Sheikh Mohammed attends graduation of a new cohort of the Government Accelerators Diploma programme

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, attended the graduation of a new cohort of the Government Accelerators Diploma programme, which featured participants representing 12 federal entities, 18 local entities, and two semi-governmental entities.

The programme put participants through 35 challenges across four core areas.

Of the challenges, 21 were related to government efficiency and eliminating bureaucracy, 8 required participants to suggest solutions leading to enhanced quality of life, 3 touched on community services, and 3 tested participants on their overall awareness and knowledge dissemination capabilities.

Government Accelerators, launched by Sheikh Mohammed represents a forward-looking operational model. The initiative brings together teams from the government, private, and academic sectors who work collaboratively to drive innovation, deliver exceptional services, exceed targets, save time, and overcome challenges.

Since its launch in April 2019, the Government Accelerators Diploma has qualified 217 participants from more than 135 government, private, and semi-government entities.

They worked on developing solutions and launching projects and initiatives addressing 121 challenges, ably supported by approximately 750 government staff members from the accelerator teams.

The Government Accelerators Diploma, organised as part of national initiatives aimed at promoting the adoption of challenge-based talent development models across various spheres of government work, seeks to enhance national competencies in the government and semi-government sectors, train national talents on adopting accelerator methodologies and tools, and empower them with creative leadership skills so that they step up to champion the acceleration culture within their respective entities.

Ambassadors Network

The Government Accelerators Center at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs announced the launch of the Government Accelerators Ambassadors Network aimed at enhancing engagement and solidifying knowledge exchange to grow the accelerators ecosystem across the UAE.

The Government Accelerators Network represents an innovative platform designed to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing among graduates of government accelerator programmes both inside and outside the country.

It is a strategic step to expand the accelerators community and provide an interactive environment that brings graduates together to share best practices, celebrate successes, and support national initiatives.

The network includes various knowledge tracks to showcase success stories from past cohorts. ‘Accelerators Ambassadors’ will be appointed from among distinguished graduates of the programme who will contribute to mentoring new cohorts and actively participate in developing the government ecosystem both locally and globally.

Awards ceremony

The Government Accelerators Center organised an awards ceremony recognising outstanding projects that emerged courtesy of the Government Accelerators Diploma programme.

The event recognised three pioneering projects that stood out amongst ideas and concepts that emerged across five cohorts of the diploma programme.

The most impactful and sustainable projects were feted, including the ‘Traffic Speed Limit Reduction System,’ the ‘Hayat’ organ donation initiative, and the ‘Robotic Process Automation’ project.

Selected from amongst 86 submissions, these projects stood out for their significant and lasting impact, based on criteria such as sustainability, innovation, measurability, relevance to government challenges, and societal benefit.

The ‘Hayat’ organ donation initiative, submitted by the Ministry of Health and Prevention as part of the third cohort, was recognised for its transformative role in raising public awareness and increasing participation in the national organ donation programme.

The project aimed to boost organ donor registrations in Fujairah and achieved a 50% increase within 100 days through a comprehensive awareness campaign targeting universities, schools, government and religious institutions, along with strong engagement from community influencers.

The ‘Traffic Speed Limit Reduction System Based on Weather Conditions Using Artificial Intelligence,’ submitted by the General Command of Abu Dhabi Police during the first cohort, was also recognised. The project is a smart system that uses AI to analyse meteorological data and traffic-related big data. It automatically adjusts speed limits through electronic signboards and sends alerts to drivers.

The system contributed to a 100% reduction in severe accidents on some roads and improved traffic response time by 90%. The project received the ‘Ongoing and Sustainable Project Award’ based on criteria such as sustainability, scalability, innovation, the availability of measurable data, future development plans, and collaboration between entities.

The ‘Robotic Process Automation’ project by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) also earned pride of place during the event. It leverages artificial intelligence and robotic processing to automate operations and support human efforts.

The project enhances DEWA’s ability to deliver smart, sustainable solutions that address government challenges, improve productivity, streamline operations, and reduce costs. Since 2020, the project has saved an estimated Dhs24 million – equivalent to around 161,000 working hours annually.