Under the patronage of HE Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, President of Zayed University, Dr. Sulaiman Al Jassim, Vice-President of Zayed University, inaugurated the first Professional Institutional Research conference, organized and hosted by ZU in collaboration with the Middle East and North Africa Association for Institutional Research (MENA-AIR) at a ceremony organized at the Convention Center at the University campus in Dubai.

The 2 day conference hosted a number of speakers and international experts with the participation of several Arab and international universities, and addressed the growing role of institutional research and ways of providing support for professional development through the use of best practices and practical applications.

Dr. Sulaiman Al Jassim said that this conference supported the concepts of institutional research to assist decision-makers to establish appropriate modern strategies for the advancement of institutions and enhance their role in achieving  good  quality,  and employing  the potential and resources required of technical and human institutions , pointing out that ZU is seeking to establish such scientific initiatives in cooperation with universities and local and international organizations to promote scientific research, predominantly of concern to the society and its institutions and bodies, and to work towards developing professional performance in all fields, which embodies the role of ZU as a professional and knowledge center providing services to  the society and its surroundings.

In this regard, Ms. Elizabeth C. Stanley, Assistant Provost, Zayed University, Dubai (Chair)  said that MENA-AIR is the first professional research organization working in the Middle East and North Africa which aims to assist individuals in the institutional research profession  in their  pursuit to learn and share the best practices in the workplace opportunities by providing support for the professional development of its members and improve and  disseminate research in universities and professional institutions of higher education and achieve professional quality through conferences, meetings and exchange of expertise and practical experiences, adding that the Planning Committee involves delegates from the UAE University, Zayed  University , the Higher Colleges of Technology ,  the Knowledge & Human Development  Authority, the American University of Dubai (AUD) and the American University of Sharjah (AUS), the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research (KUSTAR).