Reinventing Governance: Introducing The UAE's Moonshot Apprenticeship 2071 Program The program is currently selecting graduates from elite universities in the UAE and around the world to team them up with senior UAE government officials, mentors, and experts to bring forth innovative solutions to the challenges facing governments.

By H.E. Huda AlHashimi Edited by Aby Sam Thomas Feb 15, 2021

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Last week, the UAE Government launched the Moonshot Apprenticeship 2071 Program, which is being organized by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation. As an initiative committed to driving and engaging participants in co-creating globally relevant innovation policies and initiatives, the Moonshot Apprenticeship 2071 program is in line with the vision of H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai.

The program is currently selecting graduates from elite universities in the UAE and around the world to team them up with senior UAE government officials, mentors, and experts to bring forth innovative solutions to the challenges facing governments. The apprenticeship has a particular focus on applying these solutions to governmental operations, in order to impact the delivery of critical, nation-wide services and programs. It will also tap into the collective intelligence of the group during its three-month period, which is set to start during the first half of 2021.

It is worth mentioning that the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis has further emphasized the need to create inventive models by discerningly looking into a future where the priorities of nations worldwide are undertaking massive shifts, and the pressure on governments to perform organically and efficiently has not only become a necessity but a basic expectation from their citizens. The Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation is excited to tackle the pressing challenges facing today's governments, by collaborating with the talented program participants to produce working prototypes that will radically impact the future government.

As a graduate participant, the program will provide you with the necessary mentorship, coaching, and access to resources that will assist you in bringing out your best creative self, and remove any roadblocks or hurdles that you would may otherwise face. Furthermore, the program will represent a new experimental approach that will have a direct impact on skills development, career prospects and provide the young participants access to different resources, tools and opportunities.

Over a period of three months, the apprenticeship program, supervised by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation, will offer an interactive platform that will enable participants to collaborate and work together on proposals and pioneering ideas, while ensuring their development, as well as, designing experimental models that include breakthrough and innovative ideas that address long-term government challenges, which will then be adopted by the UAE Government. The center will also be documenting the participants' experiences, and will be sharing key findings, engagement opportunities and insights throughout the three-month period and beyond.

In addition to its purpose of accelerating the development of governance and reshaping the way we think about it, the Moonshot Apprenticeship 2071 aspires to surpass the expectations of everyone involved and to pave the way for a global innovation community that can proactively be involved in building and scaling innovation initiatives through groundbreaking moonshot ideas and proposals.

H.E. Huda AlHashimi

Chief of Strategy and Government Innovation of the UAE Government

H.E Huda AlHashimi is the Chief of Strategy and Government Innovation of the UAE Government.

As part of the responsibilities of her current position, AlHashimi leads the process of articulating the UAE Leadership’s Vision, setting an ambitious long-term strategy, and developing the government’s agenda grounded in the needs of today. This will help the UAE maintain its leading position and stay at the forefront globally. AlHashimi’s main role involves steering the development of the National Agenda and ensuring the government’s readiness and ability to deliver on, meet and align the UAE Vision and National Agenda.

AlHashimi further coordinates country level strategies and provides consultations to the UAE government on issues related to government strategy and innovation, and the challenges and opportunities that can be addressed through these two important enablers. She represents the UAE locally and internationally in areas related to government strategy, innovation, and enhancing focus on strategic thinking in the national and local government entities.

AlHashimi leads the setup and operation of Mohammed Bin Rashid Center for Government Innovation (MBRCGI), which was established to stimulate and enrich innovation within the government sector through developing an integrated innovation framework, and supporting the activation of next generation government innovations. She also leads the Ministry of Possibilities and the Government Accelerators.

Before assuming her current position, AlHashimi was the Assistant Director General for Strategy and Innovation at the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs. Previously, she was part of the founding team at the Executive Office, where she was involved in developing and launching key strategic projects such as Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) among others. She also assumed the position of Director of Government Sector Development Department at Dubai Executive Council, where she supervised the government sector development programs.

AlHashimi has been chosen as a board member of the “Digital School,” as well as a member of the UAE Gender Balance Council and Dubai Women Establishment. She is also member of the Supreme Committee of the Mohammed bin Rashid Smart Education Program. She also chairs the Global Innovation Council, and is a member of the 4IR Council. She is also an active member of the Agile Governance Future Council at the World Economic Forum.

AlHashimi holds a BSC in Business Administration from the Higher Colleges of Technology, where she graduated with honors and received Sheikh Rashid Award for Scientific Excellence. She is also an alumni of London Business School, and was enrolled in the Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Leadership Development (MBRCLD) program.

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