Public Policy in Gulf States: In Times of Fast Paced and Complex Challenges

Dr. Tamer Qarmout is an Associate Professor of Public Policy and the former Program Head of the Public Administration Graduate Programs at the School of Economics, Administration, and Public Policy (SEAPP), Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, Qatar. Prior to his academic career, Dr. Qarmout held several management positions with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), where he gained extensive experience in program management, institutional development, and post-conflict recovery. His research interests include public policy analysis and formulation, sustainable international development, public-private partnerships, foreign aid, and conflict resolution. He has worked with a wide range of stakeholders to design and implement large-scale initiatives aimed at strengthening governance and institutional capacities in both the public and nonprofit sectors, particularly in fragile and post-conflict settings. Dr. Qarmout currently serves on the Programme and Research Advisory Committee (PRAC) of the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS) based in Belgium, where he also chairs the permanent working group on ＂Public Administration in Conflict-Affected and Fragile Situations.＂ He is a member of the Middle East and North Africa Public Administration Research (MENAPAR) network and contributes to regional and international policy forums hosted by institutions such as the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA), and the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies. He is also a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Global Public Policy and Governance (GPPG), Fudan University, China.

Dr. Esmat Zaidan is an Associate Professor at the College of Public Policy at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), where she also serves as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Vice Chair of the HBKU Faculty Senate. With over 22 years of experience spanning academia and international development organizations--including the World Bank, UNDP, and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD)-- Dr. Zaidan brings a strategic lens to sustainable development, public administration, institutional reforms, as well as reconstruction and economic development policies. She currently serves on the Executive Committee of the International Public Policy Association (IPPA) and as Vice Chair of the Association of Middle Eastern Public Policy and Administration (AMEPPA). She is also a member of the Global Advisory Board for the ＂Jobs in the Circular Economy＂ initiative led by the Circle Economy Foundation, the World Bank, and the International Labour Organization (ILO). Dr. Zaidan’s research focuses on sustainable development strategies, urban resilience, climate adaptation, smart cities, and the dynamic interplay between human systems, built environments, and technological transformation. Her work is grounded in systems thinking and explores policy innovations for building resilient, inclusive, and net-zero urban futures. She is a strong advocate for the role of public policy in advancing people-centric and environmentally responsible development pathways across the Global South and beyond. She is ranked among the world’s top 2% of scientists by Elsevier and Stanford University.

Dr. Paul Joyce is an Associate in the Department of Public Administration and Policy, School of Government, University of Birmingham, Visiting Professor in Public Management at Leeds Beckett University, and Publications Director of the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS) which is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. He has a Ph.D. from London School of Economics and Political Science. Paul’s field of research is public management. He is currently researching and writing about strategic management as a tool of public governance and public policy in Europe and elsewhere in the world and about strategic management and strategic leadership in the public sector. He is the editor of the Governance and Public Management Series published by Palgrave Macmillan.