Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) launches the second edition of the “Design Gov” programme, which will involve government entities in designing strategies and initiatives to make Dubai one of the most liveable cities on Earth.

Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of DFF, said, “This programme will empower future government leaders with critical skills and tools, including design thinking, creativity, identifying opportunities, and innovation, to develop novel models and then share them with the world.”

Belhoul reaffirmed that the success of government work focuses on utilising national talent equipped with skills in design-thinking and seeing the future, turning potential challenges into opportunities, and deploying to serve society.

Belhoul reiterated that the program is critical in empowering Dubai government entities to develop the skills of government employees in human-centred design, encouraging them to adopt creative thinking and providing them with tools to shape the future of government work.

Held under the theme of “Leadership and Design”, the programme will last for 14 weeks from July to October 2024. The programme will include workshops, meetings, and events locally and abroad. The deadline for registration is 12th May, 2024.

In the second edition, participants will work in teams to test their new skills by developing innovative concepts, designing future scenarios, prototyping government projects, initiatives, and strategies, and identifying entities to ensure they achieve their project goals.

The first phase aims to encourage participants to network, introduce them to the programme’s objectives, and train them in design tools and their application in government.

The content of the “Design Gov” programme was developed in cooperation with various government entities in the UAE and research and academic institutions around the world according to best international practices.

Its main goals are to foster a culture of creativity and proactive planning in government entities, empower national talents with innovation-related skills, and support the development, launch, and implementation of enhanced public services, initiatives, and projects that enhance Dubai's and the UAE's future readiness.

The UAE government launched the first ”Design Gov” programme in 2019 to promote the design of initiatives, policies, and programmes that support the goals of the UAE Centennial 2071.