The Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG) has organised the second station of the third edition of its ‘Future Trip’ programme – themed ‘Government Innovation’ – bringing together leaders of the first and second tiers from the federal and local governments, as well as the private sector.

The event sought to facilitate the exchange of expertise, showcase the latest international trends in government, enhance decision-making under all circumstances, upgrade services to meet the highest standards, and promote innovation in government institutions and private companies across the UAE.

The ‘Government Innovation’ session is the latest stop of MBRSG’s Future Trip programme, which aims to support the leaders of the government of the future, and introduce them to the latest developments in technology and government administration, highlighting the evolving government initiatives that are rooted in smart cities and open data.

MBRSG’s Executive President Dr Ali Sebaa Al Marri said: “The ‘Government Innovation’ station reflects the wise vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, who has long championed innovation in government as key for finding solutions to all challenges, enhancing government operations to weather any transformations, and training human resources to come forward with bold ideas that enhance competitiveness across all sectors.”

“We, at the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government, take a pioneering, innovation-based approach to our work,” Dr Al Marri added. “We work to develop scientific research and academic programmes that support government and private entities to develop innovative administrative systems, and promote innovation as a work ethic that inspires all tasks, plans, projects, and initiatives in the UAE.”

The station brought together 23 officials from various entities, namely: the Ministry of Defence; Ministry of Health and Prevention; Ministry of Climate Change and Environment; Dubai Civil Defence; National Emergency and Crisis and Disasters Management Authority; Dubai Health Authority; Roads and Transport Authority; Dubai Government Human Resources Department; Community Development Authority; Emirates International Accreditation Centre; General Authority of Ports, Borders, and Free Zones Security; Dubai Courts; General Sport Authority; Dubai Media Inc.; Dubai Culture; Al Khaleej Newspaper; and Al Kaitoob Advocates law firm.

Dr Al Marri welcomed the high-profile group of leaders from federal and local governments, as well as the private sector, that MBRSG hosted in the second station of ‘Future Trip 3’, stating that their participation reflects their commitment to cooperating and supporting government plans to establish an innovation-based system for the future.

Workshop and Field Trips

The ‘Government Innovation’ station’s agenda extended over two days, kickstarting its activities with a workshop on enriching government innovation, presented by Saleh Al Hammouri, Development and Training Expert in Executive Education at MBRSG.

The workshop shed light on modern concepts of innovation, which include improvement and radical innovation in the government sector, while focusing on the latest breakthroughs in innovation and design thinking. It showcased the objectives of the UAE’s National Innovation Strategy, in addition to advanced scientific theories that promote an environment of innovation, and the role of design in creating people-centric government initiatives. The session also explored the obstacles standing in the way of innovation in the government sector, as well as solutions for embedding innovation as an integral part of corporate culture.

Day two consisted of field visits to four of the UAE’s leading innovation centres to explore their initiatives and breakthroughs. First stop was the Dubai Future Accelerators, where participants explored the Accelerators programme and its role in connecting the world’s leading innovative companies with UAE government officials to find innovative solutions to challenges and opportunities. The tour shed light on the programme’s success in establishing ‘future labs’ to analyse strategic future challenges in all sectors, and propose innovative solutions for them in collaboration with international research companies and government sectors.

Second on the itinerary was the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation (MBRCGI), where participants explored the Centre’s initiatives and programmes that seek to upgrade government administration in line with a forward-thinking vision. Attendees were also introduced to MBRCGI’s world-class workspaces that allow for brainstorming and developing ground-breaking ideas, experimenting with them, and promoting them in the UAE, the region, and the world.

The third visit was to the  Government Accelerators , which is tasked with developing operational guidelines for government entities that accelerate achievements and encourage innovation. The Centre emphasises the importance of integration among federal and local government entities, as well as the private sector, academia, and NGOs, in an effort to move forward and implement the UAE Government’s ambitious plans.

Concluding the list of field visits, the fourth stop introduced participants to ‘AREA 2071’ – a workspace designed to connect private companies, governments, start-ups, investors, the youth, and the general public to collaborate and plan for the future. The visit shed light on the Dubai Future Foundation’s 10X initiative, which seeks to outline roles and tasks for government entities to fulfil in order to serve the community and help shape a better future. The initiative is working to establish laboratories within government departments to experiment with avant-garde and future-ready government models.

The third edition of the ‘Future Trip’ programme includes four stations: Government Leadership, Government Innovation, Future Governments, and Smart Government. The programme also includes a number of lectures and workshops, as well as visits to various federal and local government bodies to learn about the best government practices in the UAE.