The Dubai School of Government recently conducted a training program entitled "Strategic Policy-Making and Analysis" in partnership with the Dubai Executive Council. The program, which was launched on 16 February and ran until the end of April, was attended by 286 executives from Dubai’s public sector. Consisting of 10 intensive workshops, the training covered three pivotal areas: " New Approaches to Policy Making in a Challenging World ", " Challenges for Policy Making in a Fast Changing Environment " and " Policy Making and Legislation: Working in Tandem" The program was inaugurated by H.E Abdullah Al Shaibani, Secretary-General of the Dubai Executive Council, and H.E Tariq Hilal Lootah, Executive President of Dubai School of Government.

This program was developed and delivered by Dr. Khalid Bin Othman Al Yahya, DSG assistant professor and director of public administration studies and governance program, together with external experts including Dr. Yasar Jarrar, Partner at PWC Middle East and director of the Government and Public Sector Strategy Group, Dr. Kim Lowry, professor and former chairman of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Hawaii in the US, and Dr. Tarek Salloum, professor at King Saud University and public policy-making advisor.

The training was widely attended by the governmental agencies in Dubai, including but not limited to: The General Secretariat at Dubai Executive Council, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Dubai Courts, Dubai Police, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs-Dubai, DP World and Dubai Customs, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Dubai International Financial Centre and Human Resources Department.

Commenting on the significance of the program and the relevance of its components to the UAE, Dr. Al Yahya, the project’s manager said: “Given the fast paced growth witnessed by the UAE, and in light of global changes surrounding the country, there is a need for institutional work and for a system that is both modern and capable of analyzing public policy challenges and requirements. This is vital to ensure that policy adoption by public institutions is based on comprehensive, innovative and well-studied strategic thinking and planning, in order that the interests of both state and society are met. There is a need, therefore, to rely on empowering research and knowledge, as well as the involvement of concerned entities in policy development and implementation on the ground. It is with this in mind that training programs have been designed to hone the skills of public industry leaders responsible for strategic policy-making. This session, which required much planning and preparation by best in field policy and strategy experts regionally and globally, was based on an objective assessment of the actual needs to update the country’s public policy-making system and environment.”

The unprecedented growth witnessed by Dubai over the past decade, which has transformed the city into a world financial and business hub, has resulted in increased focus on the importance of developing policy-making and analysis skills and mechanisms to meet current and future needs. Government institutions have played a pivotal role in this growth through providing world-class public services and infrastructure to support this growth. However, the next growth phase dictates the need to focus on developing policies and legislation to ensure sustainable development and to protect the country’s competitiveness. The importance of policy-making is none the more evident than in the work of the Executive Council. The council has defined the overall framework for strategic policies that need be developed for the coming phase - supported by a culture of cooperation and consultation within governmental institutions – and by encouraging the involvement of stakeholders and other concerned entities, reliance on scientific analysis, and building local capabilities.