Dubai Customs has launched the Center of Excellence for Customs and Trade Logistics with the University of Dubai, positioning the new platform as a research and policy hub to strengthen the emirate’s role in global trade, supply chains and digital commerce.The centre is designed to connect academic research with customs operations, policy development and technology-led logistics solutions. Its mandate covers customs governance, trade facilitation, supply chain resilience, cross-border e-commerce, sustainable logistics and customer experience improvement, reflecting Dubai’s push to modernise trade systems as global commerce faces shifting risks, tighter compliance demands and faster digital transformation.
Dr Abdulla Busenad, Director General of Dubai Customs, said the centre represents a strategic investment in Dubai’s readiness for the future of global trade. He said it would support the development and evaluation of policies and procedures through evidence-based methods, while helping to accelerate trade and reinforce Dubai’s position as a gateway for commerce.
The initiative is aligned with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to double the size of Dubai’s economy and place the emirate among the world’s leading economic cities. Customs operations remain central to that ambition, given Dubai’s dependence on ports, free zones, aviation links, re-export flows and logistics services that connect markets across Asia, Africa, Europe and the wider Middle East.
The new centre will work on applied research, international benchmarking, operational studies and policy recommendations aimed at improving customs efficiency. Its areas of focus include digitally enabled customs systems, artificial intelligence in inspection and clearance, supply chain security, trade transparency, sustainability and better services for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Dubai Customs said the centre will also align its work with frameworks and methodologies used by the World Customs Organization and international best practice. That approach is intended to help Dubai benchmark its systems against global standards while building practical solutions suited to its position as a high-volume trade hub.
The University of Dubai partnership gives the centre an academic base and access to research expertise in business, logistics and digital trade. Dr Eesa Al Bastaki, President of the University of Dubai, said the centre would serve as a bridge between academic knowledge, policy-making and operational practice. He said the collaboration combines Dubai Customs’ trade facilitation expertise with the university’s academic capabilities to produce research and strategic insights for customs governance and integrated logistics.
International academic and research partners named as part of the initiative include Kühne Logistics University, the University of Adelaide, Michigan State University, Henley Business School and Infinite Sum Modelling. Their involvement signals an attempt to build a wider knowledge network around customs modernisation, data-led logistics and supply chain resilience.
The launch also includes an innovation hackathon organised with the University of Dubai. The competition brings together 33 teams and 110 students, with each team comprising three to four members. Participants will work on solutions addressing trade, customs services and logistics challenges, with projects judged on innovation, feasibility, concept clarity, presentation quality, expected impact and alignment with the identified issues.
The hackathon is being conducted in two stages. The first stage covers brainstorming, solution development and preliminary presentations before judging panels. Top-performing teams will then move to a final round, where they will present refined proposals to Dubai Customs experts and specialists.
The themes assigned to participants reflect the wider pressures shaping global trade. Artificial intelligence is being tested across customs inspection and clearance, while supply chain resilience has become a priority after repeated disruptions involving pandemic-era bottlenecks, geopolitical tensions, shipping route insecurity and changes in consumer demand. Sustainability is also rising in importance as logistics operators and customs authorities face pressure to reduce delays, cut emissions and support more efficient movement of goods.
Dubai has been investing heavily in systems intended to make trade faster and more predictable. Its wider logistics ecosystem includes Jebel Ali Port, Dubai International Airport, Al Maktoum International Airport, major free zones and digital customs platforms. The new centre adds a research and policy layer to that infrastructure, giving Dubai Customs a dedicated mechanism to test ideas, assess procedures and convert academic work into operational improvements.
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