His Excellency Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, emphasized that investing in minds, attracting talents, and enhancing their participation in shaping and designing the future is a fundamental focus of the UAE government's vision and priorities. This commitment is central to planning the next 50 years of the nation's development efforts, aiming to improve community members' lives and achieve leadership in various fields to rank first globally among the best governments.
Al Gergawi stated that the UAE, led by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and guided by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, along with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, focuses on establishing clear future pathways for the sectors most connected to community life. This is done through enhancing partnerships, building capabilities, and providing an incubating and stimulating environment that allows thinkers and talents to transform their creative and innovative ideas into tangible realities, projects, and initiatives with significant quality and positive impact.
He added that the Future Design Professional Program launched by the UAE government translates a solid leadership vision and philosophy that centers on enhancing investment in people and motivating them to actively participate in shaping the future we seek to turn into a reality for the coming generations. He assured that the distinguished group of participants in the Future Design Professional Program would play a pivotal role in determining future paths for vital sectors, including: digital government, economy, developing data-driven solutions, building elite talent capabilities, and enhancing the UAE's global standing.
Global Hub
The Minister of Cabinet Affairs noted that the Future Design Professional Program reflects what the UAE represents as a global hub for work and residency for youth and talented individuals, whom it seeks to attract and embrace through the national strategy for talent attraction and retention, alongside government initiatives to enhance the appeal of the environment for expertise and entrepreneurs. This includes the Golden Visa, which is granted to investors, entrepreneurs, innovators, specialized talents, researchers in science and knowledge, and outstanding students.
This announcement coincides with the launch of the first batch of the Future Design Professional Program "Moonshot," which is overseen by the Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Government Innovation and includes a selection of the best young Emirati and global minds. The program will enhance their practical and knowledge-based skills and involve them in developing innovative proposals and ideas, designing solutions for future challenges, which will be applied in government work under the supervision of ministers, officials in the UAE government, and experts from around the world.
The goal of the Future Design Professional Program is to attract the best young minds and talents and engage them in innovating solutions to the urgent challenges facing governments worldwide by nurturing and enhancing their practical skills and empowering them to develop creative proposals and ideas.
Participating in launching the first batch of the Future Design Professional Program were: Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth; His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy; His Excellency Dr. Ahmad bin Abdullah Hamid Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs; His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade; Her Excellency Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and the Future; Her Excellency Sarah bint Yousif Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology; His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications; Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Director General of the Prime Minister's Office in the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs; Huda Al Hashemi, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategy; and Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director General of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, and Saeed Al Atter, Head of the Media Office of the UAE government.
Key Tracks
The first batch of the Future Design Professional Program includes five main tracks: Digital Government, Economy, Global Position of the UAE, Data, and Elite.
The "Digital Government" track is overseen by Her Excellency Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and the Future, and Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Head of Digital Government in the UAE government and Director General of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority. The "Economy" track is overseen by His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, and His Excellency Dr. Ahmad bin Abdullah Hamid Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Chairman of the General Sports Authority.
As for the "Global Position of the UAE" track, it is supervised by Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, and Saeed Al Atter, Head of the Media Office of the UAE government. The "Data" track is overseen by Her Excellency Sarah bint Yousif Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology, and His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications. The "Elite" track is supervised by His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, and Abdullah Lootah, Director General of the Prime Minister's Office in the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs.
Interactive Digital Platform
The Future Design Professional Program provides an interactive digital platform that enables participants to collaborate in designing the future, exchange ideas, and present practical proposals to ensure their development, solidifying the UAE's position as a global center for attracting minds and a stimulating environment for developing ideas and shaping the governments of the future.
The UAE government launched the Future Design Professional Program to attract elite young talents from universities, colleges, and distinguished academic institutions in the country and worldwide, involving them in generating ideas and proposals to design the future of governments and human societies, reflecting the UAE government's commitment to continue its comprehensive development journey and reinforce the country's global leadership while building a better future for future generations.
Innovative Solutions
The first batch of the program includes elite young talents from distinguished universities, colleges, and academic institutions in the UAE and worldwide, possessing the ability to innovate solutions to urgent challenges by presenting new proposals and ideas and developing and testing them for application in government work.
Participants in the Future Design Professional Program were selected based on several criteria, including: the ability to design ambitious and innovative ideas, explore scientific solutions to challenges, excellence in research and development fields, the ability to utilize scientific expertise and apply it practically, and proficiency in project and team management. The program provides participants with opportunities to work as one team and transform their ideas into projects and initiatives that support the formation of the new generation of governments.
