The Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG) showcased its pioneering experience in promoting new and innovative educational programmes as its Executive President His Excellency Dr Ali bin Sebaa Al Marri joined the annual meeting of the OECD Global Network of Schools of Government, hosted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Athens, Greece.

The programmes are adapted to global developments and allow for upskilling and enabling human capital, empowering leaders to advance government performance, accomplish national objectives, and spearhead sustainable development in the UAE, the region, and the world.

The meeting offers a unique platform for schools of government from around the world to come together, exchange expertise and pioneering practices that aim to train government employees and provide them with the skills and expertise they need to develop solutions to current and future challenges. The last meeting shed light on the role that schools of public administration play in promoting leadership and resilience in times of crisis, in addition to introducing new teaching methods and promoting lifelong learning in the field of public services.

H.E. Dr Al Marri said: “The Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government is committed to knowledge sharing and exploring best practices in public administration. The MBRSG continues to qualify candidates to serve the various strategic goals of governments, with a keenness to transfer the UAE’s model to the world, which reflects the government’s vision of evolving public administration and adopting advanced systems to achieve set strategic goals for the country. This serves to strengthen our role in providing leaders and government employees with the highest standards of experiences and expertise to keep pace with the changing global paradigm, which is also reflected in our commitment to the development and modernization of programs by consolidating new teaching approach at the college.”

“Taking part in the Global Network of Schools of Government, organised by the OECD, presented us with a great opportunity to showcase our recent achievements in developing new systems for teaching, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as lessons learned during the pandemic,” H.E. said. “This, in turn, motivates us to multiply our efforts to train government workers and leaders, and support them to move forward and enhance their contribution to the efforts by governments in the UAE and around the region.”

Next-Generation Schools of Government
Under the slogan ‘Next-Generation Schools of Government’, H.E. Dr Ali bin Sebaa Al Marri and Dr Arthur King, Associate Professor and Director of Academic Affairs at MBRSG, joined a session titled ‘New Teaching Methods’, which shed light on the transformation and development taking place in MBRSG’s teaching systems, lessons learned from the development of said systems and the role they play in integrating the teaching process at various levels of education and across all academic programmes. The MBRSG delegation also showcased the transition to smart education systems, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, analysing the impact this experience has had on MBRSG’s work, helping expand student enrolment in the UAE and the region.

The delegation participated in another panel discussion titled ‘Evaluating Teaching and Learning’, where Dr Al Marri and Dr King presented their vision for reskilling government leaders and employees, in light of reforms, civil services, and urgent needs that call for implementing best practices as we become more reliant on digitisation. The vision they articulated aims to enhance the ability to navigate crises and achieve sustainability goals, among others, highlighting MBRSG’s role in bridging the skills gap in these areas.

H.E. Al Marri also participated in a session titled ‘Promoting a Safe Space for Innovation’, where he discussed how schools of government can play a leading role in promoting innovation in public service and spreading a culture of innovation in the field.

Meanwhile, Dr Arthur King joined a session titled ‘Creating a Culture of Career-long Learning’, where he discussed the role that schools of government play in driving a cultural shift among professionals towards lifelong learning, highlighting the various strategies that are used to promote it. These strategies consist of building a system to ensure continuous communication with employees, establishing partnerships to support this goal, and developing teaching methods to serve this objectives. Dr King also focused on actions that can be taken towards senior leadership, human resource managers, coaches, and employees in this regard.