A national learning initiative by MAJRA and GIFT.ed
The UAE is elevating 5,000 professionals to help create a more sustainable future. Is your organisation part of the journey?
RISE is a fully funded, government-backed professional learning programme designed to equip UAE-based professionals with the strategic thinking to address the country's most pressing national challenges. It draws on a faculty of leading international experts to deliver an experience that goes beyond conventional sustainability training.
Participants leave with a certificate, a completed innovation project, and a different way of thinking about the challenges facing the UAE and its organisations.
Time Commitment
6 weeks
1-2 hours per week
Format
Self-paced modules
Live sessions
Innovation project
who can participate
UAE-based professionals
programme cost
Free
Cohort 1
Cities in Balance
How do cities plan for liveability, resilience, and sustainability as populations grow and resource constraints tighten?
Enrolment Opens
6th July 2026 (Monday)
Cohort Starts
5th October 2026 (Monday)
Cohort 2
Food Security
How do nations secure their food supply chains in a world of climate volatility, geopolitical disruption, and population growth?
Enrolment Opens
Q4 2026
Cohort Starts
Q1 2027
RISE is structured around a five-stage learning journey, designed to take participants from foundational understanding through to applied innovation
Orientation & Kickoff Webinar
A live session introducing the programme's purpose, structure, and pace, setting clear expectations for the weeks ahead
5-Week Self-Paced Learning
Bite-sized video content and learning activities from global and UAE experts, completed flexibly around work commitments
Midpoint Webinar
A live session with a leading global expert relevant to the cohort theme
1-week Innovation Project
An applied, AI-guided project where learners identify a real UAE sustainability challenge and develop a practical response
Live Closing Webinar & Certification
A culminating session with leading experts to wrap up the programme
By enrolling your people in RISE you are positioning your organisation as a leader in building the UAE's future capability, in direct alignment with the ambitions of We the UAE 2031.
National Recognition
Organisations that meet completion thresholds are awarded the MAJRA Organisational Sustainability Engagement Certificate
Talent Development at No Cost
Your employees build capabilities in systems thinking, cross-sector analysis, and applied innovation
Alignment with National Priorities
Participation signals alignment with MAJRA's national sustainability mandate and the UAE's strategic development agenda
Applied Innovation Outputs
Every participant completes an AI-supported innovation project that adds to a national database of ideas
Global Perspectives
Content is designed to break sector siloes and build the thinking the UAE's next chapter demands
Flexible and Manageable Upskilling
Learning is expert-led, systems-based, and self-paced around learners’ schedules
Government-recognised Certificate
A Certificate of Completion co-issued by MAJRA and GIFT.ed, recognising the systems thinking and sustainability capability your employees build.
Here are two ways to participate
option 1
Nominate Directly
Select participants from within your organisation and submit their details to us
Ideal for organisations with an internal L&D function or specific teams to target
option 2
Open Enrolment
Circulate the RISE link or brochure internally and let employees self-select
We'll provide a ready-made internal communications pack to make this straightforward
By joining RISE, you gain more than a certificate. You build the systems thinking and credibility that UAE organisations are actively looking for.
Government-recognised Certificate
A Certificate of Completion co-issued by MAJRA and GIFT.ed, recognising your systems thinking and sustainability capability.
Learn From Global Expertise, Applied Locally
Learn directly from leading international and regional experts, and see how their thinking applies to real UAE challenges.
A Project that Goes Beyond the Certificate
Complete an AI-guided innovation project addressing a real UAE sustainability challenge — one that becomes part of a national database of ideas.
Learning that Fits Around Your Job
Self-paced, expert-led content you complete on your own schedule, with live sessions alongside a cohort of peers.
RISE brings together a curated faculty of leading regional and international practitioners: economists, scientists, CEOs, innovators, and sector specialists.
Ajay Manissery Konchery
Co-founder & CEO, Wisdom Tomorrow
Architect of organisational transformation and startup mentor
Ali Khan
Founder & CEO, SHAPE Global
Leading expert in human flourishing and workplace performance
Chandran Nair
CEO & Founder, GIFT
Globally renowned executive, author, and speaker on megatrends
Dr. Joe Loizzo
Founder & Academic Director, Nalanda Institute
Harvard-trained psychiatrist and contemplative science expert
RISE is delivered by GIFT.ed, the virtual learning arm of the Global Institute For Tomorrow (GIFT) — a pan-Asian think tank with over two decades of experience in sustainability leadership and education.
GIFT.ed has worked with and is trusted by organisations including:
"How do you get enough people in the company to understand the issues? To really understand the cost, understand the trade-offs - I think courses like GIFT.ed's are crucial to being able to do that."
Piyush Gupta
Former CEO, DBS Group
"With expert capabilities in disruptive edtech and the foundational underpinning of GIFT, this partnership supports our ability to deliver leading sustainability education to learners globally."
Paul Smit
Programme Director, Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)
MAJRA - National CSR Fund
A purpose-driven federal government entity under the UAE Ministry of Economy, dedicated to supporting impactful, sustainable projects that advance economic empowerment, environmental conservation, and social well-being.
MAJRA's national mandate and institutional networks are what give RISE its reach and its authority.
GIFT.ed - Global Institute For Tomorrow
The virtual learning arm of the Global Institute For Tomorrow (GIFT), a leading pan-Asian think tank with over two decades of experience in sustainability education and research.
GIFT.ed has delivered large-scale learning programmes to professionals across Asia, the Middle East, and beyond - combining global insight with rigorous, applied pedagogy.
Cohort enrolment dates:
Cohort 1 - 6th July 2026 (Monday)
Cohort 2 - Q4 2026
Enrol Your Organisation
RISE is delivered at no cost to participating organisations. To discuss enrolment, establish a participation model that works for your team, and receive our organisation information pack, contact:
Rohan Hazell
Managing Director, GIFT.ed
rohan.hazell@gift-ed.com
Join as an Individual
Register your interest and we'll reach out when enrolment opens for the next available cohort.