Dubai Government Excellence Program

What Dubai Government Excellence Program does

Dubai Government Excellence Program (DGEP) is a government-mandated excellence framework established by decree of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in September 1997 and operated under the General Secretariat of the Executive Council of Dubai. Its core function is to assess, benchmark, and elevate the performance of approximately 30 Dubai government entities through biennial (and increasingly continuous) evaluation cycles, institutional awards (Elite Award, Leading Government Entity, and variable categories), individual employee medals, and longitudinal studies covering customer happiness, employee happiness, innovation readiness, and mystery shopping.

The platform architecture spans a digital training and benchmarking portal (digital.dgep.gov.ae), a Smart Training e-learning application, and structured knowledge-sharing channels including the Dubai We Learn executive benchmarking program, knowledge webinars, and the Dubai Best Practices Series. Assessment services combine standardized questionnaires, mystery shopper audits, and international expert panels (155 assessors from 20 countries in the 2024 cycle). In 2023, the program expanded its model to include criteria on social impact, future readiness, and human capital, and introduced the Government Innovation Advisor Program certified by Ashridge Business School.

DGEP operates as a public-sector initiative with no commercial revenue model; it is fully funded by the Dubai government's Executive Council and provides services free of charge to all Dubai government entities. Distribution is exclusively direct and government-to-government, with no external sales channels. The program is governed by a small core team (7 listed employees) supplemented by contracted assessors and senior leadership including the Secretary General of the Executive Council of Dubai as Chairman and a General Coordinator reporting into the Executive Council. Sub-brands include Institutional Awards, Dubai Excellence Medals, Variable Awards, Dubai We Learn, Partners for Pioneering (Shuraka Al-Riyada), and the Knowledge and Innovation Hub.

Name

Dubai Government Excellence Program

Legal name

الأمانة العامة للمجلس التنفيذي لإمارة دبي

Website

https://dgep.gov.ae

Company type

Public

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Dubai Government Excellence Program is a government-mandated framework, established in 1997 under the Executive Council of Dubai, that assesses and elevates the performance of approximately 30 Dubai government entities through standardized evaluations, awards, training, and benchmarking — operating free of charge as a public-sector initiative.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Performance Assessment Services

NAICS

Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (9211), Administration of Economic Programs (9261)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Central Government Policy, Strategy & Performance (incl. OMB-style functions) (BPAIAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mayor/City Manager & General Administration (BPAIACAA)

Keywords

• Government excellence assessment
• Public sector benchmarking
• Government training programs
• Innovation readiness measurement
• Happiness index studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: The program is fully funded by the Dubai government's Executive Council as part of its mandate to develop and improve the government sector. No commercial revenue generation model applies as this is a public sector excellence initiative.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Dubai Government Excellence Program operates a government-mandated excellence framework for all Dubai government entities, providing biennial assessment cycles, institutional and individual awards, happiness and innovation studies, training programs, benchmarking initiatives, and knowledge-sharing events. All services are provided free of charge under the Executive Council of Dubai to drive systematic performance improvement across approximately 30 government departments.

Product overview

Dubai Government Excellence Program (DGEP) is a unified platform offering a comprehensive portfolio of government excellence services including training programs (Government Excellence System, Elite Model, and Innovation courses), digital learning platforms (Smart Training, Digital DGEP), benchmarking initiatives (Dubai We Learn), knowledge-sharing events (webinars, Best Practices Series), assessment services (Customer Happiness Index, Employee Happiness Index, Innovation Readiness Index, Mystery Shopping), and award programs (Institutional Awards, Dubai Excellence Medals, Variable Awards). The program provides publications and frameworks to support government entities in achieving operational excellence and global leadership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Institutional Awards (الجوائز المؤسسية): Awards given on Dubai government entities level including The Elite Award, Leading Government Entity, and various category awards.
• Dubai Excellence Medals (أوسمة دبي للتميز)
• Variable Awards (الجوائز المتغيرة)
• Dubai We Learn (في دبي نتعلم)
• Partners for Pioneering (شركاء الريادة)
• Knowledge and Innovation Hub (مركز المعرفة والابتكار)

