- Over 1,260 research papers and 5,000 reports chart the map of TRENDS’ global impact
- 24 offices and 370 international partnerships crown the TRENDS journey with 35 awards and honors.
- 22,000 knowledge contents and 137 public opinion surveys reinforce TRENDS leadership in shaping the future
- Mohammed Al Ali: “What has been achieved is not merely a set of numbers, but lasting scientific impact and worldwide knowledge partnerships.”
Crowned with numerous local, regional, and international awards, TRENDS Research & Advisory concluded 2025 by reaffirming its ability to turn institutional vision into tangible achievements. The year reflected the maturity of its research experience and the expansion of its scientific presence regionally and globally, built on a cumulative record of high-quality successes over recent years. This trajectory confirms that when knowledge is managed through a strategic vision, it becomes a global force.
The language of numbers stood out as the defining feature of the 2025 output, serving as a practical reflection of TRENDS’ strategic vision and its capacity to turn knowledge into concrete achievements and academic impact that transcends geography, underscoring the depth of its regional and international research presence.
‘From Research to Building Tomorrow’
In a statement on the occasion, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al Ali, CEO of TRENDS Research & Advisory, emphasized that what was achieved in 2025 is not merely a set of figures or cumulative accomplishments, but a genuine expression of the TRENDS vision based on producing rigorous knowledge, building strategic partnerships, and creating scientific impact that transcends borders.
He stressed that TRENDS is committed to making research a tool for understanding global transformations and developing solutions, not just describing reality. To that end, it has worked to integrate research, publishing, training, advisory services, and intellectual dialogue, alongside investing in digital platforms and artificial intelligence to expand the scope of its knowledge role.
Dr. Al Ali added that as TRENDS moves into 2026 under the theme “From Empowerment to Creativity … From Research to Building Tomorrow,” it does so based on the strength of a solid foundation of international partnerships, research expertise, and institutional trust. This foundation drives TRENDS to continue its role as a global think tank contributing to stability, promoting the values of coexistence, and advancing knowledge.
The CEO further noted that TRENDS’ role is not limited to producing research and studies, but extends to achieving impact and making a global difference, based on its belief that knowledge is a responsibility and that rigorous research is a cornerstone of a more aware and stable future.
Dr. Al Ali confirmed that 2026 will be a year of intensive innovation powered by artificial intelligence, with a focus on high-quality research projects with more profound global impact. He pointed out that TRENDS is entering a new phase of comprehensive administrative and technical development through new strategic tracks and projects, the details of which will be announced at the beginning of the coming year.
He said that these achievements would not have been possible without the efforts of the TRENDS team and the support of partners from research, media, government, and private institutions. He also expressed pride that the majority of TRENDS staff are young Emirati men and women who have demonstrated excellence across research and administrative fields, embodying its motto: “investing in youth is investing in the future.”
Responding to Transformations
Throughout 2025, TRENDS Research & Advisory continued to consolidate its position as a leading think tank by producing more than 1,260 research papers by year’s end. These papers served as a vital knowledge resource for understanding the rapid global transformations unfolding across political, security, economic, and technological levels.
These research papers addressed a wide range of strategic and intellectual issues, including regional and international security, geopolitical shifts, artificial intelligence and its repercussions on security and the economy, energy transitions, extremism and terrorism, and futures studies with scenario forecasting. This breadth reflects the Center’s comprehensive research agenda and its close connection to pressing current issues.
Directed Knowledge
TRENDS also focused a significant portion of its research output on serving government entities, institutions, universities, and other stakeholders through policy papers, situation assessments, and foresight studies. These outputs provided analytical tools that support decision-making in rapidly changing environments and future scenarios, reinforcing the Center’s role as a research institution that not only monitors global transformations but also helps interpret them and anticipate their trajectories.
Alongside its internal research output, TRENDS expanded its international knowledge footprint in 2025 by publishing 1,245 articles and studies in prominent external outlets, including leading international newspapers, specialized intellectual journals, and global research platforms.
Accumulated Knowledge
As part of its commitment to sustainable knowledge production and the development of intellectual content, TRENDS Research & Advisory continued its publishing efforts in 2025, releasing 370 original and translated books. These publications added significant value to both the Arab and international libraries. The books covered a broad spectrum of contemporary strategic and intellectual topics, including geopolitical transformations, regional and global security, extremism and terrorism, artificial intelligence, energy, sustainability, and international relations. In addition, TRENDS’ books and encyclopedia on the Muslim Brotherhood have become a mature intellectual reference on political Islam, the dangers of extremism, and its refutation.
Scientific Insight
Public opinion surveys formed a key applied pillar of TRENDS’ work in 2025. TRENDS conducted more than 137 surveys addressing social, political, development, and cultural issues, as part of its efforts to understand societal dynamics and public opinion trends through rigorous scientific methods. These surveys relied on quantitative and qualitative research methodologies that meet scientific standards for accuracy and reliability, while accounting for demographic and geographic diversity. Their results were analyzed in both local and international contexts and presented in analytical reports and practical recommendations that help shape policies more responsive to societal needs.
Advisory Studies
In 2025, TRENDS delivered 104 advisory studies to government and private sector entities across multiple sectors. These studies supported strategic planning and management, highlighting the Center’s practical role in transforming scientific analysis into implementable recommendations and strengthening institutional confidence in its research expertise.
