Dubai's Fiker Institute announces University of Oxford research partnership

Agreement will allow institutions to study diplomacy and governance in region

Fiker Institute founder Dubai Abulhoul, left, and Global Security Programme director Dr Annette Idler sign the agreement. Photo: Fiker Institute

The Fiker Institute in Dubai is teaming up with the Global Security Programme at the University of Oxford to research global governance and international security issues.

The partnership was signed at the Dubai-based think tank this week.

It will bring together “two institutions at the forefront of rigorous research and innovative policy dialogue, creating a shared platform for collaboration on some of the most pressing challenges facing the international community”, a joint statement said.

“This collaboration with the University of Oxford’s Global Security Programme reflects our shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of research and policy analysis on global governance reform and security, across multiple streams,” said Fiker founder Dubai Abulhoul.

“At a time of shifting geopolitical realities, we see it as vital to elevate voices from across the Global South and to forge innovative approaches that respond to the realities of today’s world.”

The agreement will enable both bodies to study diplomacy and governance in the Gulf region, said GSP director Dr Annette Idler.

“We are delighted to partner with Fiker Institute, whose work is transforming contextual discourse on diplomacy and governance in the Gulf and beyond,” Dr Idler said.

“This collaboration offers an invaluable opportunity to link rigorous scholarship with the unique policy perspectives emerging from the region, ensuring that global debates benefit from greater inclusivity and relevance.”