Dubai hosts the international conference on Inter-Asian Connections

This conference, co-organized with the Social Science Research Council (SSRC), will be held at the Dubai World Trade Center, Zayed University and the Dubai School of Government from February 21 to February 23.

More than 150 prominent social scientists will convene at this international academic conference to discuss key issues of interest in social sciences. Their observations are expected to have an effect worldwide on perceptions of Dubai.

According to Dr. Tarik Yousef, Dean of the Dubai School of Government, "Dubai was chosen as the host city as it has been a catalyst for connectivity within Asia, and between Asia and the rest of the world. This orientation is in line with Dubai's strategic vision."

He added: "By partnering with the SSRC on this conference, the Dubai School of Government is working to stimulate academic discourse and increase Dubai's contribution to the intellectual wealth of this region." The Social Science Research Council is an internationally-prominent organization of social scientists.

"Inter-Asian Connections" will bring social scientists from renowned universities in the Middle East, Asia, the United States, and Europe to discuss the shared histories of Asia and stimulate dialogue about future possibilities for the region. The conference will be organized around twelve concurrent workshops showcasing innovative research from across the social sciences and related disciplines, on themes of particular relevance across Asia.

Scholars will focus on topics such as labor migration; globalization and economic transformation; regional integration in Asia; religion and education; the political implications of civil society organizations. All of these are of great interest and relevance to policymakers in the Gulf region and throughout Asia.

"Inter-Asian Connections" has attracted high-level corporate sponsorship from Emirates-NBD, Dubai Properties, and Emirates Airlines. In addition to the Dubai School of Government, Zayed University and the University of Dubai are participating in the event as academic partners.

The structure and schedule of the conference have been designed to enable intensive "working group" interactions on a specific research theme, as well as broader interactions on topics of mutual interest and concern to all participants.

Accordingly, there will be a public keynote panel as well as plenaries addressing different aspects of inter-Asian research that will be open to all participants as well as the general public. The concluding day of the conference will bring together all the workshops in a public presentation and exchange of research agendas that have emerged over the course of deliberations in Dubai.

In addition to workshop sessions, the conference will also include a plenary session entitled "Dubai: Inter-connecting Asia," which will explore issues of pressing relevance to the Gulf region within the context of Asia, as well as highlight the distinctive relations between corporate, private, and state organizations in the United Arab Emirates and their potential role in connecting local and international research communities such as the SSRC.