Underlining its commitment to applying modern science to the development of innovative policies, the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG) has announced the launch of the Dubai Behavioural Insights Lab.  The Lab is a groundbreaking applied research platform that applies behavioural science to strengthen public policymaking and improve government services.
The launch of the Lab is part of MBRSG’s broader efforts to strengthen the governance ecosystem in Dubai, the UAE, and the wider region by integrating scientific evidence with practical experience and fostering institutional capacity. This reinforces MBRSG’s position as a strategic knowledge partner for government entities and aligns with the UAE’s vision of a smart, human-centred government of the future.
The Lab aims to empower decision-makers and government institutions to design more impactful and innovative policies and interventions, grounded in a comprehensive understanding of human behaviour and the use of advanced behavioural tools.  This contributes to enhancing quality of life, raising government performance efficiency and supporting the UAE’s vision of anticipating the future and developing sustainable, evidence-based solutions to societal challenges.
The Lab’s work is underpinned by an integrated framework that combines the rigour of MBRSG’s academic research with the adaptability of practical experience in behavioural analysis within real-world contexts, while drawing on Dubai’s leadership in innovation and human-centred design.
The Lab is founded on an ambitious vision to serve as a regional and global reference in harnessing human behaviour to inform smart public policymaking. Its mission is to generate innovative, evidence-based and empirically tested solutions to governmental and societal challenges, achieved through close collaboration with government entities as well as the integration of academic knowledge with practical application.
The Lab collaborates with a diverse network of local and international partners, including governments, regulatory bodies, public and private institutions, international organisations, civil society and academic institutions. This ensures broad impact and promotes the adoption of behavioural solutions across various fields.
His Excellency Dr. Ali bin Sebaa Al Marri, Executive President of MBRSG, said: “The launch of the Dubai Behavioural Insights Lab reflects the vision of our wise leadership, which places people at the heart of government development. The Lab marks a qualitative shift in decision-making processes, drawing on behavioural evidence and scientific experimentation to enhance the effectiveness of public policies and government services. At MBRSG, we are committed to drawing on our academic and research expertise to build institutional capacities capable of applying behavioural sciences, thereby strengthening the UAE’s competitiveness and consolidating its global leadership in government innovation.”
The Lab operates within an integrated framework of strategic objectives. These include advancing the integration of behavioural knowledge in public policy through applied research and field experiments; strengthening institutional capacity by offering training programmes and specialised diplomas that develop the skills of practitioners and enable government agencies to design interventions informed by behavioural insights; and fostering a culture of innovation across the government system by organising events, publishing reports and establishing specialised teams in institutions. Through these objectives, the Lab seeks to achieve sustainable societal impact by promoting field-based behavioural practices that adopt a “test, learn, develop” methodology, which enhances positive engagement and simplifies the complexity of policy design.
The Lab also advances integrated areas of work encompassing scientific research and knowledge development, training and capacity building, event organisation and knowledge dissemination, as well as the design and implementation of field experiments. Its activities include analysing policies and legislation from a behavioural perspective, developing innovative interventions informed by scientific modelling and evaluating existing policies to enhance their effectiveness.

The lab team, which places the country among the global leaders in this field, includes a distinguished group of experts and academics in public administration, policy, and behavioral economics. Among them Dr Abdulaziz Staitieh, Senior Economic Advisor at The General Secretariat Of The Executive Council - Government of Dubai‏; Dr Ahmed Obaid Al Khadim, Director of Fujairah Hospital at the Emirates Health Services;  Brigadier Abdul Samad Hussain Suleiman, Deputy Assistant Director-General for Leadership and Future Affairs at GDRFA; Mr Saleh Salim Al Hamouri, Training and Development Specialist at MBRSG; Prof. Yousif El-Ghalayini, Professor of Public Administration and Executive MPA Programme Director at MBRSG; and Prof. Khalid Wasif Al-Wazani Professor of Economics and Public Policy at MBRSG and a member of several boards of directors. Together, they contribute their extensive and diverse expertise to support applied research and develop innovative solutions that enhance the effectiveness of public policies.
Among the Lab’s innovative initiatives is the “Nudgeathon” lab, which convenes multidisciplinary teams to develop solutions grounded in behavioural insights within a defined timeframe. The initiative fosters collaborative innovation while enabling the testing of solutions that are both viable and scalable.
The Lab also applies a structured workflow that starts with the identification of behavioural problems and the monitoring of relevant phenomena, followed by diagnosis, research, and analysis. It then proceeds to the design and field implementation of interventions, the collection of data and evaluation of results and, ultimately, the documentation and dissemination of knowledge, ensuring sustainable impact. The first Nudgethon is set to be organised in partnership with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai

The launch of the Dubai Behavioural Insights Lab reflects the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government’s vision of translating academic knowledge into innovative policies and practical applications that enhance the efficiency of governance and promote the development of sustainable, evidence-based solutions. By equipping institutions and decision-makers with modern behavioural tools, the Lab reinforces the MBRSG’S role in preparing national leaders capable of driving change and innovation, while reaffirming the UAE’s position as a global reference in designing people-centred policies grounded in a deep understanding of human behaviour.