Dubai, UAE: Dubai Future Academy, an initiative of the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), announces the opening of applications for the second edition of ‘FEEL: A Disruptive Futures Program’, designed to train local and global talent to navigate disruption and enhance future readiness. The program equips executives, entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors, and experts with the tools to anticipate and harness transformative changes ahead.
Applications are open until 31 July 2025. Interested individuals can apply via DFF’s website: https://www.dubaifuture.ae/feel/apply.
The four-week program, delivered by global experts, starts on 20 October 2025 and offers participants exclusive immersion into Dubai’s innovation ecosystem, including interactive workshops, strategic field visits, collaborative projects, and unparalleled networking opportunities with global experts and decision-makers.
It offers a comprehensive educational and training experience aimed at developing a new generation of visionary leadership talent. The program equips participants with the skills to anticipate future trends, opportunities, and innovations, engaging them in immersive practical experiences and empowering them to keep pace with global trends in innovation, advanced technologies, and foresight.
The first edition of the program in 2024 attracted nearly 1,500 applications from around 100 countries, from which 42 participants representing 15 nations were selected. Participants engaged in 33 interactive workshops, hands-on experiences, and insightful discussion sessions.
Abdulaziz AlJaziri, Deputy CEO and Chief Operations Officer at DFF, said: “The ‘FEEL: A Disruptive Futures Program’ helps participants keep pace with rapid transformations across all sectors driven by advances in technology and innovation. The program aims to develop skilled talent who can identify early signals of change, anticipate impacts, and proactively seize emerging opportunities.”
He added: “The second edition focuses on uncovering future opportunities, highlighting investment prospects, and transforming them into tangible realities. This contributes to prosperity, sustainable development, and enriching human capital with agile expertise and advanced foresight.”
AlJaziri concluded: “The objectives of the program align with Dubai’s commitment to enhancing future readiness and developing participants’ capabilities in understanding emerging trends. The program also empowers them with essential foresight tools to shape the future and create new opportunities.”
Global Experts
The program offers participants direct engagement with globally acclaimed experts and specialists, providing valuable opportunities to interact closely with pioneering thought leaders in fields including robotics, autonomous vehicles, futures foresight, critical thinking, longevity and health optimisation, future and lab-grown foods, and the development of advanced AI chips.
The list of experts includes Professor Oussama Khatib, recipient of the Great Arab Minds Award for Technology from Stanford University; Professor Sohail Inayatullah from Tamkang University in Taiwan; Alyaa Al Mulla, Founder of the Longevity Think Tank; Dr. Steven Novella, Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology at Yale School of Medicine; Dr. Brad Stanfield, a practising physician at the University of Auckland and specialist in preventive medicine; David Bucca, Founder and CEO of Change Foods; Guillaume Verdon, Founder and CEO of Extropic; Professor Paul Newman, Founder of the Oxford Robotics Institute; as well as Dr. Mohammed Qassem and Dr. Heba Shehadeh from the Dubai Future Foundation, among many others.
Exclusive Visits
Participants will also benefit from exclusive strategic visits to key innovation hubs, including the Technology Innovation Institute, Micropolis the autonomous vehicle manufacturer, the Sustainability and Innovation Centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Solar Park, Dubai Future Labs, and other prominent locations.These visits provide firsthand exposure to the UAE’s cutting-edge advancements, enabling participants to clearly visualize and actively engage with transformative innovations shaping the future.
The Dubai Future Academy aims to build capabilities and empower national and global leaders and talent with future-focused skills, enabling them to keep pace with global trends and challenges.