Dubai Behavioral Insights Lab is an applied research platform at the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG) that harnesses behavioral sciences to understand human behavior and improve public policies and government services through field experimentation, data analysis, and capacity building across Dubai, the UAE, and the region.

To empower decision-makers and public institutions to design more impactful and innovative policies and interventions by applying behavioral science to deepen the understanding of human behavior—enhancing quality of life, improving government performance, and advancing the UAE’s vision of a future-ready, responsive government.

Vision

To become a regional and global reference for leveraging human behavior in smart public policymaking.

Mission

To deliver innovative, evidence-based behavioral solutions to policy and service challenges through close collaboration with government entities and the integration of academic knowledge with practical application.

Target Audiences

1. Governments & Regulators

   Designing evidence-based behavioral policies and interventions that raise quality of life and deliver measurable impact efficiently.

2. Public Institutions & Service Providers

   Improving service delivery, enhancing user experience, and increasing voluntary compliance and public engagement.

3. Private-Sector Organizations

   Adopting behavioral solutions to improve customer engagement, retention, and social impact.

4. International Organizations & Development Partners

   Co-designing and implementing behavioral interventions within sustainable development and social policy programs.

5. Civil Society & Non-profits

   Amplifying the impact of community initiatives and driving positive behavioral change among target groups.

6. Research Centers & Academia

   Building evidence, advancing knowledge, and supporting experimentation and innovation in human behavior and data-driven interventions.

Strategic Objectives

1. Advance Behavioral Knowledge in Public Policy

   Lead applied research and field experimentation with local and global research partners; steer graduate studies toward behavioral applications in government.

2. Build Institutional Capacity for Behavioral Policy Design

   Provide specialized training programs and professional diplomas; develop research and analytics partnerships to institutionalize evidence-based design.

3. Mainstream Behavioral Innovation Across Government

   Run events, workshops, and knowledge products; support the establishment of in-house behavioral units and communities of practice.

4. Achieve Societal Impact Through Field Experimentation

   Implement trials using the Test–Learn–Adapt approach; design agile interventions that reduce complexity and strengthen positive engagement with government.

Areas of Work

1. Scientific Research & Knowledge Development

   Applied and academic research; behavioral analysis of policies and regulations; evaluation and improvement of existing policies.

2. Training & Capacity Building

   Applied training programs and professional diplomas; advanced toolkits and in-house capabilities; decision-maker guides for behavioral intervention design.

3. Events & Knowledge Dissemination

   Conferences, workshops, and specialized forums; reports and publications; strategic partnerships to scale knowledge exchange.

4. Interventions & Field Experiments

   Designing and testing interventions in real-world settings; Nudgeathon collaborative sprints; data analytics to identify patterns and measure impact.