Products and services

• Institutional Awards (الجوائز المؤسسية) Entity-level government excellence awards program awarded to Dubai government entities based on biennial evaluation results, including the Elite Award for entities achieving 600+ points demonstrating global leadership standards.
• Dubai Excellence Medals (أوسمة دبي للتميز) Individual-level recognition medals awarded to Dubai government employees across eight functional categories plus special recognition, based on functional excellence criteria evaluation results.
• Variable Awards (الجوائز المتغيرة) Changing award categories set each assessment cycle in line with current government priorities, including Best People-of-Determination-Friendly Entity, Best Emiratization Entity, Best Joint Initiative, and Most Future-Ready Entity.
• Government Excellence System Training Courses Specialized training courses providing detailed explanation of Government Excellence System requirements and criteria, qualifying excellence, innovation, and leadership ambassadors within Dubai government entities.
• Smart Training Digital Platform (التدريب الذكي) Interactive e-learning platform providing training courses via website or mobile devices covering government administration concepts, excellence, and innovation, featuring simplified explanations with infographics and interactive exercises.
• Executive Program for Benchmarking (Dubai We Learn / في دبي نتعلم) Year-long benchmarking initiative where working teams from participating government entities execute knowledge-exchange projects to enhance institutional learning culture and performance.
• Customer Happiness Index Study (دراسة مؤشر سعادة المتعاملين) Annual measurement of customer happiness with government entity service delivery through in-person and telephone interviews, mystery shopper visits, and community surveys, producing comparative happiness scores across entities.
• Employee Happiness Index Study (دراسة مؤشر سعادة الموظفين) Annual study measuring employee satisfaction with their government entity's performance and leadership, particularly in human resources management and work environment, via electronic questionnaires distributed to all government employees.
• Innovation Readiness Index Study (دراسة مؤشر جاهزية الابتكار) Biennial assessment of government entities' innovation readiness through structured electronic questionnaires distributed to employees, providing benchmarking on innovation culture and capabilities.
• Mystery Shopping Daily Study (دراسة المتسوق السري اليومي) Daily service-quality audit study in which trained mystery shoppers evaluate all Dubai government service delivery channels using standardized checklists, with daily improvement reports delivered to each entity.
• Digital DGEP Platform (المنصة الرقمية) Digital platform for Dubai and UAE government employees providing access to training enrollment, webinars, knowledge resources, and program services from the Dubai Government Excellence Program.
• Partners for Excellence Initiative (شركاء الريادة) Partnership mechanism linking elite-level government entities with developing entities to improve performance through structured knowledge transfer, staff secondment, training, workshops, and collaborative improvement plans over a 2-year period.
• Knowledge Webinars and Seminars (الندوات المعرفية) Virtual and in-person knowledge-sharing sessions featuring directors, officials, and international experts covering innovation, crisis resilience, data science, AI, emotional intelligence, and related government excellence topics.
• Dubai Best Practices Series (سلسلة دبي لأفضل الممارسات) Annual knowledge event showcasing Dubai government entities' experiences, achievements, and winning projects, featuring expert insights on future trends and best practices in government work.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9% average performance improvement across Dubai government entities in 2024 cycle
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Dubai Future FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 July 2023Partnership to develop government employees' innovation capabilities and foster proactive thinking and innovation culture in government entities through the Government Innovation Advisor Program, providing access to distinguished global methodologies and innovative practical tools.
• Ashridge Business School (UK)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 July 2023Academic partner providing certification for the Government Innovation Advisor Program. Participants receive a certified Government Innovation Advisor certificate upon successful completion of the program's training courses.
• Excellence Partners (Shuraka Al-Riyada) - Various Dubai Government EntitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 June 2022Partnership mechanism where elite-level government entities are linked with lower-ranked entities to develop performance through knowledge transfer, staff secondment, training programs, workshops, and collaborative improvement plans over a 2-year period.
• Global Innovation Management Institute (GIMI)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 July 2021Partnership to establish the Global Council for Innovative Organizations, aimed at exchanging global best practices in innovation framework development and implementation, identifying key challenges and solutions in innovation management, and determining global trends across various sectors.
• Founding Members of Global Council for Innovative OrganizationsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 July 2021Includes Technova Barcelona (Europe), Bogota Mayor's Office (South America), Ayala Corporation (East Asia), and City of Cockburn (Australia) - representing diverse global regions to exchange best practices in innovation frameworks and methodologies.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Direct peers

