10:00-10:15 AM

 Welcoming Remarks

The Emirates Center for Strategic Studies & Research (ECSSR)

Keynote Address:

10:40-11:15 AM

Break

Panel I

Political Developments in the Arab World

11:15-11:35 AM

New and Future Leadership: Implications for Change

The Honorable William Cohen

Former Secretary of Defense

USA

11:35-12:00 Noon

Open Discussion

12:00-12:15 PM

Break

Panel II

The Nature of Reform in Contemporary Arab Politics

12:15-12:35 PM

The Problem of Reform in the Arab World

Dr. Bourhan Ghalioun

Director, Center for Contemporary Oriental Studies

Sorbonne University

Paris, France

12:35-12:55 PM

Arab Political Reform and the Middle East Peace Process

Dr. Clovis Maksoud

Director of the Center for the Global South

American University

Washington DC, USA

12:55-1:15 PM

Modernity and Political Transformation: The Turkish Experience

Professor Metin Heper

Professor, Department of Political Science

Bilkent University

Ankara

Republic of Turkey

01:15-01:45 PM

Open Discussion

01:45 PM

End of First Day Proceedings

H. E. Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al-Attiyah

Secretary General

Gulf Cooperation Council

Panel III

The Role of Organizations and Institutions in Arab Politics

09:50-10:10 AM

Protecting Sovereignty in an Age of Regionalism

Dr. Amitav Acharya

Deputy Director and Head of Research

Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies

Nanyang Technological University

Republic of Singapore

10:10-10:30 AM

The Role of Non-State Actors in Promoting Change

Dr. Marina Ottaway

Senior Associate

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Washington DC

USA

10:30-10:50 AM

Encouraging the Independence of State Institutions

Dr. Gary Hart

Former US Presidential Candidate

Co-Chair of US Commission on National Security for 21st Century

Former Senator for Colorado

USA

10:50-11:20 AM

Open Discussion

11:20-11:35 AM

Break

Panel IV

Democracy in the Arab World

11:35-11:55 AM

Iraq as an Example of the “Spread of Democracy” through the Arab World

Dr. Adnan Pachachi

Former Iraqi Representative at the United Nations

Former President of the Iraqi Governing Council

Republic of Iraq

11:55-12:15 PM

The Role of External Pressure in Encouraging Home-Grown Reform

H. E. Yasser Abed Rabbo

Former Minister of Culture and Information

Palestinian National Authority

12:15-12:45 PM

Open Discussion

12:45-01:00 PM

Break

Panel V

The Impact of Terrorism on Arab Societies

01:00-01:20 PM

The Impact of Terrorist Acts in Arab Countries

on Opportunities of Realizing Change

Dr. Amr Hamzawy

Senior Associate

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Washington DC

USA

01:20-01:40 PM

Counter-Terrorism and Terrorism Prevention: Addressing the Causes of Growing Terrorism in Arab Countries

Dr. Mohammed Bin Ali Kouman

Secretary General of the Arab Interior Ministers Council

Tunisia

01:40-02:05 PM

Open Discussion

2:05 PM

End of Second Day Proceedings

09:30-09:50 AM

Keynote Address: The Importance of Education

in Regional Development

H. H. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan

Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research

UAE

Panel VI

Education as a Basis for Change in the Arab World

09:50-10:10 AM

The Position of Education as a Catalyst for Social Change

Dr. Faisal Al-Rufouh

Deputy Dean of Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Jordan

Former Minister of Culture

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

10:10-10:30 AM

Losing Talent to Other Countries: Halting the Arab “Brain-Drain”

Dr. Ibrahim Guider

Director General of the Arab Labor Organization

Arab Republic of Egypt

10:30-10:50 AM

Broadening the Scope of Education in the Arab World:

Addressing the Needs of the Job Market

Dr. Rafia Obaid Ghubash

President, Arabian Gulf University

Kingdom of Bahrain

10:50-11:15 AM

Open Discussion

11:15-11:30 AM

Break

Panel VII

Population and Society

11:30-11:50 AM

The Role of Women in Arab Economic and Political Development

Dr. Massouma Al-Mubarak

Minister of Planning & Minister of State for Administrative Development Affairs

State of Kuwait

11:50-12:10 PM

Demographic (Im)balance in the GCC: The Year 2050

Dr. Mutar Ahmed Abdullah Juma

Program Specialist

United Nations Development Program (UNDP)

UAE

12:10-12:35 PM

Open Discussion

12:35-12:50 PM

Break

Discussion Panel

12:50-1:30 PM

Concluding Remarks: Assessing Change and Development

in the Arab World

*         Dr. Massouma Al-Mubarak

*         Dr. Clovis Maksoud

*         Dr. Adnan Pachachi

*         Dr. Ibrahim Guider

*         Dr. Ahmed Jameel

01:30-02:00 PM

Open Discussion

02:00 PM

End of Conference Proceedings