UAE breaks into global top tier for project management leadership

The UAE has secured a position among the world's top performers in project management, ranking eighth globally with 23,670 active Project Management Institute (PMI) certifications, according to newly released data.

- Issac John [e-mail]

The milestone reflects the country's sustained investment in professional excellence and its reliance on structured project delivery to power some of the world's most ambitious national initiatives.

Project management has become a defining pillar of the UAE's economic model. The country's rapid transition towards knowledge-based, innovation-driven growth has created heavy demand for professionals capable of steering complex projects across sectors such as aviation, tourism, real estate, advanced technology, green energy and digital infrastructure.

From the development of smart cities to nationwide renewable-energy programmes and multi-agency digital-transformation efforts, the UAE's project landscape increasingly mirrors the scale and sophistication of leading global economies.

The latest PMI data underscores this momentum. The UAE now ranks eighth worldwide for the prestigious Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, considered the global gold standard for project leaders. It stands even higher in specialised streams: fourth globally for Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) and fifth for Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP) credentials.