Louay Constant

Louay Constant
Adjunct Policy Researcher; Professor of Policy Analysis, Pardee RAND Graduate School
Off Site Office

Education

Ph.D. in public policy and administration, University of Kentucky; M.S. in agricultural economics, University of Kentucky; B.A. in economics, University of Notre Dame

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.

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Overview

Louay Constant is a senior policy researcher at the RAND Corporation and a professor of policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. He has worked on a range of social policy issues including K–12 education reform, postsecondary education and training, labor markets, workforce development, and organizational restructuring and design. His main research focus area has been on young people's school-to-work transition, the experiences of soon-to-be graduates or recent graduates in seeking education and employment, and the challenges young people, including marginalized groups, face in making that transition. His main interest is in research on mechanisms to address human capital deficits and improve the alignment between labor market supply and demand. He has conducted policy research globally and has led or participated in research projects in the United States, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and Mongolia developing strategies to increase access and improve quality of general and vocational education, examining factors affecting the alignment of labor market supply and demand, and assessing the experiences of youth in education and employment. He employs mixed methods in his analysis, and has conducted household, school-based, and employer surveys, analyzed administrative data, and carried out interviews and focus groups for qualitative research. Constant earned his Ph.D. in public policy and administration from the University of Kentucky.

Research Focus

Recent Projects

  • Assessing Post-Conflict Refugee Returns
  • National Guard Youth ChalleNGe: Metrics for Measuring Program Outcomes
  • Examining the Mongolian Labor Market and Identifying Constraints to its Performance
  • Improving Technical Vocational Education and Training in the Kurdistan Region – Iraq
  • Improving the Private Sector Labor Market in the Kurdistan Region – Iraq

Selected Publications

Constant, Louay, Shelly Culbertson, Jonathan S. Blake, Mary Kate Adgie, and Hardika Dayalani, In Search of a Durable Solution: Examining the Factors Influencing Postconflict Refugee Returns, RAND Corporation (RR-A1327-1), 2021

Constant, Louay, Jennie W. Wenger, Linda Cottrell, Wing Yi Chan, and Kathryn A. Edwards, National Guard Youth ChalleNGe: Program Progress in 2017–2018, RAND Corporation (RR-2907-OSD), 2019

Kumar, Krishna B., Shelly Culbertson, Louay Constant, Shanthi Nataraj, Fatih Unlu, Kathryn E. Bouskill, Joy S. Moini, Katherine Costello, Gursel Rafig oglu Aliyev, and Fadia Afashe, Opportunities for All: Mutually Beneficial Opportunities for Syrians and Host Countries in Middle Eastern Labor Markets, RAND Corporation (RR-2653-QFFD), 2018

Shatz, Howard J., Louay Constant, Francisco Perez-Arce, Eric Robinson, Robin L. Beckman, Haijing Crystal Huang, Peter Glick, and Bonnie Ghosh-Dastidar, Improving the Mongolian Labor Market and Enhancing Opportunities for Youth, RAND Corporation (RR-1092-ILS), 2015

Constant, Louay, Shelly Culbertson, Cathy Stasz, and Georges Vernez, Improving Technical Vocational Education and Training in the Kurdistan Region — Iraq, RAND Corporation (RR-277-KRG), 2014

Hansen, Michael L., Howard J. Shatz, Louay Constant, Alexandria Smith, Krishna B. Kumar, Heather Krull, and Artur Usanov, Strategies for Private-Sector Development and Civil-Service Reform in the Kurdistan Region — Iraq, RAND Corporation (MG-1117-1-KRG), 2014

Brown, Ryan Andrew, Louay Constant, Peter Glick, and Audra K. Grant, Youth in Jordan: Transitions from Education to Employment, RAND Corporation (RR-556-CMEPP), 2014

Constant, Louay, Robert Bozick, Nicholas Broten, and Joy S. Moini, Examining Career and Technical Education in National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Programs, RAND Corporation (RR-A271-4), 2021

Honors & Awards

  • Gold Merit Bonus Award (shared), RAND

Languages

Arabic

Commentary

  • Afghan refugees board buses that will take them to a processing center after arriving at Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia, September 2, 2021, photo by Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters
    Refugees

    With the Evacuation Over, Afghanistan Is Left to Contend with a Worsening Refugee Crisis

    The more than 100,000 civilians recently evacuated from Afghanistan are a small fraction of those who have lost their homes and livelihoods due to war. To avoid worsening the existing humanitarian crisis, the global community should take swift action, including close coordination with regional and national players.

    Sep 7, 2021

    The National Interest

  • A Venezuelan refugee with his daughter on his shoulders asks for help at a traffic light in Medellin, Colombia, February 11, 2019, photo by David Himbert/Hans Lucas via Reuters Connect
    Refugees

    Colombia's Trailblazing Model for Refugees

    Colombia recently announced it will give temporary protection status to a million undocumented Venezuelan refugees, with permission to live and work in the country for 10 years. In doing so, it created a new model for managing its own refugee situation and perhaps others elsewhere.

