The Global Knowledge Index Is Building the Future of Societies
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF), unveiled the 2019 results of the Global Knowledge Index (GKI). They also launched the second edition of the world’s first Future of Knowledge Foresight Report during the opening of the 6th Knowledge Summit.
The GKI is a roadmap for the sustainable development of societies. It helps countries formulate forward thinking strategies to support knowledge and promote it as a main component in building a stronger knowledge economy while ensuring sustainable development.
Switzerland, Finland, United States, Singapore and Luxembourg took the top five positions in the Global Knowledge Index, which expanded its coverage this year to 136 countries.
The UAE retained its position in the world’s top 20 countries. It advanced seven positions in two years, ranking 18th on the global level and first among the Arab states. However, it retained its second place globally on the level of the economy for the third year running.
“The Knowledge Summit sets out the global vision and policies for sustainable development to which the United Nations has developed an integrated approach. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a roadmap for all societies to reach the well-being and progress of people in all areas,” said Jamal bin Huwaireb, CEO of MBRF.
“Investing in the creation, dissemination and above all the use of knowledge about development processes is fundamental for achieving sustainable development,” added Jamal bin Huwaireb.
Jamal bin Huwaireb: “Investing
in the creation, dissemination and
above all the use of knowledge
about development processes
is fundamental for achieving
sustainable development.”
“From t he A rab S tates r egion t o t he World, t he UNDP-MBRF Knowledge Project came to shape a new and innovative vision for the realization of the 2030 Agenda”, said UNDP Acting Associate Administrator and Regional Director for Arab States Mourad Wahba.
In addition to the GKI 2019, UNDP and MBRF launched the results of the 2019 edition of the Future of Knowledge Foresight Report; an innovative knowledge measurement tool to analyze big data and evaluate the awareness of skills and technology on a global level.
The report presents the latest findings of the ‘Future of Knowledge’ series, with an expanded the scope covering 40 countries.
The report cautions policymakers that in the absence of comprehensive re-skilling and training opportunities, economies will risk stagnation and potential decline in the near future. It assists country leaders in preparing their citizens for the future knowledge landscape and equipping them with adequate skillsets.
It aspires to encourage proactive leadership among all nations to ensure the sustainable and continuous re-skilling of workforces. The continued emergence of new technologies forces both employers and employees to continuously adapt to new systems and processes. By using real-time data to assess future fields of knowledge, political leaders and supporting stakeholders will be able to envision the future needs of their citizens in an objective and efficient manner.
During the launch session of the Future of Knowledge Foresight Report, Jan Sturesson, founder of Resting – Advice from the Future, and Laurent Probst, Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, PwC, Luxembourg, presented the results of the report and discussed the technological awareness as a prerequisite for technological uptake, the digital technologies transforming the nature of jobs, and bridging the skills gaps.
Throughout their partnership, the UNDP and MBRF shared a vision of promoting knowledge-based sustainable development in the Arab region and beyond, through pioneering projects and initiatives.
