The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have released the Global Knowledge Index 2025 results, highlighting knowledge as a fundamental driver of national prosperity and sustainable development. The findings were presented during a special session at the Knowledge Summit 2025 held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, bringing together global experts and policymakers to examine knowledge-driven development strategies. Switzerland claimed the top position in the global rankings, followed by Singapore and Sweden in second and third places respectively. The complete top ten includes Denmark, the Netherlands, Finland, Ireland, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, and Norway. These nations share common characteristics of robust innovation ecosystems and advanced technological frameworks that support knowledge creation and application.
Regionally, the United Arab Emirates maintained its leadership position among Arab nations, demonstrating strong performance in innovation, digital capacity, and knowledge readiness. Saudi Arabia secured second place in the Arab region, supported by consistent investment in education and technology infrastructure, while Qatar ranked third, showing continuous improvement across multiple indicators. The index reveals significant progress across several Arab states, particularly in technological infrastructure development and the integration of modern tools into national development planning. His Excellency Jamal bin Huwaireb, CEO of MBRF, emphasized that the Global Knowledge Index represents a key achievement of the longstanding partnership between MBRF and UNDP, reflecting shared dedication to building sustainable knowledge economies.
The UAE's regional leadership underscores the nation's commitment to investing in human capital as the foundation for progress, with MBRF reaffirming its commitment to advancing the Index through international collaboration. Dr. Hany Torky, Chief Technical Adviser and Project Manager of the Knowledge Project at UNDP, highlighted the Index's purpose in sharing best practices and helping countries identify and address performance gaps. He stressed that universal access to knowledge remains essential for building productive societies and that human-centered investment forms the cornerstone of sustainable development. The complete Global Knowledge Index methodology and country profiles are available at https://www.undp.org/publications/global-knowledge-index.
As global dynamics continue to evolve, the 2025 Global Knowledge Index reinforces the critical role of knowledge as a foundation for national resilience, innovation capacity, and long-term economic prosperity. Both MBRF and UNDP have reaffirmed their commitment to supporting countries worldwide in harnessing knowledge as a transformative force for sustainable development, with detailed regional analyses accessible through https://www.mbrf.ae/knowledge-publications. The partnership continues to focus on developing comprehensive frameworks that enable nations to measure and enhance their knowledge economies effectively. The index serves as a crucial tool for policymakers seeking to align national strategies with global best practices in knowledge-based development, providing measurable indicators that track progress across multiple dimensions of knowledge creation, dissemination, and application.
The Global Knowledge Index 2025 findings demonstrate that nations prioritizing knowledge infrastructure, digital transformation, and human capital development consistently achieve higher rankings and greater economic resilience. This comprehensive assessment provides valuable insights for governments seeking to strengthen their competitive position in an increasingly knowledge-driven global economy. The collaboration between MBRF and UNDP represents a significant contribution to global development discourse, offering practical tools and frameworks that translate theoretical concepts about knowledge economies into actionable policy recommendations. The continued refinement of the index methodology ensures its relevance and accuracy in capturing the evolving nature of knowledge as a driver of sustainable development across diverse national contexts.
