News DeskDubai, UAE – The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai (GDRFA Dubai) has launched the 8th edition of its “Creative Sponsorship Program.” The initiative, held at the Rochester Institute of Technology – Dubai, aims to empower young talent and align with the UAE’s vision for a knowledge-based, innovative economy.
The program, which is internationally accredited by the Global Innovation Institute (GINI), saw 39 individuals present projects focused on key themes like proactivity, artificial intelligence, future readiness, and digital transformation. These projects were showcased in the Innovation Accelerator Lab, a platform designed to highlight participants’ forward-looking ideas.
During his opening address, Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of GDRFA Dubai, emphasized the program’s role as an investment in people, calling them “The Creative Sponsorship Program is not just a training initiative; it is an investment in people – the true wealth of the UAE. We view creativity as a cornerstone in building a society that is more future-ready, while further strengthening Dubai’s position as a global capital for innovation and a hub for new opportunities.”
The launch was attended by several notable figures, including Major General Obaid Muhair bin Suroor, deputy of GDRFA Dubai; Dr. Mohammed Al Zarooni, Director General of the Dubai Airport Free Zone Authority; Dr. Abdulrahman Hassan Al Muaini, Assistant Undersecretary for the Intellectual Property Sector at the Ministry of Economy and Tourism; and Saeed Al Tayer, CEO of the Institutional Support Sector at Dubai’s Community Development Authority.
The program draws its foundation from the UAE Innovation Model, the Guide of the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, and the “Innovation Learning Guide” from the Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Government Innovation. Now in its eighth year, the Creative Sponsorship Program continues to be a crucial platform for cultivating national talent and embedding innovation as a core value within Dubai’s institutional identity.
