DUBAI, 4th March, 2026 (WAM) — Participants at the 11th Dubai International Project Management Forum, held from 12th to 15th January 2026 and organised by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in collaboration with DP World, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Emaar Properties and the Project Management Institute (PMI), issued 31 key recommendations under the Forum’s theme, “Bridging Communities,” and its five pillars.
Moaza Saeed Al Marri, CEO of Executive Affairs Sector at RTA and Chair of the Organising Committee of the Dubai International Project Management Forum, said the recommendations addressed the Forum’s theme, “Bridging Communities,” and its pillars: Sustainable City, Digital Transformation, Jobs of the Future, Technology and Future, and Customer Centricity in Project Management.
She said, “The recommendations also addressed 16 sub-themes, including sustainable growth; communities of the future; leadership and strategy; agile management; digital twin and metaverse; blockchain technology; efficiency and optimisation; remote project management; project and circular economy; the role of specialised education; artificial intelligence; future smart mobility; big data; customer engagement; empowered project teams; and agile and hybrid project management.”
She added, “The recommendations were developed by experts and specialists, with the participation of more than 3,500 officials, heads of authorities, representatives of global companies and project managers from around the world. The Forum brought together leading expertise to present practical solutions and initiatives, contributing to responsible action that supports global economic and environmental prosperity in project management.”
Al Marri noted that successive editions of the Forum have produced comprehensive recommendations, reinforcing Dubai’s leadership in programme and project management and highlighting its ability to host global gatherings that bring together decision-makers, experts and innovators.
The recommendations under the theme “Bridging Communities” emphasised that successful mobility projects should prioritise reducing daily travel times, improving traffic efficiency and enhancing families’ quality of life. They also stressed that infrastructure projects should evolve from traditional development tools into strategic drivers that encourage positive behaviours and support sustainable community growth.
Participants further called for community-driven innovation that serves society and strengthens partnerships in shaping future solutions. They highlighted the housing sector as a strategic pillar in urban development that reinforces national identity, supports wellbeing and stability, and enhances quality of life and social cohesion.
The recommendations also noted that media has evolved from a communication tool into an integrated national system and a form of soft infrastructure supporting development strategies. They stressed the importance of embedding a culture of giving and giving back as an institutional approach that creates lasting community impact.
Under the theme “Sustainable City,” the Forum issued four recommendations, including adopting urban development models focused on long-term value creation and quality of life rather than short-term returns, integrating human-centred design with predictive artificial intelligence and digital twins to enhance urban environments, embedding sustainability and social inclusion in infrastructure projects, and ensuring institutional readiness to respond effectively to urban changes and crises.
Under “Digital Transformation,” participants issued five recommendations stressing the alignment of digital investments with strategic priorities to achieve sustainable societal impact while maintaining strong governance and balanced decision-making. They also highlighted the importance of proactive planning supported by artificial intelligence to ensure projects are delivered within approved time, cost and quality parameters.
The recommendations emphasised that digital transformation initiatives require strong governance focused on measurable outcomes and real value for cities. Participants also called for integrating early risk warning indicators, scenario analysis and alert systems into project, programme and portfolio management frameworks to strengthen proactive risk management and decision-making.
Under the theme “Technology and Future,” five recommendations highlighted the need for clear national and institutional frameworks governing artificial intelligence to mitigate risks, ensure ethical compliance and support responsible adoption. Participants also stressed treating data as a strategic asset that strengthens competitiveness and enables informed decisions through AI-enabled systems.
The Forum further highlighted the importance of digital twin applications and scenario modelling to optimise project performance and guide future investment decisions. It also emphasised implementing artificial intelligence based on governance, transparency and ethical principles to safeguard trust and accountability.
Under “Customer Centricity in Project Management,” participants issued six recommendations stressing the need to listen to customer needs and apply design thinking throughout project lifecycles. They also emphasised that AI-enabled services must be transparent and explainable to ensure social responsibility and inclusive access.
The recommendations highlighted that trust, customer experience and long-term stakeholder value should serve as key indicators of project success alongside traditional performance metrics. They also stressed placing customers at the centre of service design to ensure projects meet expectations in both government and private sectors.
Participants further called for aligning digital services and project outcomes with customer requirements related to security, safety, inclusivity and sustained societal trust, noting that excellence depends on attention to every detail of the customer experience.
Under the theme “Jobs of the Future,” the Forum issued five recommendations encouraging project managers to develop future-ready skills, obtain professional certifications and follow adaptive career pathways capable of responding to change.
The recommendations also emphasised the importance of agility among project leaders, treating future challenges as opportunities for learning and continuous improvement. Participants highlighted the need for informed decision-making in rapidly evolving environments supported by foresight training and strong professional ethics.
The Forum further called for redefining Project Management Offices as centres of excellence and institutional learning focused on outcomes, flexibility and strategic impact. It also emphasised developing project, programme and portfolio leaders capable of integrating artificial intelligence with human judgement and ethical responsibility.
