This working paper presents the results of an intensive case study of education reform to support the development of a post-petroleum, knowledge-based economy in the United Arab Emirates. The case study is part of a larger research project exploring the ways in which state leaders may cultivate engaged citizens who are willing and able to contribute to the development of their countries, particularly in the contemporary era of heightened globalization and intense economic competition. Building on existing theory and empirical work, the case study identifies and measures attitudes that are believed to facilitate knowledge-intensive growth within one country, such as achievement motivation, risk-taking propensity, civic duty, willingness to invest in a promising business idea, and trust and social capital. For both policymakers and researchers, the case study offers a rich portrait of one strategy that state leaders may use to help foster knowledge-intensive economic development.