Abu Dhabi, 30 April 2025: Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Martyrs’ Families Affairs, the first day of the Behavioural Exchange 2025 (BX2025) kicked off with the participation of over 500 regional and international experts, under the theme “New Frontiers in Behavioural Science.”

Hosted for the first time in the region, the event brought together policymakers, researchers, and government practitioners to explore how behavioural insights can help address today’s most pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges.

Day one discussions centred on the growing intersection of science, policy, and practice—emphasising the need for a deeper understanding of human behaviour to drive public service transformation, institutional reform, and long-term development planning.

The conference opened with a keynote speech by Her Excellency Shamma bint Suhail Al Mazrui, Minister of Community Development, who spoke of the vision of His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to transform behavioural science from a concept into a strategic tool. She praised the pioneering work of the Behavioural Science Group in Abu Dhabi for turning theory into real-world policymaking.

Her Excellency called on the behavioural science community to move from incremental change to deeper, more deliberate action—broadening the scope of behavioural insights from improving choices to also enhancing human capability.

She highlighted a simple truth: adversity builds resilience, noting that behavioural science today often focuses on eliminating friction. Looking ahead, she proposed a future for the discipline at the intersection of motivation and adaptability—where motivation alone shapes short-term behaviour, but without parallel investment in resilience, the risk of dependence increases. The goal, she said, should not be to merely influence people’s behaviour today, but to help them become the kind of individuals who make the right choices independently in uncertain and unpredictable environments.

The first day also featured a keynote address by Professor Cass Sunstein, renowned legal scholar and behavioural economist, who reflected on the evolution of behavioural science and stressed the importance of ethical and culturally attuned interventions in policymaking.

In one of the day’s standout sessions, Professor Dilip Soman from the University of Toronto introduced innovative frameworks for integrating behavioural insights into public service design. He underscored simplicity, contextual relevance, and user interaction as key principles for effective service delivery—highlighting the potential of well-crafted behavioural interventions to significantly improve outcomes in areas such as financial inclusion, digital services, and healthcare systems.

Professor David Halpern, President Emeritus and Founding Director of the Behavioural Insights Team, drew on lessons from over 70 countries to explore what works when changing behaviour at scale. He discussed both the power and limitations of nudging, calling for greater emphasis on rigorous evaluation and understanding of cultural and institutional contexts.

In a special session led by Professor Nikos Nikiforakis of NYU Abu Dhabi, participants explored how to measure and transform social norms to achieve long-term policy impact.

Day one also featured dynamic exchanges around behavioural trends in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and wider Middle East—signalling growing momentum to localise behavioural research and embed its insights in national development agendas.

The conference promises to deepen cross-sector dialogue—spanning behavioural and health research funding, climate decision-making, and community engagement. Hosting this edition of the conference marks a major milestone for the UAE and the broader region in championing behavioural science as a catalyst for people-centred, evidence-based governance.

The Behavioural Exchange 2025 (BX2025) continues in Abu Dhabi from 30 April to 1 May 2025, in partnership with leading international and academic institutions.

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