The Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government has launched the Master in Innovation Management and Artificial Intelligence Governance, a postgraduate programme positioned as a first-of-its-kind offering centred on government policy, innovation governance, and leadership in the age of artificial intelligence. The launch comes as the United Arab Emirates continues to push forward its broader artificial intelligence ambitions under the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031, alongside plans to transition 50 percent of government sectors, services, and operations towards agentic artificial intelligence systems. The programme represents one of the most direct institutional responses yet to the growing demand for qualified public sector leaders capable of navigating the policy, ethical, and operational dimensions of artificial intelligence deployment at scale.
Ali bin Sebaa Al Marri, Executive President of the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government, said that artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping the public sector and that governments will need qualified, agile leaders capable of navigating complex and unprecedented transformations. According to the school, the programme combines innovation management, artificial intelligence governance, public policy, and strategic leadership through a quintuple helix educational model that blends academic learning with experiential education and personal development. The programme will carry 180 academic credits, comprising 120 credits of taught modules and a 60-credit dissertation, and will be offered either full-time over 18 months or part-time over two years through a blended format combining weekend in-person sessions and online classes.
Professor Yousif El-Ghalayini, Acting Dean of Academic Affairs at the school, said the programme was designed around the growing need for public sector leaders capable of managing emerging technologies and future governance challenges, adding that simply adopting technology is no longer enough and that governments and institutions face increasing pressure to reskill and upskill their workforce to keep pace with artificial intelligence-driven transformation. Professor Melodena Stephens, Professor of Innovation and Technology Governance and Programme Head, described the initiative as unprecedented in scope, aimed at preparing leaders to manage technological breakthroughs that are already reshaping policymaking and public administration globally.
The launch event included specialised sessions by faculty including Professor Mark Esposito, Professor of Economic Policy, who discussed the growing global focus on artificial intelligence governance and policy frameworks, as well as an alumni panel titled The Future-Ready Government: Why Governments Need Innovation Leaders Now, which explored how innovation leadership is becoming increasingly important across sectors including healthcare, defence, and government services, featuring Basmah Al Zeyoudi, Innovation Manager at EDGE Group, and Dr Khawla AlHajaj, Consultant Family Physician, futurist, and researcher at the Dubai Health Authority. The programme will also include international field visits to technology hubs, embassies, and international organisations, exposing participants to global governance models and innovation ecosystems. The launch reflects a broader regional trend where governments across the Middle East are investing in building the institutional knowledge and human capital needed to govern artificial intelligence responsibly, as the technology moves beyond pilot phases and into the core of public administration.
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