    Mar 26, 2021

    Newsweek

  • People walk near India Gate on a smoggy afternoon in New Delhi, India, November 15, 2020, photo by Adnan Abidi/Reuters
    Global Climate Change

    Curb Climate Change After COVID-19? Fast-Growing India and Brazil Are Key

    India and Brazil are facing pressure to launch recoveries after the economic devastation caused by the pandemic. Will they backslide on their Paris climate agreement commitments, or will the expected return of the United States to the pact encourage them to build a more sustainable economic future?

    Dec 15, 2020

    United Press International

  • Syrian refugees living in Jordan work under Jasmine, a project which hires and trains Syrian refugee women to create handicrafts, in Amman, Jordan, July 11, 2016, photo by Muhammad Hamed/Reuters
    Refugees

    Five Strategies to Address Employment Hurdles Faced by Young Syrian Women Refugees

    Young Syrian women refugees face enormous challenges in finding meaningful work in host countries, with many relying on humanitarian aid to meet their basic needs. How can employment obstacles be addressed for young Syrian women refugees in a post–COVID-19 environment?

    Oct 30, 2020

    The World Bank Jobs and Development Blog

  • The port of Beirut and its construction cranes, destroyed by an explosion of ammonium nitrate on August 4, 2020, photo by Karine Pierre/Hans Lucas Pictures/Reuters
    Lebanon

    Addressing Lebanon's Ailments, Acute and Chronic

    The recent explosion in Beirut has again led to calls for political and economic reforms in Lebanon. The country has an economy in crisis, corruption, few job opportunities, and an influx of 1.5 million Syrian refugees. Sustained global investment is needed if Lebanon is to recover over the long run.

    Sep 1, 2020

    RealClearWorld

  • Women work on a production line at a mobile phone factory in Assuit, Egypt, September 30, 2018, photo by Mohamed Abd El Ghany/Reuters
    Gender Equity in the Workplace

    Economic Recovery in Egypt Should Include Women

    Despite tremendous strides in educational attainment, women's engagement in the labor force in Egypt remains limited. Will Egypt's post-pandemic recovery further exacerbate structural barriers and inequities? Or could the current economic crisis be an opportunity to develop new opportunities to employ women and foster conditions for a more inclusive and diversified labor force?

    May 11, 2020

    United Press International

  • A Syrian refugee man works at a bakery in Gaziantep, Turkey, May 16, 2016, photo by Umit Bektas/Reuters
    Refugees

    Economic Burden or Opportunity? How Syrian Refugees Can Contribute to Local Economies

    The influx of refugees escaping the war in Syria has placed an enormous economic burden on the countries that host them. Despite the challenges, host countries have an opportunity to capitalize on the presence of refugees to grow their own economies for the mutual benefit of all.

    Mar 25, 2019

    The SASA Post

  • Um Akram, a Syrian refugee, creates soap under Jasmine, a project which hires and trains Syrian refugee women to create handicrafts, in Amman, Jordan, July 11, 2016
    Refugees

    As Refugees, Syrian Women Find Liberation in Working

    Syrian refugee women in Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan want opportunities to work. But there are multiple barriers and challenges that limit them. Improving the chances of safe and dignified work opportunities for Syrian women in these countries could yield broad positive social benefits for both the refugee and host communities.

    Feb 19, 2019

    United Press International

  • Workers in a textile factory in Turkey
    Refugees

    Syrian Skills: A Missed Opportunity

    Syrian refugees in Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon are finding ways to get by. But many refugees are not able to fully use their skills, and that is a lost opportunity both for the Syrians and the host countries.

    Feb 14, 2019

    RealClearWorld

  • Graduates wearing caps and gowns
    College-Bound Students

    Making the 'Gap Year' More Inclusive and Purposeful

    High schools and universities should work together, with the support of policymakers, to develop programs that would provide a wider spectrum of U.S. students with the opportunity to take a purposeful gap year—and enter college with some real-world adult experience behind them.

    May 19, 2016

    The RAND Blog

  • Syrian refugee children who crossed into Jordanian territory with their families, January 14, 2016
    Refugees

    Battered by War, Syrian Refugee Kids Need to Be Taught

    More than 700,000 Syrian refugee children are not receiving formal education. Host countries are struggling to create enough spaces to accommodate them in schools, and there are no formal programs to teach children who have missed years of instruction.

    Jan 15, 2016

    Newsweek

  • Two Indian college students outdoors
    Vocational Education

    Building a Sound Technical and Vocational Education and Training System

    Technical and vocational education and training in India has expanded significantly over the past two decades. But quality and relevance remain significant issues. What may be learned from other countries' experiences?

    Dec 31, 2014

    EduTech Magazine

Publications