NPC showcases strategic foresight to prepare Qatar’s future leaders

Doha, Qatar - The National Planning Council (NPC) concluded its involvement in the Strategic Foresight Forum on Global Youth Competencies and Lifelong Learning, organized by the Ministry of Sports and Youth in collaboration with the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. Over three days, from October 12 to 14, 2026, the NPC presented its Strategic Foresight Corner, an interactive experience that allowed attendees to engage with foresight thinking in a practical manner.

The council's corner guided visitors through a process of identifying emerging trends and future shifts, exploring the challenges they may bring, and defining the key skills and competencies future leaders and young people would need. A notable feature of the council's participation was an interactive session titled 'What Will Leadership Require to Thrive in Qatar's Future?'.

This session utilized various future scenarios to encourage visitors to envision potential changes, pinpoint the necessary skills, and contribute to an interactive map of future skills reflecting their insights.

During the forum's opening session, Maha Al-Maadeed, the Strategic Foresight Researcher at the NPC's Center for Future Foresight and National Visions, discussed Qatar's incorporation of strategic foresight as an institutional function within the national planning system. She emphasized the role of foresight in transforming current trends into opportunities and highlighted its significance in aligning with Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Third National Development Strategy.

Al-Maadeed stressed the importance of involving young individuals and their aspirations in scenario-building and empowering them to understand future trends and manage rapid change. The forum aimed to boost participants' strategic foresight abilities, refine their skills in trend interpretation, scenario-building, and decision-making, and foster an exchange of knowledge and perspectives on the future of youth, lifelong learning, and the required competencies for global change.

The NPC's participation underscores the significance of strategic foresight in decision-making, preparing young people for the future, and developing the competencies needed to navigate diverse and evolving environments.