Qatar Foundation and RAND Corporation to Conclude RQPI Agreement

The RAND Qatar Policy Institute was founded in Doha a decade ago to conduct critical research

Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development and RAND Corporation will complete a decade-long agreement that resulted in the establishment of the RAND Qatar Policy Institute (RQPI) in Doha.

Qatar Foundation and RAND signed the agreement in 2003 with the aim of studying the most pivotal issues facing the region by harnessing the skills of hundreds of research experts. The agreement between RAND and Qatar Foundation included the support of RQPI's full-time workforce of both expatriate and Qatari research associates, who worked side-by-side in Doha.

“Qatar Foundation remains committed to building upon its academic and research excellence by forging partnerships that allow it to assist in the nation's journey towards a knowledge economy,” said Engineer Saad Al Muhannadi, President of Qatar Foundation. “We would like to thank RAND for their work over the last decade.”

“RQPI has been a unique collaboration with a dual focus on performing policy analysis and building the policy research capacity of talented Qataris,” said Michael Rich, President and CEO of RAND Corporation. “RAND's work has helped the leadership of Qatar make numerous, major changes in the way that it plans, organises and delivers social services. We hope that through our current and future projects in Qatar we can continue to have a positive impact.”

RAND, a non-profit, nonpartisan research organisation, continues to provide analytical support to policymakers across the Middle East, including the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, among others.

Qatar Foundation is a private, non-profit organisation that serves the people of Qatar by supporting and operating programmes in education, science and research and community development.