Leaders and researchers of MERI and Salahaddin University met on April 5, and agreed a long term strategy to engage in mutually rewarding research initiatives, including conducting joint research projects, seeking joint funding and producing joint publications. The two sides emphasised the importance of evidence-based policy-research in the Kurdistan Region’s nation-building process.
Present at the meeting were the President of Salahaddin University, Dr Ahmed Dizaye, two of his Vice Presidents (Prof. Ibrahim Hamarash, and Dr.Mohammed Rasheed Mokhtar), Deans of the Colleges of Law (Sherzad Sulaiman) and Administration and Economy (Dr. Wasfi Tahir) as well as Head of the University’s Strategic Research Center (Dr. Jutyar Adil) and a number of leading Faculty members. They collectively expressed their genuine interest in collaborating with MERI’s research staff in their relevant fields of expertise, and initiate joint projects.
MERI’s President, Professor Dlawer Ala’Aldeen, stressed the significant role of academic institutions and universities in providing vision and strategy through their policy and strategic research. He explained the possible forms of collaboration for joint-authorship publications as well as applying for international grants together with Salahaddin University. He then extended an invitation to the faculty members to attend MERI’s forthcoming events and spend their sabbatical time within the Institute.
MERI’s aim in collaborating with the academia is to expand its association with leading academics and the intellectual elite in Kurdistan Region, and engage them in research and policy-making initiatives. Together we are stronger.
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About MERI: The Middle East Research Institute is Iraq’s leading policy-research institute and think tank. It is an independent, entirely grant-funded not-for-profit organisation, based in Erbil, Kurdistan Region. Its mission is to contribute to the process of nation-building, state-building and democratisation via engagement, research, analysis and policy debates.
MERI’s main objectives include promoting and developing human rights, good governance, the rule of law and social and economic prosperity. MERI conduct high impact, high quality research (including purpose-based field work) and has published extensively in areas of: human rights, government reform, international politics, national security, ISIS, refugees, IDPs, minority rights (Christians, Yezidis, Turkmen, Shabaks, Sabi mandeans), Baghdad-Erbil relations, Hashd Al-Shabi, Peshmarga, violence against women, civil society. MERI engages policy- and decision-makers, the civil society and general public via publication, focused group discussions and conferences (MERI Forum).