice would allow families to select a model that suits the child rather than forcing every student into the same structure. AI and digital platforms can make learning more personalised and flexible, but strong teachers, mentors and human relationships will remain fundamental.
Source: Tahawul Tech