Training and Capacity Building
TRENDS Research & Advisory places strong emphasis on empowering youth and developing national talent, with localization exceeding 68 percent. This has been achieved through initiatives that include training new graduates, supporting youth research, and organizing specialized workshops and seminars to build skills.
Training and capacity building represent a strategic pillar of the Center’s work, with the TRENDS International Training Institute (TITI) serving as the main arm in turning research expertise into high-quality capacity-building programs.
In 2025, the Institute delivered 121 specialized training courses targeting researchers, government employees, and young leaders from within the country and abroad. This reflects the international character of TRENDS’ programs, alongside strengthening its standing through training partnerships with leading global and academic institutions to exchange expertise and implement joint programs.
TRENDS Global Offices
As part of its global expansion, TRENDS increased the number of its external offices to 24, combining both physical and virtual presence. In Asia, the Center maintains a physical presence in Seoul, in addition to its headquarters in Abu Dhabi and branches in Dubai and Al Ain, while operating virtual offices in Tokyo, Beijing, New Delhi, Jakarta, Istanbul, and Amman. In Europe, TRENDS operates physically from Moscow, supported by a network of virtual offices covering London, Paris, Berlin, Brussels, Geneva, and Rome. In Africa, TRENDS has a physical presence in Cape Town, complemented by virtual offices in Cairo and Rabat, as well as a North Africa office. In the Americas, TRENDS operates physically from Washington, alongside virtual offices in Montreal, São Paulo, and Buenos Aires. This model reinforces an innovative operating system that combines on-the-ground impact with broad digital reach.
Partnerships and Cooperation
In 2025, TRENDS Research & Advisory saw strong momentum in its strategic partnerships. It consolidated its international research network, raising the number of alliances to 370, including cooperation agreements with universities, research centers, think tanks, academic institutions, and media organizations worldwide, demonstrating wide geographic and sectoral diversity.
These partnerships went beyond protocol frameworks and translated into practical outcomes, including joint research projects, the organization of international conferences and symposia, exchanges of researchers and experts, joint publications, and participation in knowledge pavilions enhanced by artificial intelligence. The most recent of these was participation in the BRIDGE Media Summit.
TRENDS organized 310 events in cooperation with its partners, including conferences, symposiums, panel discussions, and training workshops. It also participated in 88 regional and international book fairs, with pavilions distinguished by their use of artificial intelligence and interactive activities.
Active Presence in 27 Countries
In 2025, TRENDS achieved a qualitative shift in its international presence. The number of TRENDS’ external participations rose to 539 research events across 27 countries on different continents. These included international conferences, intellectual forums, academic symposiums, and closed-door dialogues, reinforcing TRENDS’ position as an active global think tank in international debates.
Professional Monitoring
Periodic bulletins, newsletters, and reports formed a core pillar of TRENDS’ work in 2025. The Center continued its role in real-time monitoring and in-depth analysis of regional and international developments, based on a scientific methodology that combines speed of coverage and accuracy of analysis.
During the year, TRENDS issued 5,038 periodic bulletins and reports, including daily, weekly, and monthly updates, as well as analytical reports and special studies. These covered political, security, economic, technological, and artificial intelligence issues, providing reliable knowledge content for decision-makers, researchers, and the media.
Research and Media Integration
As part of integrating research with knowledge-based media, the Center also published approximately 800 news items across its official media platforms in both Arabic and English, reflecting its commitment to reaching a broad, multilingual audience.
News publishing in 2025 recorded growth exceeding 100 percent compared to the previous year, with an additional increase of around 30 percent in the volume and consistency of bilingual content. This expansion helped broaden the Center’s international reach and strengthen its digital presence across global media environments.
A balanced, analytical, and informative approach distinguished the published news. It went beyond reporting activities and events to provide knowledge-based context that links each event to its research background and strategic implications, enhancing content credibility and reinforcing TRENDS’ identity as a center that combines rigorous research and effective media engagement.
Research in the Language of the Digital Age
The TRENDS Knowledge Platform continued to play its role in simplifying knowledge, publishing around 22,660 knowledge posters by the end of the year. These transformed studies and research into interactive visual content, making complex ideas more accessible.
TRENDS also produced 107 podcast episodes, hosting a distinguished group of leaders, thinkers, and experts. This helped enrich intellectual dialogue and deliver knowledge to broader segments of the public.
Institutional Excellence
The research and knowledge efforts undertaken by TRENDS Research & Advisory in 2025 were crowned with an impressive record of awards and recognitions. The total rose to 35 awards and honors from prestigious regional and international institutions, in clear recognition of the quality of its scientific output, its growing intellectual influence, and its pivotal role in supporting rigorous research and informed decision-making. These awards covered institutional leadership, quality, and research excellence.
Readiness for the Future
TRENDS Research & Advisory adopted a strategic human resources plan that places national talent at the forefront of its priorities. It achieved its Emiratization targets and won the UAE Award for Excellence in the Labor Market for two consecutive years. The organizational structure was updated, and governance policies and periodic reporting were implemented to strengthen institutional performance and ensure sustainable improvement. A major administrative and institutional advancement that will expand TRENDS’ scope of work is scheduled to be announced at the beginning of the new year.
As TRENDS Research & Advisory moves toward its twelfth year, it does so with a clearer vision and a broader global presence. Entering 2026, the Center continues its journey with confidence, placing innovation, artificial intelligence, and investment in people at the top of its priorities, and remains a model Arab research institution with a global vision and lasting impact.
