GITEX Technology Week 2018: Smart Dubai Highlights Dubai Data Establishment’s Projects And Initiatives

Smart Dubai is showcasing the Dubai Data Establishment’s latest developments at its pavilion during GITEX Technology Week 2018, taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre on October 14-18, 2018.

The Dubai Data Establishment is responsible to identify, prioritise, classify and extract data from across Dubai Government, sharing them on the digital backbone of Dubai, Dubai Pulse. These datasets are then used to derive insights by governments, businesses and individuals, helping them make more informed and smarter decisions, spurring a Data Economy in Dubai.

His Excellency Younus Al Nasser, Assistant Director General of Smart Dubai, CEO of the Dubai Data Establishment, asserted that Smart Dubai has made great progress in identifying, managing and extracting data from Dubai government entities– the cornerstone of all smart city projects – resulting in a great achievement with the first-ever Report on Data Policy Compliance Among Government Entities.

“Our wise leadership has set an ambitious vision for a prosperous future where Dubai assumes a leading international position among smart cities, becoming, truly, the world’s happiest and smartest city in the world,” H.E. Al Nasser added. “Data is the ideal way to achieve this ambition, and this calls for collaboration and synergy among all relevant public and private sector authorities to populate the Dubai Pulse platform, which houses Dubai’s city data and facilitates data exchange and classification among Dubai Government entities.”

Data Policies

Smart Dubai will also be showcasing the latest developments in terms of the Dubai Data Policies, launched at the beginning of the year in collaboration with the Supreme Legislation Committee in an effort to regulate the publishing and exchange of data as a main component of Dubai’s digital wealth, and maximise the positive economic impact of data. The Dubai Data Policies outline a set of provisions for the classification, publishing, exchange, use and reuse of data.

According to a special report published by Dubai Data last year, the opening and sharing of government and private-sector data will potentially add a total of AED10.4 billion Gross Value Added (GVA) impact to Dubai’s economy annually by 2021. Opening government data alone will result in a GVA impact of AED6.6 billion annually as of 2021.

Data Policy Compliance

Smart Dubai additionally highlighted the latest results of the Report on Data Policy Compliance Among Government Entities, which measures progress made in terms of regulating and streamlining the exchange of data. The report was launched in May 2018, highlighting the various participating entities’ efforts to populate the Dubai Pulse platform with their data.

The report seeks to incentivise Government entities to commit to classifying their data and populating the Dubai Pulse platform, which, in turn, helps ensure the Dubai Government is prepared to embrace Fourth-Industrial-Revolution technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Furthermore, Smart Dubai organised workshops to implement a strategy and policy package to engage the private sector in the Dubai Data Initiative, and to encourage the private sector in Dubai to participate in the data economy, in a manner that ensures mutual benefit and improves services and smart-city experiences.

Smart Dubai is also working in collaboration with the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG) to develop the skills and knowledge of data teams across various Government entities and introduce them to international best practice in the sector via the Dubai Data Compliance Course, which has so far graduated four batches consisting of 141 data experts in total. Smart Dubai also formed a dedicated data team in each participating entity, appointing a team leader to coordinate with Smart Dubai and contribute to the development of the Dubai Pulse platform.

On a similar note, Smart Dubai signed an agreement with the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) – Dubai to develop a Master’s Degree in Data Science, which seeks to promote scientific research and encourage cooperation with world-leading academic and scientific centres. As per the agreement, Smart Dubai is tasked with developing the main objectives of the programme, providing the necessary support for developing it, as well as for the laboratories required for its success. It also led the charge in providing support to secure scientific accreditation for the programme and will extend financial assistance to the first batch of students. The programme has so far enrolled 33 students from both the Government and private sector.

Dubai Pulse Platform

Smart Dubai is also showcasing developments with the Dubai Pulse platform, which compiles open and shared data from both the public and private sectors and publishes up-to-date information about various city metrics. The platform provides access to three layers of data: the first caters to the public and is free, while the second offers a thorough analysis of the data (in exchange for a fee) to be used for academic, professional, commercial and economic purposes. The third and final layer includes data accessible exclusively to Dubai Government entities.

Smart Dubai has already published more than 200 datasets on the Dubai Pulse platform, out of the more than 2,000 datasets were outlined and identified across all 35 participating entities. Of the 233 datasets that were published on the Dubai Pulse platform, 142 of which were shared datasets and 91 were open datasets.