Government Excellence Model (GEM)

The Government Excellence Model (GEM) is a framework for evaluating and improving the performance of government entities in the UAE. GEM 2.1 is divided into three pillars; each pillar has criteria that define and explain the criteria.

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About GEM

GEM was launched in 2019 as a framework for evaluating and improving the performance of government entities in the UAE. It reflects the philosophy of institutional excellence and a leadership mind-set that believes in the importance of quality work and institutional excellence.

GEM 2.1 is divided into three pillars; each pillar has criteria that define and explain the criteria.

Pillars and criteria of GEM 2.1

GEM 2.1 is divided into three main pillars; each pillar comprises a set of criteria. The pillars are:

1

Distinctive value

This pillar focuses on providing proactive, integrated, personalised and seamless services. It is enabled by smart transformation, partnerships, and investment in human capital to deliver an excellent experience that enhances customer happiness and competitive performance.
2

Vision realisation

This pillar aims to improve the wellbeing of the community by implementing agile strategies that contribute to achieving the country's vision and national agenda, enhancing its future readiness and competitiveness.
3

Enablers

This pillar emphasises the importance of integration and partnership between government entities and various stakeholders to ensure optimal use of resources, data, and assets. It aims to achieve sustainable value and a positive impact on the national wellbeing.

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Read more about the pillars and criteria of GEM 2.1 in the Government Excellence Model Handbook (PDF, 1 MB). 

Fundamentals of excellence

The fundamentals of GEM are:

  • Ambitious vision: GEM positions the UAE among the world’s most advanced nations by guiding government entities to focus on key national priorities that enhance excellence, innovation, and global competitiveness.
  • Enhancing wellbeing: GEM drives the government to deliver impactful outcomes that enhance citizen wellbeing and create exceptional value and satisfaction for all stakeholders.
  • Leadership at the helm: GEM fosters a dynamic leadership mind-set that drives improvement, embraces agility, and aligns progress with the UAE Government’s vision for excellence.
  • Anticipating and adapting: GEM harnesses innovation, agility, and adaptability to achieve sustainable success by anticipating future challenges and embracing strategic risks that enable continuous transformation and long-term resilience.
  • Inspiring confidence: GEM promotes a robust governance structure that ensures transparency, accountability, and trust, strengthening stakeholder confidence and institutional integrity.
  • Embracing the ecosystem: GEM emphasises creating added value for stakeholders through effective collaboration and strategic partnerships that foster mutual growth and long-term success.
  • Outcome-based measurement: GEM emphasises the use of timely, accurate, and relevant information to guide performance and decision-making, ensuring that efforts generate meaningful and high-impact outcomes for stakeholders.
  • Benefits realisation: GEM stimulates the government to maximise the return on investment through optimising the efficiency and effectiveness of all its activities to maximise stakeholder benefit.
  • Leading government: GEM enables the government to compete at global standards by fostering distinctive capabilities and strategic partnerships that drive excellence and position the UAE among the world’s leading nations.
  • Transformational and disruptive mind-set: GEM fosters a proactive culture of anticipation, adaptation, disruption, and delivery, enabling the government to sustain agility, innovation, and a lasting competitive advantage.
  • Accelerating achievements: GEM drives timely and efficient performance through collaboration, resource optimisation, and community engagement to achieve impactful outcomes that enhance wellbeing.

 

Read more about the fundamentals of GEM.

Source:

The Government Excellence Model

Updated On :

22 Oct 2025