Scholars meet in Dubai to discuss Inter-Asian connections

The conference, which will be held at the Dubai World Trade Center, the Dubai School of Government and Zayed University, is sponsored by Emirates NDB bank and Dubai Properties. Zayed University and the University of Dubai are contributing to the conference as academic partners.

According to Dr. Tarek Yousef, Dean of the Dubai School of Government, "Dubai was chosen to host the conference because it is at the crossroads of the new, interconnected Asia. Dubai embodies this spirit because of its openness and interconnectedness especially, both with Asia and with the rest of the world."

He added that "DSG and SSRC have something in common. Both attempt to encourage the development of and provide support to new areas of research on important questions. We hope to continue developing the theme of inter-Asian connections in subsequent workshops, seminars and conferences, as well as pursuing research on the topic."

Dr. Yousef noted that the conference benefits Dubai because "Dubai is establishing itself as a place where big ideas in the academic and research world are beginning to be discussed, and debated.

He expressed his desire to see this conference "develop and promote the idea of the new and interconnected Asia, with the Arab world being a part of Asia and Dubai at the center of the Arab connection. This coincides with the new role of Dubai as a knowledge hub, a center for thinking and debate, and a place where ideas get encouraged."

Hafed Al-Ghwell, Director of Communication and External Affairs at the Dubai School of Government, added: "This conference is a manifestation of the Dubai School of Government's mission to foster academic exchange in the region, and acts as a conduit for intellectual discourse and knowledge sharing between the region and the broader Asian and global communities."

According to Lisa Anderson, a Middle Eastern studies specialist at Columbia University, USA, and current chair of the SSRC's board of directors, "The host city of Dubai exemplifies the conference theme of Inter-Asian Connections, and reminds us about the importance of creating and furthering exchanges and dialogues among the different regions of Asia."

Dr. Anderson noted that "Holding the meeting in Dubai will necessarily remind everyone of the historical connections, whether trade routes or mutual intellectual and cultural influences, which have shaped and reshaped notions of Asia for millennia."

She added: "It is an exciting opportunity to transcend the conventional frameworks of contemporary policy and academics to think again about what Asia has meant in the
past, and may be in the future."

Anderson explained by saying: "The SSRC looks forward to working with the DSG on this initiative as a first step to networking leading stakeholders of higher education and social science research in the Gulf region with their counterparts other regions of Asia, US and Europe. We would like to engage in activities to identify specific training and capacity-building projects that will address the knowledge requirements of the Gulf region, and to present to donor agencies and foundations a list of priorities and 'best practices' that will inform their funding policies for higher education and social science research."

She expressed her confidence that "The conference will break new ground by challenging Asia scholars to broaden their conception of Asia even further through the inclusion of the Middle East and Eurasia."

Mr. Suleiman Al Mazroui, General Manager for Corporate Communications and Community Relations at Emirates NBD said: "Due to its importance as a business hub and its infrastructure geared towards the needs of organizers and participants, the UAE in general and Dubai in particular host many international events and conferences.

In line with our leadership role in corporate social responsibility, we are committed to supporting the various activities that position Dubai as a developed city and we are glad to extend our support to this International conference on Inter-Asian Connections. We would like to thank the organizers for their efforts to make this event a success."

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.

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 participants as well as the general public.

The concluding day of the conference will bring all the workshops together in a public presentation and exchange of research agendas that have emerged over the course of the deliberations in Dubai.

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.