Nobel Laureates’ World Laureates Association Opens Office in Dubai

Dubai has taken another decisive step in cementing its position as a global knowledge and innovation capital with the World Laureates Association (WLA) officially announcing the opening of its office in the emirate. The announcement was made during the World Government Summit, one of the world’s most influential platforms for future governance, technology, and science.

The move was jointly unveiled by Roger D. Kornberg, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry (2006) and Chairman of the WLA, alongside Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications.

This development adds a prestigious scientific institution to Dubai’s rapidly expanding ecosystem of global think tanks, research bodies, and innovation-driven organisations.

Why the World Laureates Association Matters

Founded in 2017 in Hong Kong, the World Laureates Association is a non-profit, non-governmental international organisation that brings together some of the world’s most accomplished minds. Its founding members include Nobel, Wolf, Lasker, Turing, MacArthur and Fields Medal laureates - a concentration of intellectual capital rarely seen under one institutional umbrella.

The Association represents laureates across disciplines such as:

• Chemistry and Physics

• Medical and Life Sciences

• Economics and Mathematics

• Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence

With more than one Nobel Prize–level distinction per core member, the WLA functions as a global advisory body on the future of science, ethics, and technology-led development.

Why Dubai Was Chosen

From a strategic standpoint, the decision to establish a base in Dubai is deeply aligned with the city’s trajectory. Dubai offers:

• Policy stability and fast decision-making, reducing institutional friction

• Global connectivity, linking East, West, and emerging markets

• Technology-forward governance, especially in AI and digital economy

• Academic and innovation infrastructure, backed by public-private collaboration

For global institutions evaluating long-term presence, Dubai increasingly represents not just a regional base but a launchpad for worldwide collaboration, similar to how international founders approach business setup in dubai to scale ideas, talent, and impact globally.

Science, AI, and the Human Mind

Speaking around the summit, Kornberg reiterated a nuanced view on artificial intelligence - that while AI can significantly accelerate scientific workflows, human discovery, curiosity, and intuition remain irreplaceable. This philosophy aligns with the UAE’s approach to AI: augmentation, not substitution.

Al Olama highlighted that welcoming institutions like WLA reinforces the UAE’s commitment to responsible innovation, where advanced technologies are guided by ethical, scientific, and human-centred principles.

A Signal to the World

The opening of the WLA office is more than symbolic. It signals that Dubai is evolving into a neutral global convening ground - where policymakers, scientists, technologists, and economists can jointly shape responses to complex global challenges, from climate science to AI governance.

As Dubai continues to attract Nobel-level institutions, it strengthens its identity as a city where knowledge is infrastructure and ideas are treated as strategic assets.