Supporting Youth and Women
Alia Al Hazami, since her graduation, has demonstrated her ability to work, innovate, and actively participate in enhancing the role of Emirati youth. Alia was selected in 2017 to be a member of the UAE Youth Council for the Emirate of Sharjah. Alia is also known for her hobbies and skills in storytelling and literary works, having published the novel "Alatash" in 2013 and "Ladies of Evangeline: The Upheaval" in 2018 in English. She is a columnist for the Gulf Today newspaper and the online magazine "Sail".
Al Hazami holds a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from the College of Arts, as well as two minors in English Literature and Women’s Studies from the American University of Sharjah. She is also pursuing a Master of Arts degree in International and Civil Security from Khalifa University.
Agricultural Technology
Zina Akrout, a French Tunisian student, was selected for her high capabilities in public policy, expertise in digital data, food technology, and entrepreneurship. She worked as a policy advisor for the Economist magazine’s information unit and gained practical experience working with international organizations such as the World Bank, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and several government agencies, including the French Chamber of Commerce.
Akrout holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Sciences Po, specializing in digital technology and public policy, as well as a Master's degree in Food Geography from Sorbonne University in Paris. She also has a Bachelor's degree in European, Social, and Political Studies from Sciences Po Paris and University College London, and she is completing her Master’s thesis in entrepreneurship between the Paris School of Applied Arts and the Paris Business Studies University.
Manufacturing the Future
Sophia Victoria Yushchenko possesses numerous skills and interests in financial technology, medical technology, energy, and the Internet of Things. She has built her practical experience by working in some of the largest startup hubs in the world, including Silicon Valley, Berlin, Kyiv, Beijing, and Dubai. This experience helped her co-found the non-profit organization "Connect Ukraine" in 2017, which brings together social entrepreneurs, visionary companies and innovators, and creative artists and technicians to exchange ideas, develop prototypes, and create future projects for communities worldwide.
Yushchenko's accomplishments extend further, as she also participated in founding the FutureTalks conference, which gathers industry leaders and youth to discuss solutions to today's biggest challenges. Additionally, she established two charitable organizations to assist children and soldiers affected by the war in Ukraine and holds a pre-law Bachelor's degree in economics and urban planning from New York University Abu Dhabi.
Sustainability Sciences
Juan Gonzalez focuses on technological change and sustainability issues. He served as an economic advisor in the Office of the Minister of Housing, City, and Region in Colombia and worked as a research assistant at both the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose in the UK and the Higher Education and Development Foundation in Bogotá, in addition to the Colombian Academy of Economic Sciences. He also taught economics and served as an economic expert in the telecommunications sector in Colombia.
Juan graduated with honors with a Master’s degree in Public Administration (MPA) from UCL and holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the National University of Colombia and a Master's degree in Sciences and Sustainable Development from the University of Almería.
Artificial Intelligence Technology
Dr. Abdullah Mohammed Al Shammari, Vice President of Technical Solutions at "Adaltics," dedicates his efforts to researching and developing applications of artificial intelligence technology, machine learning, and data analysis. He has extensive experience from his work at the Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters, where he supervised the management of several projects and led a research team. He is also a member of the Board of the Arab Youth Research Council and served on the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development and the Dubai SME Support Foundation.
Al Shammari has studied the national labor market's capacity to transition from an oil and gas economy to a knowledge-based and renewable energy economy, analyzing data related to the workforce and studying the impact of modern technology and automation systems on the current labor market in the UAE and the GCC countries, along with the future job opportunities related to it.
He holds several degrees, the latest being a PhD in multifactor engineering from a collaborative research program between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Masdar Institute of Science and Technology. He also conducted research for his Master's degree focusing on wind energy technology and regularly enhances his skills through specialized training courses in computer science and technology, environmental sustainability, project management and innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership. His accolades include several local and global awards, most notably the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Award for Best Scientific Research in Human Resources and the Palace Pioneers Award organized by the UK.
Facilitating Sciences
Jad Mahmoud Halabi possesses numerous scientific research and social skills that have enabled him to innovate and excel in various roles. He has been active in accelerating the transfer of technology from laboratories to the marketplace in the form of innovations needed by those in critical need. He co-founded the exhibition "Glimpses: The Art of Science," which showcases scientific research in artistic contexts, encouraging individuals to specialize in sciences and introducing scientific concepts to public spaces. He also worked with the non-profit organization Global Biotech Revolution to strengthen the communication of the new generation of leaders as part of the "100 Leaders of Tomorrow" group, which includes selected students, professionals, and advisors participating in GapSummit 2020 to facilitate the development of scientific inventions from academic research to sustainable commercial markets.
