A group of students from American University in Washington, on a one month visit to the American University of Sharjah, visited the Gulf Research Center for a briefing on the center's activities and the Gulf region. GRC researchers made presentations on regional security, foreign relations, economic and social issues, including women's rights.
Dr. John Duke Anthony, President and CEO of the National Council on US-Arab Relations, expressed interest and explored possible areas of cooperation between the two institutions.
Prof. Steve Ott, Department of Political Science, College of Social and Behavioral Science, The University of Utah, USA.
1- A delegation from Zayed University in Dubai – comprising of Dr. Jane Bristol-Thys, Director, Institute of Applied Social Research, Dr. David McGlennon, Director, Research and Outreach, Prof. Kenneth Wilson of the College of Business Sciences and Dr Naseer Arif – held preliminary discussions with the GRC about possible areas of cooperation and collaboration between the two institutions, especially in the sphere of information dissemination.
2- A delegation from the American University of Sharjah (AUS) comprising of Chancellor Winfred L. Thompson, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Robert D. Cook, Associate Professor of Political Science and International Studies and Chairperson of the Department of International Studies Nada Mourtada-Sabbah and Assistant Professor of History and International Studies James Onley finalized the details of a memorandum of understanding among the GRC, AUS and the University of Exeter.
A 12-member delegation comprising officers from the United States Armed Forces, civilian executives of the American administration and staff affiliated to the National Defense University in Washington visited the center as part of their educational field trip to the Gulf region. The delegation, which is affiliated to a post-graduate degree program in international relations, was briefed about the latest political and security developments in the region.
1- South African Foreign Minister, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, visited the center and addressed a press conference on Gulf, Middle East and African issues. Dr. Zuma – former health minister and the first woman to head the foreign ministry in democratic South Africa – was in the UAE as part of a week-long tour of the Gulf region, during which she also visited Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Yemen. Apart from strengthening bilateral political, economic and cultural relations with the region, where more than 32,000 South Africans live, the minister’s interaction focused on issues pertaining to multilateralism, poverty eradication, peace and stability, as well as the rule of law.
2- Muhammad Al-Rasheed, former Saudi education minister who served in office until February 2005, reviewed the progress made by GRC in its role as an education provider. Several proposals on how to improve the education system in the region were discussed.
