(Washington, D.C.) - The Middle East Institute (MEI) is proud to announce the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Rabdan Academy, a UAE-based higher education institution specializing in a range of defense and security issues. The MoU outlines plans for the two organizations to explore avenues of cooperation and collaboration on research & analysis, training, and events.

MEI President and CEO Dr. Paul Salem and Rabdan Academy Vice President H.E. Salem Saeed Al Saeedi signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organizations on January 31, 2024, at MEI’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.

"We are grateful for the opportunity for the Middle East Institute to partner with Rabdan Academy,” said Salem. “This collaboration aligns with MEI's overarching goal of building stronger and deeper partnerships with institutions from the region to further understanding of shared challenges and to promote effective and collective solutions.”

H.E. Salem Saeed Al Saeedi, Vice President of Rabdan Academy, highlighted that this collaboration aligns with Rabdan Academy’s ongoing efforts to strengthen partnerships with leading academic and research institutions worldwide. He emphasized the significance of the Middle East Institute, the oldest institution dedicated to Middle Eastern studies in Washington, and how this partnership will expand horizons and opportunities for joint research development, studies, analyses, and the exchange of experiences, especially in light of the world’s unprecedented digital transformation and the application of advanced artificial intelligence.

The organizations will seek to advance cooperation in three main areas: 1) research & analysis on a broad set of defense and security issues; 2) training programs on research skill-development, both in Washington, D.C. and Abu Dhabi; 3) workshops, forums, and conferences on issues of mutual interest.

###

Media Contact
Elliott M. Sanders
Communications & Technology Officer
emsanders@mei.edu

The Middle East Institute (MEI) is an independent, non-partisan, non-for-profit, educational organization. It does not engage in advocacy and its scholars’ opinions are their own. MEI welcomes financial donations, but retains sole editorial control over its work and its publications reflect only the authors’ views. For a listing of MEI donors, please click here.