The objective of this course is to understand the economic, business and social development of Dubai and Abu Dhabi and its possible future direction.

 

Both Dubai and Abu Dhabi have seen extraordinary rates of development over recent decades and are clearly consciously aimed at building a modern city. With economic geography shifting Dubai finds itself literally at the centre of the world economy. Further a striking feature of recent economic growth is the emergence of key cities and hubs. Our trip is to understand the developments in the UAE but also gauge their relevance for other nations. 

 

A non-exhaustive list of issues is:                                                                                                                                             

• Is Dubai’s growth sustainable?

• What insights do Dubai and Abu Dhabi provide for other cities in advanced and emerging economies? Which tools and policies have been most effective?

• What is the financial model upon which Dubai’s prosperity is based?

• What challenges do government agencies and firms face?

• Which sectors do you think are most likely to flourish in Dubai and Abu Dhabi?

• What advice would you give to firms looking to operate in the UAE?

• Institutions are crucial for development. What challenges does the UAEs growth present for its institutions and what insights does this give us about Middle East Development?

• Arab countries have a very young population. How is the UAE addressing these challenges?

• What tensions are there between growth models of the region and Emiratisation

• Are the growth dynamics of Abu Dhabi and Dubai mutually consistent?