Halabi is currently focused on obtaining a PhD in materials science from New York University Abu Dhabi, conducting research applying engineering techniques, simulation, and artificial intelligence to advance newly discovered smart materials toward cutting-edge technological applications, such as solar energy harvesting.
Believing in the necessity of disseminating advanced knowledge to all, he co-founded the Graduate Student Council at New York University - Abu Dhabi and served there for three years, promoting a new research approach based on interdisciplinarity and collaboration among various fields to address pressing societal issues.
Nuclear Energy
Mohammed Al Katheeri, a Senior Non-Proliferation Engineer at the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, is an exceptional employee and one of the young Emirati talents leading numerous tasks in the nuclear energy sector. He undertook the responsibility of implementing sanctions at the Authority according to United Nations Security Council resolutions, contributing to defining roles and procedures nationwide to comply with the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force to improve the country’s standing in implementing financial sanctions. His work also focuses on meeting the requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency as agreed upon in the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the Safeguards Agreement, and the Additional Protocol.
Al Katheeri was selected as a member of the subcommittee on combating proliferation financing in the UAE and serves as an accredited innovation specialist from the Global Innovation Institute, which qualified him to work in the Innovation Management Office at the Federal Authority and contributed to developing innovative strategies in the field of nuclear energy. He is part of a team of three experts who developed a system that facilitates immediate procedures regarding financial issues, the first of its kind globally, and has been approved by more than 18 government entities.
He graduated from the University of Minnesota in the USA with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and has volunteered with numerous local and international organizations, including H2O for Humanity, Feed My Starving Children, and People Serving People, as well as "Takatof."
Economic Policies
Joshua Farougez has a keen interest in the economic policy of the UAE, as he has spent most of his life in the country and is focused on its directions. He aims to harness his talents and skills to enhance the country's economic policies and actively participate in the comprehensive developmental journey of the UAE. Thus, he chose to specialize in philosophy in politics and economics to obtain a Master’s degree from the University of Warwick in the UK.
Digital Crimes
Expert Afrah Abdul Rahman Al Mansoori, Vice President of the Dubai Police Council of Scientists, possesses extensive experience in police research and computer science. During her work with Dubai Police, she made numerous contributions to the dissemination, evaluation, and peer review of specialized scientific research globally. She participated in drafting the Interpol Manual for Investigating Digital Crimes and is a member of the organizing committee of the International Conference on Digital Evidence and Cyber Crimes, in addition to being a member of the scientific committee for the UAE International Conference and Exhibition on Forensic Evidence and Criminal Science.
Al Mansoori has earned numerous academic degrees that make her one of the first Emirati women in her field. She is the first Emirati to earn a Master’s degree in Investigating Digital Crimes and Computer Crimes from University College Dublin in Ireland and is also the first internationally certified forensic expert in Dubai Police. She was the first Arab to train with Interpol and the Irish police and has received three awards for professional excellence: the Dubai Government Excellence Award, the Minister of Interior’s Excellence Award, and the General Commander of Dubai Police’s Excellence Award.
She continues her university research to obtain a PhD in Computer Science, enriching her work as an expert in digital forensics at the General Directorate of Forensic Evidence and Criminal Science, contributing to the development of this vital field and enhancing research capabilities in solving cybercrimes.
Bid Evaluation
Amal Al Khouri, a Senior Retail Manager in the Commercial Department at Abu Dhabi Airports, combines artistic and practical skills that have enabled her to develop relationships with partners in her work, evaluate bids, and manage free zone contracts. She also enhances her talents in mosaics and cultures, having participated in several educational programs, including the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Scholarship for Higher Education and the EU Summer Program in Political Studies at the Sciences Po Institute in Paris, in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Education Council.
Al Khouri holds a Master’s degree in Tourism Management from New York University in the USA and a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Zayed University.
Shaping the New Generation of Governments
Abdullah Lootah, Director General of the Prime Minister's Office in the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, discussed the main themes of the first batch of the Future Design Professional Program "Moonshot" and the key objectives the participants will work on during the program, reflecting the UAE government's efforts to adopt and support talented young individuals to design pioneering ideas that contribute to supporting and enhancing the efficiency of future government work for the benefit of human communities.
Huda Al Hashemi, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategy, Head of Government Strategy and Innovation for the UAE government, presented to the participants the program's objectives and its role in designing prototype models and innovative solutions to long-term challenges that can be applied in the UAE government and governments worldwide. She introduced participants to the leaders of the tracks and experts they will work with during the program.
