Assist. Lecturer Hamid Jassim Alwan The defining characteristic of the twenty-first-century economy has become its reliance on knowledge. This means that future societies will be knowledge-based, with knowledge playing a dominant role. Essentially, the knowledge economy refers to an economic system in which knowledge serves as the primary driver of economic growth. Knowledge economies depend on the availability of information and communication technologies (ICT), as well as the adoption of innovation and digitalisation. This contrasts with production-based economies, in which knowledge plays a less significant role and growth is primarily driven by traditional factors of production. A qualified workforce with advanced skills, together with intellectual capital, represents one of the most valuable assets in the new knowledge-based economy. In a knowledge-based economy, the relative contribution of knowledge-based or knowledge-enabled industries increases. These industries are largely represented by medium-technology and digital sectors, such as financial services and business services. Qatar is considered one of the leading Arab countries in this field. It has established Education City, along with research and study centres founded on innovation and creative skills, supported by information and communication technology infrastructure. These initiatives include policies aimed at making ICT more productive and accessible, while enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).