Dubai School of Government hosts workshop for the Global Development Network

The workshop aims to initiate a dialogue among a select group of experts with the objective of strengthening the policy relevance and influence of research.

The Global Development Network is a worldwide network of research and policy institutes working to provide a fresh and relevant perspective to the challenges of development.

The goal of the gathering is to produce recommendations for the GDN as it embarks upon the second phase of an ongoing initiative to 'bridge the gap' between the policy making and research communities.

The workshop focuses on suggesting ideas for new programs which foster the capacities of research institutions and decision makers by using replicable and effective best practices.

The workshop also will establish a regularly-held forum for dialogue which can serve as a platform for joining the forces of the public and private sector in order to bridge the gap between research and policy on a regional and global level, while focusing especially on the Middle East and North Africa region.

Tarik Yousef, Dean of Dubai School of Government, said: 'The exchange of experience and knowledge which took place today at the workshop will greatly influence and benefit all the participants. The meeting represents a milestone in the relationship between the Dubai School of Government and the Global Development Network, and should result in real accomplishments on the research and policy levels by helping to identify and fill gaps that exist currently.'

'It is crucial in this framework to focus on local knowledge and giving the Arab world a voice to express its own vision of problems and opportunities,' added Gobind Nankani, Executive President of the GDN. 'The most important expected output from this workshop is the reaching of an agreement to initiate a regular forum for dialogue on policy and research which will be announced soon. We will also work on sharing the workshop outputs with decision makers and policy makers in the region.'

The Global Development Network holds that policy-relevant research, if properly applied, can accelerate the pace of global development.

The initiative is unique in that it aims to generate research at the local level in developing and transition countries.

The GDN supports multidisciplinary research in the social sciences, produces policy-relevant knowledge on a global scale, builds research capacity to advance development and alleviate poverty, facilitates knowledge sharing among researchers, and disseminates knowledge on development issues to the public and policy makers.

The Dubai School of Government is a research and teaching institution focusing on public policy in the Arab world.

Established in 2005 under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, in cooperation with the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, the School aims to promote good governance through enhancing the region's capacity for effective public policy.

The School is committed to the creation of knowledge, the dissemination of best practice and the training of policy makers in the Arab world.

Reflecting the importance of the topic to decision makers and policy makers in the area, the workshop was attended by a large number of participants.

Among the participants were Dr. Carlton Davis, Secretary-General of the Cabinet of Ministers in Jamaica; B. K. Mohanty, Secretary-General of the Cabinet of Ministers in India; Mukhtar Dioub, ex-Minister of Finance in Senegal and World Bank member; Abdel Razik AlFares of the Dubai Economic Development Council; Hadi Soesastro, Executive Director of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Indonesia; Paul Salem, Director of the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut; Rami Khouri, Senior Research Fellow at the Dubai School of Government and Director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University in Beirut; Jamal Al Suwaidi, Director of the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research; Ibrahim Saif, Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies in Jordan; Hoda Rashad, Member of the Egyptian Shura Council and Director of the Social Science Research Center at the American University in Cairo, as well as many others whose work is related to policy and research in Malaysia, the Philippines, Canada, Brazil, Pakistan, Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan.