Dubai Municipality on Tuesday announced the launch of the Dubai Municipality Future Leadership Programme, a comprehensive strategic initiative aimed at developing and preparing second- and third-line government leaders.
The programme is designed to strengthen leadership readiness, ensure the sustainability of national talent, and reinforce the Municipality’s long-term institutional capacity as Dubai navigates rapid urban, economic, and technological change.
The initiative aligns closely with the objectives of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, underscoring the Municipality’s view that Future Leadership Programme-ready cities depend as much on capable leadership as on physical infrastructure. By focusing on leadership pipelines within government, the programme reflects a broader shift toward future-focused governance, where strategic decision-making, adaptability, and innovation are central to public-sector performance.
Strategic Partnership with Global Academic Expertise
The programme is being implemented through a strategic partnership with Georgetown University in Dubai, which will lead the design and delivery of the curriculum and provide academic oversight. The collaboration is intended to combine global best practices in leadership development with Dubai Municipality’s institutional knowledge and local governance priorities.
According to the civic body, this partnership supports an integrated approach to leadership development, succession planning, and human capital investment. It also ensures alignment with Dubai Municipality’s corporate framework and communications identity, reinforcing coherence across institutional initiatives.
The involvement of an internationally recognised academic institution reflects the Municipality’s ambition to benchmark its leadership development efforts against global standards while tailoring them to Dubai’s unique development context.
Leadership Continuity and Institutional Resilience
Commenting on the launch, Marwan Ahmed Bin Ghalita, Director General of Dubai Municipality, emphasised that modern city-building extends far beyond physical assets.
“City-building today is no longer limited to infrastructure and services,” he said. “It depends fundamentally on developing leaders with the vision, readiness, and decision-making capability to guide institutions through complexity and change.”
He described the Future Leadership Programme as a strategic platform to prepare leaders capable of transforming challenges into opportunities and contributing meaningfully to Dubai’s long-term competitiveness and Future Leadership Programme ambitions.
Bin Ghalita added that the programme reflects Dubai Municipality’s commitment to establishing a sustainable succession-planning system that ensures continuity of leadership, empowers national talent, and enhances institutional performance. Developing capable leaders, he noted, is essential to maintaining service quality and delivering tangible impact for residents, businesses, and the wider community.
A Six-Month Curriculum Linking Theory to Practice
Spanning six months, the programme features a structured series of leadership and specialised modules designed to address the complex realities of modern government. These modules cover:
- Leadership and influence
- Building high-performing teams
- Strategic communication
- Crisis management and decision-making
- Project management and systems thinking
- Innovation leadership
- Institutional transformation
In addition to classroom-based learning, participants will take part in interactive leadership dialogue sessions with senior decision-makers and executive leaders. Dedicated sessions will also highlight Dubai Municipality’s leadership journey and institutional experience, reinforcing continuity between past achievements and Future Leadership Programme ambitions.
A central element of the programme is the design and implementation of applied development projects that address real operational challenges across the Municipality’s sectors and entities, ensuring that learning outcomes translate directly into practical, measurable improvements.
Selection, Participation, and Long-Term Impact
Participation in the Future Leadership Programme will be limited to a selected group of employees from second- and third-line leadership levels. Selection will be based on defined criteria, including leadership experience, performance, and institutional diversity.
This approach is intended to promote cross-sector knowledge exchange and strengthen a culture of excellence, collaboration, and innovation within government work.
Dubai Municipality said the launch of the programme reflects its long-term vision to invest systematically in government leadership and enhance readiness for the future of cities. By linking leadership development to real-world challenges and strategic priorities, the initiative aims to establish a pioneering model for preparing leaders capable of driving sustainable urban and institutional transformation.
In doing so, the Municipality seeks to further reinforce Dubai’s position as a global leader in innovation, governance quality, and overall quality of life.
