Dubai, UAE – The Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG) – the leading academic and research institution specialising in government administration and public policy in the Arab world – recently welcomed a high-level delegation from the Civil Service College (CSC) Singapore to its Dubai headquarters, as part of its efforts to strengthen international partnerships, exchange expertise, and advance government systems.

The visit formed part of the delegation’s official tour of the UAE, which took place from 3 to 5 December 2025, underscoring the deep bilateral relations between the two countries, and reflecting their shared commitment to exchanging insights on administrative modernisation and institutional excellence.

Discussions during the visit explored avenues for cooperation on building strategic capacities and honing government leaders’ abilities, in line with the UAE’s ambitious national vision and commitment to fostering an agile and advanced government model.

Delegates also discussed MBRSG’s critical role in formulating public policy and nurturing national talent, as well as its key initiatives, and academic and executive programmes in areas such as government excellence and digital transformation. They explored opportunities to leverage Singapore’s advanced expertise in civil service to enrich the knowledge and training content offered to government leaders in the UAE, thereby driving a significant leap in strategic planning and decision-making skills.

His Excellency Dr. Ali bin Sebaa Al Marri, Executive President of MBRSG, affirmed that the visit represents a pivotal moment in the School’s efforts to expand its global partnership network. “Collaboration with leading institutions like Civil Service College Singapore reflects our commitment at the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government to implementing the directives of the wise leadership to invest in human capital,” he noted.

“Forecasting the future of government administration requires us to remain open to successful international experiences,” Dr. Al Marri added. “The Singaporean experience serves as an advanced model in civil service efficiency and leadership development. Our discussions explored practical procedures that can be implemented to integrate global best practices with the unique context of the Emirati experience, enabling us to mould leaders capable of navigating change and achieving the objectives of our national vision.”

The meeting was attended by the Singaporean delegation, led by Mr. Christopher Pragasam, Director of International Relations at the Public Service Division, Prime Minister’s Office, and Executive Director of Civil Service College International, alongside Mr. Kelvin Chai, CSC Deputy Director, and Ms. Evangeline Aw Yong, Manager, Middle East, Africa, and South Asia at CSC.

Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on enhancing bilateral cooperation, with both sides presenting joint proposals for developing specialised training programmes, exchanging field visits, and designing leadership development pathways based on the latest internationally recognised practices in leadership and strategic management.

The dialogue also explored the anticipated future impact of the partnership, where participants asserted that the alignment between the UAE’s government development needs and Singapore’s accumulated expertise will yield high-value results. These include shaping a new generation of leaders equipped with advanced tools and capable of facing challenges, leading institutional transformation, and ensuring efficiency and agility.

Furthermore, an agreement was reached to maintain joint coordination in order to track progress in implementing the meeting’s takeaways, and to build upon all previous successes achieved through knowledge-centred cooperation between the two countries.

The CSC Singapore visit to the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government reflects the latter’s commitment to enhancing its global competitiveness by developing the government system and sustainably training national talent. The visit embodies MBRSG’s role as a leading academic and research institution contributing towards the implementation of government strategies by developing advanced educational and executive programmes. This, in turn, cements the UAE’s position as a global hub for government excellence, thereby accelerating the modernisation process while keeping pace with future aspirations.