Knowledge Project: A leading platform to strengthen knowledge economy and elevate UAE’s position as a global hub for development and innovation
Dubai, 23 - October 2025: Amid today’s fast-paced and unprecedented global changes, the Knowledge Project, a groundbreaking joint initiative between the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), continues to gain rapid significance both regionally and globally. The initiative stands at the forefront of advancing expertise, research, and policy support to strengthen the foundations of knowledge-based economies and societies worldwide.
By identifying the strengths and weaknesses of knowledge systems across the globe, the Knowledge Project contributes to shaping effective policies and developing strategies that drive innovation, education, and sustainable economic growth.
Knowledge Summit: A Leading Global Knowledge Platform
The Knowledge Project has significantly contributed to the global knowledge landscape through a range of impactful initiatives, with the Knowledge Summit standing out as the most notable one. Over the years, the summit has achieved remarkable success, holding nine editions that featured more than 1,000 sessions focused on diverse fields of knowledge and future foresight. It has hosted over 900 distinguished speakers, including leading intellectuals, scientists, decision-makers, and academics from around the world, and attracted over 1.2 million visitors. The summit’s digital presence has also been impressive, garnering over 203 million views and engagements across its official website and social media platforms. Additionally, it has produced 71 podcasts that gained considerable popularity within intellectual and scientific communities. This year, the summit returns for its 10th edition, taking place on 19–20 November 2025, under the theme “Knowledge Markets: Developing Sustainable Communities.”
GKI: A Leading Measure for International Development
As part of the project, the Global Knowledge Index (GKI) emerges as a pioneering tool designed to assist policymakers and researchers in understanding the opportunities and challenges of knowledge economies and societies worldwide. To date, the Knowledge Project has released eight editions of the GKI, comprising seven composite sectoral indices. These include pre-university education, technical education and vocational training, higher education, research, development and innovation, information and communication technology (ICT), the economy, and the enabling environment. The 2024 edition featured data from 141 countries across diverse regions and stages of development, offering valuable insights into the gaps and challenges nations face in their journey to build integrated knowledge-based economies. In 2025, the GKI will undergo methodological enhancements to reflect the changing dynamics of global development, ensuring it maintains its ability to adapt to emerging global trends.
Future Skills Academy: Bridging the Digital Divide and Empowering Future Generations
Aligned with the goals of the project to equip citizens of the Arab region with future-ready skills, the FutureSkills4All initiative was launched in partnership with the learning platform Coursera. This initiative offers free access to educational programs aimed at developing the essential skills of people across the Arab region. Within a year, it attracted nearly 10,000 learners from across the region and beyond, who completed more than 114,000 learning hours across 15,000 diverse educational programs.
Building on this success, the initiative expanded to become the Future Skills Academy, with a mission to reach one million learners annually and impact 10 million individuals by 2030. The Academy plays a significant role in addressing digital and skills gaps across the Arab world, preparing future generations for the emerging job market amid rapid technological changes. Since its launch in March 2025 until October this year, the Academy’s participants have demonstrated impressive engagement, including approximately 490,000 educational videos watched, 313,000 readings completed, and over 261,000 assessments undertaken, representing thousands of hours dedicated to upskilling themselves.
KnowTalks: Where Global Expertise Converges
Among the most impactful initiatives under the Knowledge Project is KnowTalks, a series of seminars that extend the activities of the Knowledge Summit. These sessions serve as a platform for global experts and thought leaders in various knowledge fields to engage in meaningful dialogue on global trends, development challenges, and knowledge-related issues, while also exploring untapped opportunities and sharing valuable experiences.
On the digital front, the Knowledge4All platform was launched in 2015, followed by the introduction of its mobile application in 2016. This platform serves as a comprehensive gateway for all the tools and resources provided by the Knowledge Project, offering access to information for policymakers, academics, and researchers. It also enables scholars and specialists to publish their academic work. Currently, the platform is undergoing a major upgrade to better align with technological advancements and global shifts.
Knowledge Week and Knowledge Journey: Advancing Sustainable National Development
As part of its ongoing efforts to deepen regional collaboration, the Knowledge Project launched the Knowledge Week initiative, beginning with the inaugural Knowledge Journey in Kuwait, aimed at strengthening cooperation among Arab institutions. The journey unfolded in three phases — October 2024, February 2025, and June 2025 — and saw strong engagement from Arab youth. Participants had the opportunity to take part in enriching discussions and interactive events designed to empower them with the leadership skills needed to tackle future challenges and support sustainable development across both public and private sectors. The initiative produced actionable recommendations for decision-makers, which helped it position itself as a strategic platform for shaping the future of knowledge and a powerful model for Arab integration.
Arab Knowledge Reports and Future Foresight: Mapping Today's Reality for Tomorrow's Challenges.
The Knowledge Project published the Arab Knowledge Reports, a distinguished series that sheds light on the state of knowledge across the region and the challenges it faces. Released in 2009, 2010/2011, and 2014, these reports offered in-depth research and detailed analyses across various sectors, with insights drawn from the participation of nearly 12,000 students from across the Arab region.
The project also launched the Future of Knowledge Foresight Reports in 2018, 2019, and 2022. These reports were developed to support countries in preparing their populations for the rapidly changing knowledge landscape. They focused on encouraging countries’ proactive leadership and promoting sustainable workforce skills by offering a clear and objective assessment of citizens’ future needs.
The Knowledge Project has established itself as a leading initiative in advancing knowledge-based societies and economies. Its comprehensive approach combines robust data analytics, educational platforms, open dialogue, and strong regional and international partnerships. The project places a strong emphasis on youth empowerment, providing them with the skills and tools needed to navigate future challenges. In doing so, it plays a vital role in reinforcing Dubai’s and the UAE’s position as a global hub for knowledge, innovation, and sustainable progress.