• Abu Dhabi Government Performance and Service Delivery (Ghadan 21 / ADGPE): Abu Dhabi's Department of Government Support and adjacent entities operate government excellence and performance assessment programs for Abu Dhabi government entities, including the Abu Dhabi Government Excellence Award. Most direct intra-UAE peer to DGEP, addressing the same category (emirate-level government excellence assessment) with a near-identical operating model.
• European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM): EFQM is a Brussels-based non-profit that operates a globally recognized organizational excellence assessment framework (the EFQM Model) and awards (e.g., EFQM Excellence Award), used by both private and public sector organizations. Directly comparable to DGEP in its role as a non-commercial excellence framework operator running institutional assessments, awards, and benchmarking services across member entities.
• Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Program (NIST): The U.S. Baldrige Performance Excellence Program administers the Baldrige Framework and Awards for organizational excellence across healthcare, education, business, and nonprofit sectors. Comparable to DGEP as a government-administered excellence framework with institutional assessment, awards, and benchmarking, albeit at the federal level in the U.S.
• Singapore Public Service Division (Public Service Commission): Singapore's Public Service operates a government-wide excellence framework including the Singapore Quality Award and People Excellence Award, administered under the Public Service Division. Directly comparable to DGEP as a national/sub-national government excellence and assessment program running comparable award and evaluation cycles for public sector entities.
• King Abdullah II Award for Government Excellence and Transparency (Jordan): Jordan's King Abdullah II Award operates as a national government excellence assessment and award program evaluating Jordanian government entities against defined excellence criteria. Directly comparable to DGEP as a Middle East government excellence assessment and award program targeting public sector entities.

Emerging players

• Global Innovation Management Institute (GIMI): GIMI is a U.S.-based innovation management standards body that partners with DGEP through the Global Council for Innovative Organizations. Comparable to DGEP as a government-facing innovation framework developer, though GIMI operates globally and across multiple sectors rather than being tied to a single public administration's assessment cycles.

Others

• Deloitte Government & Public Services — Excellence and Performance Practice: Deloitte's Government & Public Services practice offers government performance assessment, organizational excellence, and benchmarking consulting for public sector clients globally. Comparable to DGEP in serving government entities with excellence frameworks and assessments, but as a commercial consulting supplier rather than an embedded public administration program.
• McKinsey Center for Government: McKinsey's Center for Government delivers government performance benchmarking, excellence diagnostics, and transformation advisory services to public sector clients worldwide. Comparable to DGEP in addressing government organizational excellence, though operating as an external commercial advisor rather than an institutional program within a government administration.

Regional players

• Saudi Arabia's National Center for Government Resources (NCGR / Etimad): Saudi Arabia's government operates multiple government excellence and performance assessment programs through entities such as NAZAHA and the National Center for Performance Measurement (ADAA). Regional peer to DGEP operating government performance assessment across a different national jurisdiction but within the same GCC/MENA ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• UK Cabinet Office — Government Functional Standards & Civil Service Performance: The UK Cabinet Office oversees broader government performance management, functional standards, and capability reviews across UK public sector entities. Comparable to DGEP's role as a central government performance and excellence function, though operating within a much larger and more decentralized national government context.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DubaiExcellence
• Instagraminstagram.com/dubaiexcellence/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dubaiexcellence

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dubai Government Excellence Program