Page 23 - MBRF PR REPORT - OCTOBER 2025

News Report

As part of the project, the Global Knowledge Index (GKI) emerges as a pioneering tool designed

to assist policymakers and researchers in understanding the opportunities and challenges of
knowledge economies and societies worldwide. To date, the Knowledge Project has released eight

editions of the GKI, comprising seven composite sectoral indices. These include pre-university
education, technical education and vocational training, higher education, research, development

and innovation, information and communication technology (ICT), the economy, and the enabling
environment. The 2024 edition featured data from 141 countries across diverse regions and

stages of development, offering valuable insights into the gaps and challenges nations face in
their journey to build integrated knowledge-based economies. In 2025, the GKI will undergo

methodological enhancements to reflect the changing dynamics of global development, ensuring
it maintains its ability to adapt to emerging global trends.

Future Skills Academy: Bridging the Digital Divide and Empowering Future Generations

Aligned with the goals of the project to equip citizens of the Arab region with future-ready skills,
the FutureSkills4All initiative was launched in partnership with the learning platform Coursera.

This initiative offers free access to educational programs aimed at developing the essential skills
of people across the Arab region. Within a year, it attracted nearly 10,000 learners from across

the region and beyond, who completed more than 114,000 learning hours across 15,000 diverse

educational programs.

Building on this success, the initiative expanded to become the Future Skills Academy, with a
mission to reach one million learners annually and impact 10 million individuals by 2030. The

Academy plays a significant role in addressing digital and skills gaps across the Arab world,
preparing future generations for the emerging job market amid rapid technological changes. Since

its launch in March 2025 until October this year, the Academy’s participants have demonstrated
impressive engagement, including approximately 490,000 educational videos watched, 313,000

readings completed, and over 261,000 assessments undertaken, representing thousands of hours

dedicated to upskilling themselves.

KnowTalks: Where Global Expertise Converges