INSEAD, the leading international business school and the UAE’s Department of Civil Service, have officially launched the new Master of Entrepreneurial Leadership (MEL) degree with the start of classes at the INSEAD Abu Dhabi Centre. This unique programme, developed with INSEAD faculty and DCS management to reflect the overall strategy and objectives of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, is available to eligible DCS executives, selected based on their abilities, performance and potential.
The duration of the programme will extend over the next 18 months, and will be delivered at INSEAD’s Centre for Executive Education and Research in Abu Dhabi as well as on the school’s Asia (Singapore) and Europe (Fontainebleau, Paris) campuses.
The integrated curriculum pulls together the key pillars to success, including modules focusing on entrepreneurship, leadership and business skills. Designed to fast track and develop the future leaders of Abu Dhabi government departments, the MEL features a combination of concepts and practice, with leading-edge academic content delivered by renowned thought leaders.
A major part of the assessment process is project-based and is linked to participants’ work in specific departments, agencies or entities. They are encouraged to look at old problems in new ways and to introduce innovative thinking as part of their business strategy.
The 15 men and three women come from a range of departments such as Municipal Affairs, Planning and Economy and the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, and were selected based on a rigorous selection process. Hussa Ahmed Abdullah Al Khaledi - one of the three women on the course - has been Protocol Adviser at the Ministry of Presidential Affairs since 2005 and has also spent time on secondment as Deputy Chief of Protocol to the Division of HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak.
‘We are all discovering different ways of thinking and learning from each other, plus experiences from the other government departments, said Mrs. Al Khaledi’After this, we’ll look at things with a more international perspective.’
INSEAD Dean J. Frank Brown said: ‘We are delighted with the start of this unique partnership with the Department of Civil Service. This is truly an innovative way for a leading government department to develop and invest its talent. The participants will not only gain new skills and knowledge tailored specifically to the needs of Abu Dhabi government, but also develop a strong cultural awareness enabling them to operate effectively across borders.’
About the Department of Civil Service
The Department of Civil Service (DCS) was established in October 2005, out of the old Civil Service Department, with a brief to help modernise the Emirate's public sector. In just a few years, the DCS has moved from being a transactional and highly centralised organisation to one that now has a pivotal role in managing the human resources management needs of the entire Government of Abu Dhabi.
Under the Emirate's Policy Agenda, DCS is charged with developing and implementing a human resources master plan. This is designed to create a highly-performing public sector, make the Government the employer of choice and support the Emirate in its stated aim of becoming a world-class administration by 2012.
With just 100 staff covering disciplines that include Change Management, Leadership Development and HR, the Department's primary focus is on people, performance and partnership: attracting, motivating, retaining and rewarding outstanding UAE nationals as the potential leaders of tomorrow; enabling our professionals by harnessing best-in-class systems, processes and technology to drive higher performance; and teaming up with world-class partners to ensure the highest standards of public administration and competence.
That collaboration, with partners of the calibre of Said Business School, University of Oxford; Singapore Civil Service College and INSEAD; has resulted in some world firsts. These include a customised Masters of Entrepreneurial Leadership programme and the use of Arab-specific psychometric testing in performance assessing UAE nationals.
DCS is rolling out a series of governance initiatives – embracing transparency, accountability and best practice in the workplace – that will streamline the operations of the other Government Departments, further decentralise power and decision-making, and create the culture of performance excellence that is a prerequisite of progressive, accountable government.
