DFF initiative equips government employees with forecasting skills

Dubai / Emirates Business

Dubai Future Academy (DFAc)’s Dubai Future Experts Program, an initiative by Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), has concluded the third module of its Future Analyst’s phase.
Spanning a year and a half, the program, developed in partnership between The Executive Council of Dubai and DFF, and supervised by DFAc, is divided into three phases of six months each, allowing participants to partake in the progressive levels that include Future Analyst, Future Executive and Futuristic Strategist.
Held virtually with the participation of diverse government entity employees in Dubai, the three-week program was held under the theme of “Super Forecasting”. With more than 20 interactive sessions, this module focused on developing skillsets to foresee the future in light of the global pandemic and its effects on Dubai’s key strategic sectors including urban planning, economics, healthcare, technology, culture, infrastructure, security and justice. An online platform was created for immediate forecasting, to provide participants with an opportunity to apply learned skills in designing futuristic individual or group scenarios in line with the UAE’s vision of the
future.
Saeed Al Gergawi, Head of DFAc, said: “In these unprecedented times, Dubai Future Experts Program main mission is to empower and equip participants with skills to explore the future of our nation’s strategic sectors, manage future projects and develop initiatives to support national plans to overcome Covid-19 challenges.”
He added: “During the upcoming period, the program will continue to train applicants to envision scenarios, experiences, and pioneer practices to contribute in building a better tomorrow for Dubai.”
Mohammad Zeinal, participant from Dubai Police, said: “The program has provided pragmatic approaches and frameworks of future foresight skills necessary for designing future initiatives that will shape Dubai. Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, through exponential foresight, we have analysed emerging macro-megatrends disrupting various sectors and industries to derive ideation
opportunities.”
Rayan Hammadi, participant from Dubai Municipality, said: “The Future Experts Program is one of the most important training programs that will implement the directions of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, as the program addresses a thought-out system in anticipating the future and setting expectations that may occur on important events that touch the future of the emirate in various fields.”
Saeed Mohamed, participant from The Dubai Executive Council, said: “The program made us gain solid understanding of future foresight and the fundamentals of dealing with uncertainty and unpredictable factors given different scenarios and methods to take a proactive actions and measurements to encounter the exogenous changes.”
Hessa Bin Masoud, participant from Dubai Arts and Culture Authority, said: “I appreciate Dubai Future Academy for choosing me to participate in the Dubai Future Experts Program and providing me with this valuable opportunity to develop my capabilities in anticipating and visualizing the future in a way that aligns Dubai’s direction.”
Farhad Seddiq, participant from Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital, said: “In today’s world, there are so many sources of good and bad information I would have to say that after undergoing this training I now have the tools to cut through the clutter and to understand those indicators that will allow me to plan better for what’s ahead. I would like to thank The Executive Council and the Dubai Future Foundation to have given me this chance.”
Mohammed Al Shamsi, participant from Dubai Air Navigation Services, said: “Dubai Future Experts Program opened the horizons to the future and how could we anticipate it and prepare for it with strong predictions and well-structured approach.”
The Program, launched last December by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai Chairman of The Executive Council and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), aims to activate the role of national talent in governmental work. It also aims to foster a culture of future shaping and designing within governmental entities in the Emirate of Dubai.