Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) College of Public Policy (CPP) partnered with the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies and Institute of Local Government Studies at the University of Birmingham, to host the one-day symposium “Public Policy in Qatar and the Gulf: Confronting Fast Paced and Complex Challenges.”

Dr. Leslie Pal, Dean, College of Public Policy, gave the inaugural address in which  he outlined how Qatar serves as an example of effective policymaking in a state undergoing a significant transformation in multiple areas. Faculty from CPP and the Institute attended alongside fellow academics from the Institute of Local Government Studies, Qatar University, American University of Beirut, American University of Cairo, and the German Institute for Public Administration.

The symposium featured a series of presentations and group discussions on public policy issues throughout the Gulf region, including prominent case studies in policy implementation, the contexts behind policymaking processes, future challenges facing local policymakers, and emerging trends in public policy research.

The findings of the symposium will be compiled in a volume published by Springer Nature Group and co-edited by the event organizers: Dr. Esmat Zaidan, Associate Professor, CPP; Dr. Tamer Qarmout, Doha Institute for Graduate Studies; and Dr. Paul Joyce, Associate, Institute of Local Government Studies, University of Birmingham. 

Commenting on  the symposium, Dr. Zaidan said: “We are grateful to our partners at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies and Institute of Local Government Studies for their cooperation in organizing a truly robust knowledge exchange for public policy experts specializing in the Arab Gulf States (AGS). Our collective insights will form the basis for an educational resource that will help stakeholders better understand policymaking in the region.”

CPP aims to become one of the leading public policy schools in the region and the world and a center for teaching and researching responses to policy questions of local and global relevance. The College actively leverages local and transnational synergies and collaborations with distinguished international partners to facilitate expertise and build capacity in Qatar and beyond.