Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation opens contact-free educational space in Dubai

Dubai: Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation (MBRCGI) has launched a new touchless, immersive educational experience highlighting the most important government innovations developed to tackle the world’s greatest challenges.

Utilising data and art to bring innovations to life, the purpose-built space, which showcases the UAE’s leading innovation ecosystem, opened its doors to the public on Sunday, September 19, at Dubai’s Emirates Towers.

The fifth edition of the Edge of Government initiative led by MBRCGI aims to transport visitors to the very edge of modern thinking in 15-minute interactive, contact-free educational experiences navigated through simple hand gestures, MBRCGI said in a press release.

Highlighting the most important global government challenges, visitors will discover innovative solutions on how we view, understand, and tackle the most pressing issues of our time, it said.

New perspectives

Following the mantra, “through enlightenment comes empowerment”, the initiative aims to change people’s perceptions and encourage a new perspective on the latest trends. In line with the UAE’s ambitions for the Next 50, the space will emphasize the importance of developing a knowledge-based economy.

New narratives will be added regularly and will cover around 10 subjects by the end of next year. Curation of the space will be driven by the acceleration of societal evolution.

The first topics being explored are cryptocurrency and the Emirates Mars Mission. The content will explore reliance on and challenges to cryptocurrency, including mining operations. It will also look at the transfer of knowledge and science through the Emirates Mars Mission, said the release.

“The challenges facing governments have never been as complex or as urgent as they are in this age of rapid technological, environmental, and societal change. With this in mind, the Edge of Government initiative aims to empower and engage young people and policymakers through education. With the aim to enlighten, empower and engage, our immersive experience connects governments and people along with displaying the principles, planning and practices being undertaken to equip the UAE, and the rest of the world, to succeed.”

Abeer Tahlak, director of MBRCGI, stressed that promoting a culture of innovation in government reflects the objectives of the UAE Government to prepare for future challenges using advanced technologies and solutions.

Public encouraged to visit

“We urge the community to come and experience a glimpse into the future of governments and view the UAE’s success stories in an immersive and interactive way. MBRCGI aims to attract the best talent to help develop new perceptions that create future opportunities for government and society. It is our role to empower talents and arm them with the tools to develop their innovative ideas.”

Omran Sharaf, director of the Emirates Mars Mission, said: “The Hope Probe project, which saw the UAE send a spacecraft to Mars, has strengthened the country’s position as a technological leader and a scientific contributor to the progress of humankind. All the data, images and information collected by the probe will be shared with the global scientific community to help build a picture of the Martian climate and atmosphere.

“The Emirates Mars Mission will continue to inspire a whole generation of Arabs to persevere in the face of challenges and innovate to overcome them. By featuring the Hope Probe’s story in the Edge of Government experience, we hope to bring the odyssey to life and fuel the ideas and dreams of our young and ambitious population.”

NASA AI data sculpture

In addition to the two interactive experiences at the hub, MBRCGI’s space hosts the DataGate experience. Billed as the world’s first NASA AI astronomical research data sculpture, the installation combines data and technology to create a mesmerising piece of art.

Developed by OUCHHH New Media Studio, MBRCGI’s DataGate represents the vast power of data and its impact on individual human lives.

Innovation is one of the key elements to the growth of the UAE and is a central pillar of the country’s ambition to achieve a digital, knowledge-based economy. Edge of Government will involve partnerships across organizations, including education institutions and the initiative will focus on the role of youth in enhancing government innovation, the release added.