The Persian Gulf region — which includes Iran, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq — contains an estimated 50 percent of the world's oil reserves and thus plays a strategic geopolitical role. RAND has a strong presence in and focus on the region, with offices in Abu Dhabi and Doha, focusing primarily on domestic and regional issues such as education and development and on assisting U.S. and allied military forces in the region.
COMMENTARY
As the administration looks eastward—a strategy that incorporates China's rise—underestimating al Qaeda would be a dangerous mistake, writes Seth G. Jones.
REPORT
In consideration of the many challenges associated with Qatar's continued growth and demographic changes, the government of Qatar is interested in updating its school transportation system (STS). This volume assesses parents' and school administrators' perspectives on Qatar's STS, identifies a vision and goals for the STS, and discusses strategies to achieve the vision and better align Qatar's STS with international norms. This is the…
REPORT
Considering the challenges associated with continued growth and demographic changes, the government of Qatar is interested in updating its school transportation system (STS). This volume assesses the perspectives of parents and school administrators, identifies a vision for the STS, and discusses strategies to achieve it.
RESEARCH BRIEF
Describes a vision for updating Qatar's school transportation system and identifies strategies for achieving the proposed vision.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
The authors adopt a cross-country perspective to assess Qatar's performance in the various components of the knowledge economy using multiple indicators.
REPORT
This publication describes the work, organization, and capabilities of the RAND Corporation in the Middle East.
REPORT
A collaboration between the RAND Corporation and the Qatar Foundation, the RAND-Qatar Policy Institute (RQPI) analyzes complex policy problems and helps policymakers create enduring solutions. This publication provides an overview of RQPI, including the research questions examined by the institute, its approach to client relations and quality assurance, its research capabilities, and the public policy areas on which RQPI is focused.
COMMENTARY
The Arab Spring demonstrated that leaderless revolutions are difficult to repress or co-opt. Unfortunately, it is also true that leaderless revolts find it difficult to make transition to authority, writes Charles Ries.
REPORT
A collaboration between the RAND Corporation and the Qatar Foundation, the RAND-Qatar Policy Institute (RQPI) analyzes complex policy problems and helps policymakers create enduring solutions. This publication provides an overview of RQPI, including the research questions examined by the institute, its approach to client relations and quality assurance, its research capabilities, and the public policy areas on which RQPI is focused.
REPORT
The June 2011 conference titled "Gulf Security in a Region of Dramatic Change: Mutual Equities and Enduring Partnerships" included discussion of the Arab Spring, the prospects for and implications of a more-unified Gulf Cooperation Council, how Gulf militaries and their relationships with the United States may be affected by political changes, how present-day events may influence or alter the threat posed by Iran, and how CENTCOM may be…
REPORT
This publication describes the work, organization, and capabilities of the RAND Corporation in the Middle East.
COMMENTARY
Though Awlaki will be difficult to replace—since he effectively coupled both propaganda and operations—al-Qaeda will continue to plan attacks overseas against Western targets, writes Seth Jones.
REPORT
The Qatar Foundation is establishing a national research institute to conduct and collaborate on applied research in energy, environment, and water issues, the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute. This book recommends research priorities for the new institution and reports on a survey of relevant research institutions in the region.
NEWS RELEASE
RAND senior researcher Obaid Younossi has been named the new director of the RAND-Qatar Policy Institute. "Obaid's long career in public policy research and analysis and his experiences in the region make him the perfect candidate to help the Institute continue to grow and expand its work in Qatar and elsewhere in the region," said RAND President and CEO James A. Thomson.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
In 2002, Qatar began implementing a standards-based K–12 reform that established new publicly-funded, privately-operated 'Independent schools.' The reform built on four principles: autonomy, accountability, variety, and choice. Early data reveal more student-centered classroom practices and higher student achievement in the new schools. But as all Ministry schools convert to independent status, many challenges remain to achieving the…
COMMENTARY
The countries in a possible "second wave" of Arab revolutions have dim prospects for consolidated democracies. Other than tribes, Libya essentially has no civil society, and it has a long-isolated educated class. Yemen has civil society organizations but fewer well-educated individuals, writes Julie Taylor.
COMMENTARY
Only by addressing the poverty and lack of central authority in Somalia can the international community lower maritime crime and violence off the Horn of Africa, writes Peter Chalk.
COMMENTARY
The only route out of the current impasse may be a fully functioning and pluralistic parliament like the one that enabled Bahrain's golden days, writes Frederic Wehrey.
NEWS RELEASE
The RAND Corporation has opened a new office in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, as part of a strategic effort to deliver research and analysis to decisionmakers in the Middle East, RAND President and CEO James A. Thomson announced today.
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