I just knew that if I posted my travel plans, interesting items would surface. I just learned that the RAND Corporation, one of the biggest think tanks in the world with more than $175 million in annual revenue, has an operation in Doha, Qatar called the RAND-Qatar Policy Institute.
The Institute defines its roles and objectives as:
The Institute is a home for analysis of subjects key to the economic and social development and the stability of the region-education, health care, effective governance, labor markets and human resource development, demographics and population dynamics, information and communications technology, transportation, water resources, physical and institutional infrastructure, environmental protection, economic policy, and regional security, to name a few. The objective of this analysis is to provide public and private decisionmakers with practical information about the options they face and the consequences of pursuing alternative policies.
I have an open mind about these sorts of operations but would really like to know whether the Institute is offering useful policy counsel to any of the less-rich parts of the Middle East.
Has anyone seen research products or briefs from this Institute?
Interesting. I plan to visit.
— Steve Clemons
(ed. note: Thanks to LF for this information)
