DEEP
Dubai Future Experts Program
Empowering national talents with future skills is a key pillar of Dubai’s vision.
H.H. Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
About DEEP
Shaping the Future of Government
The Dubai Future Experts Program (DEEP) is the world’s first government-led program dedicated to embedding foresight within the public sector in Dubai. It builds a trusted network of Emirati foresight leaders who contribute to shaping future policies, strategies, and innovations across the Dubai Government.
Developed in collaboration between the Executive Council of Dubai and the Dubai Future Foundation, the program brings together leading global experts to support advanced foresight practice and capability building.
Why DEEP
Future-ready government starts here
Why this matters now?
Anticipate change, don't react to It
Rapid advancements, global disruptions, and shifting societal expectations are reshaping how governments plan and act. To remain future-ready and resilient, public sector leaders must move beyond reacting to change and develop the capability to anticipate and shape the future.
Dubai's future readiness
Aligned with Dubai's strategic agenda
DEEP plays a central role in strengthening Dubai’s future readiness by equipping government leaders with foresight skills that inform policy, strategy, and innovation. Through applied projects and cross-government collaboration, the program supports Dubai’s ambition to proactively design its future rather than respond to it.
Who is this for?
Emirati leaders shaping Dubai's future
The program is for Emirati professionals across government and semi-government entities who influence strategy, innovation, and long-term planning, and who aspire to become leaders shaping Dubai’s future.
Learning Journey
The program spans over 6 months. It consists of two levels.
Level 1
Certified Foresight Practitioner
April – June 2026
Build foresight capability
Level 2
Certified Foresight Ambassador
June – October 2026
Apply foresight to real institutional challenges
Graduation & Ecosystem Integration
November 2026
Fees
AED 60,000
Per participant
Who Benefits
Designed to empower at every level
01
Dubai Government
Strengthening future readiness at a city-wide level
- Strengthens Dubai’s future readiness by embedding foresight as a core capability across government institutions.
- Enables a shift from reacting to change toward anticipating and shaping the future.
- Supports alignment with Dubai’s long-term visions and future agendas through consistent foresight practices.
- Builds a city-wide network of foresight leaders who contribute to policy, strategy, and innovation.
- Enhances Dubai’s ability to navigate uncertainty and remain resilient, competitive, and future-ready.
02
Entities
Embedding foresight into institutional planning and decision-making
- Strengthens institutional future readiness by embedding foresight and future design practices into core planning and decision-making processes.
- Supports the shift toward anticipatory governance, moving beyond short-term responses to long-term, future-informed action.
- Enables entities to anticipate future risks and opportunities relevant to their mandate and translate them into strategic priorities.
- Builds internal capabilities, reducing reliance on external foresight support.
- Generates applied foresight projects that contribute directly to entity readiness, resilience, and performance.
- Encourages collaboration and shared learning across government entities.
03
Individuals
Developing future-ready leadership grounded in applied foresight
- Develops strong futures literacy and the ability to think systemically across long-term horizons.
- Equips participants with practical tools to navigate uncertainty, complexity, and disruption.
- Develops future-ready leadership capabilities grounded in applied foresight to influence policy, strategy, and decision making.
- Gains hands-on experience applying foresight tools to real government challenges.
- Certifies participants as foresight practitioners and integrates them into the DFF and DEEP foresight ecosystem and alumni network.
Impact
Over the past five years, the Dubai Future Expert Program (DEEP) has remained highly selective, admitting around 20 participants per cohort. To date, 99 top graduates from 45 government entities have completed the program and have gone on to design and deliver 149 Futures and Foresight projects, strengthening foresight capabilities across government.
Cohorts since 2020
0
Graduates
0
Entities
0
Foresight Research Projects
0
What Leaders Say
Voices from Dubai leaders and the DEEP community
Developing national capabilities and equipping them with the tools to build the future is essential to preparing a new generation of leaders capable of advancing our development journey and accelerating our future ambitions. The Dubai Future Experts Program strengthens participants’ capabilities in critical areas such as strategic thinking, social intelligence, project management, and foresight, enabling them to drive sustainable impact across government.
The program offers Emirati talent access to leading global practices and cross-sector expertise, enabling them to develop forward-looking ideas that strengthen Dubai’s institutional capacity for future design. By enhancing government performance, the program contributes to delivering a step-change in quality of life and long-term societal wellbeing.
The Dubai Future Experts Program equips a select group of Emirati leaders with advanced foresight capabilities, empowering them to anticipate change, shape proactive strategies, and embed future thinking at the core of government work. By institutionalising strategic foresight across entities, we are enabling a transformative shift in governance and reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global leader in future-ready policymaking.
The program deepened my expertise in strategic foresight, scenario planning, and advanced forecasting. It equipped me with practical tools that enable structured thinking and informed decision-making in the face of accelerating and uncertain change. Today, I am better prepared to anticipate disruption and respond proactively to emerging shifts shaping the future.
The program is instrumental in equipping participants with the frameworks and tools required to think systematically about the future. It cultivates both individual and collective foresight capabilities, strengthening institutional readiness and enabling more informed, forward-looking decision-making.
Technology is the backbone of the future, driving productivity, efficiency, and the delivery of high-quality services. The Dubai Future Experts Program challenged me to think beyond conventional boundaries, exploring possibilities, scenarios, risks, and opportunities through a structured foresight lens. It strengthened my ability to anticipate change, develop actionable strategies, and translate uncertainty into measurable outcomes. The tools and methodologies I gained now enable me to turn potential risks into opportunities and convert forward-looking ideas into tangible achievements.
Get in Touch
Ready to shape Dubai's future?
Join the next cohort of foresight leaders building the future of government.