His Highness Shaikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has issued a new decree establishing the ‘Hamdan bin Mohammed Award for Innovation in Project Management’.

The award aims to promote innovation in project management by encouraging the use of smart and sustainable solutions and recognising innovators in project management locally, regionally and internationally, reported the state new agency Wam.

It also seeks to provide a platform for sharing, exchanging and implementing new project management ideas and expertise, it stated.

The decree specifies the categories of the award, which include: innovative project manager, innovative project management office (PMO) manager, innovative project team, innovative project management idea, and innovative portfolio management idea, according to the report.

Crown Prince of Dubai and the patron of the award Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also approved the award’s rules and regulations, which cover nomination criteria, the award jury, categories and the official language of the award (Arabic).

Under the decree, a board of trustees will manage the award. It will have five members in addition to a chairman and vice chairman. Of these, three members will be from the Road and Transport Authority (RTA), said the report.

The members will be appointed for a term of three years through a decision issued by the Award Patron.

The decree also specifies the roles and duties of the board of trustees and the secretary general, who is appointed by the award patron.

The winners will be announced at the ‘Dubai International Project Management Forum’ or on another occasion chosen by the Board of Trustees.

All nominees who meet the award criteria will be considered for the award irrespective of whether they have won an award previously. The RTA is tasked with providing administrative and technical support for the award, and will organise the award ceremony, said the report.

As per Decision No (2) of 2016, Arabic is the official language of the award. However, the board can also approve the use of another foreign language in addition to Arabic. The decision also outlines nomination procedures, it added.