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The Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation announced the signing of two strategic partnership memoranda with the libraries of the United Arab Emirates University and the Higher Colleges of Technology, in an initiative aimed at consolidating government cooperation with national academic institutions, to enhance innovation in the government sector in the UAE, by enabling government employees and future leaders to access a wide range of resources and knowledge through the specialized digital platform “Ebtaker” supervised by the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation.
Ebtaker, the first digital platform dedicated to promoting a culture of innovation in the government sector in the Arab world, embodies the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to disseminate the government innovation methodology adopted by the UAE across the Arab world. The platform reflects the UAE government’s commitment to investing in individuals, enhancing their capabilities, stimulating their energies, and encouraging them to develop, innovate, and contribute to finding effective solutions to future challenges.
Under the two partnerships, the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation will work with the libraries of the UAE University and the Higher Colleges of Technology to expand the resources available on the “Ebtaker” platform and make them available to approximately 40,000 students and researchers with the aim of raising the efficiency and preparing the future generation of government employees.
Ebtaker is a unique platform with diverse and rich knowledge content. It has reached 200,000 users in 176 countries so far. The platform includes more than 560 case studies and reports that showcase some of the best examples of innovation in the government sector from around the world. The platform also provides open online training courses, innovation guides, practical tools and guidebooks on topics such as organizing government hackathons and how to adopt new ideas in government. The platform’s rich content is available in both Arabic and English and is designed to help government employees everywhere lead innovation within their organizations to serve and advance communities.
- Huda Al Hashimi: The partnership reflects the government’s commitment to spreading and promoting innovation in the UAE
Her Excellency Huda Al Hashimi, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Affairs, stressed that the strategic partnership with the UAE University and the Higher Colleges of Technology reflects the government’s commitment to spreading knowledge and promoting a culture of innovation in the UAE, and empowering a future generation of innovators in the government sector, contributing to achieving the strategic visions of the UAE leadership, most notably the “We the Emirates 2031” vision.
Huda Al Hashimi said that the UAE government is one of the most innovative, flexible and future-ready governments in the world, and that cooperation with national governmental, private and academic institutions and international partners represents a basic mechanism to support the government’s orientations to invest in youth, build their capacities and provide them with the skills and knowledge that qualify them to play an active role in leading change and shaping the future in a way that achieves the national orientations and the themes and goals of the “UAE Centennial 2071”.
- Ahmed Al Raisi: Effective contribution to creating a sustainable educational future
For his part, His Excellency Prof. Ahmed Al Raisi, Acting Vice Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University, stressed that this partnership comes in line with the vision and mission of the United Arab Emirates University, which is to contribute effectively to creating a sustainable educational future, and to work on developing the competitive capabilities of students by encouraging them to innovate, pointing out that the university is committed to providing an environment that stimulates creativity and excellence, to continue its pioneering role in providing society with generations of leaders and innovators in all fields.
- Faisal Al-Ayan: Enriching the academic experience for students and faculty members
“We are pleased to collaborate with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation through the Ibtaker platform, which will significantly help enrich the academic experience of our students and faculty,” said His Excellency Dr. Faisal Al Ayyan, Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology. “This partnership will contribute to strengthening our digital infrastructure and supporting our mission to prepare the next generation of leaders in technology and innovation.”
- “Ibtaker” makes its digital content available to students and faculty
The Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation, in partnership with UAE University Libraries, will integrate the latest references from the “Ibtaker” platform into the university’s digital record, enabling students and faculty members to access a rich set of digital resources including research papers and innovation toolkits.
The partnership will enhance joint research projects by encouraging students and faculty to contribute to the preparation of research papers and case studies on the “Ibtaker” platform, which will contribute to enhancing the platform’s content and ensuring a strong presence for the UAEU academic community on the international stage. Innovation competitions and events will also be organized to inspire students and encourage them to develop creative solutions to real-world challenges.
The partnership with the Higher Colleges of Technology will allow students and faculty to access the digital resources of the “Ebtaker” platform, and these resources will be integrated into the existing library systems at the Higher Colleges of Technology, which will provide a comprehensive learning environment.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation will organize training courses and workshops to introduce HCT students to the capabilities of the Ebtaker platform and encourage its use in preparing research projects, innovation challenges, and various academic activities. HCT students and faculty members will also be able to submit research papers and case studies to enrich the platform’s content. The two parties will collaborate to organize innovation competitions and hackathons to inspire students and encourage them to harness the resources of the Ebtaker platform to develop innovative solutions. These events will also allow students to showcase their projects and ideas, while benefiting from the Ebtaker platform.
It is worth noting that the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation adopts an approach based on three pillars, including: innovation enablers through establishing a knowledge base of trends, experts and information; innovation missions based on embracing and implementing innovative initiatives in the UAE government; and innovation platforms that seek to provide innovative approaches to double government capabilities. The centre’s work methodology and pillars are in line with the objectives of the “We the Emirates 2031” vision, and reflect the centre’s constant endeavour to establish a supportive environment for innovation that stimulates the building of individuals’ capabilities, by establishing an integrated system for innovation, and enhancing the UAE’s leadership as a global centre for innovation.
