The Board of Trustees of the Bahrain Center for Strategic, International, and Energy Studies (Derasat) held its third meeting of the year today, chaired by Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. The meeting was attended by board members Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al Asiri, Dr. Khalifa bin Ali Al Fadhel, Dr. Ahmed Hashem Al Yousha, Ms. Maha Abdulhameed Mufeez, and Dr. Hamad Ibrahim Al Abdullah, Executive Director, at the center’s headquarters in Awali.

During the meeting, the board discussed the following key topics on the agenda:

First: Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa noted that in the past months of 2024, Derasat hosted 647 researchers from 27 youth delegations from around the world, reflecting Derasat’s commitment to empowering youth. He highlighted the support from His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Crown Prince and Prime Minister His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, along with the outstanding efforts of His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa in promoting youth leadership and sustainability.

Second: The board reviewed the outcomes of recent workshops, which saw wide participation from national institutions. Notable workshops included: one on the importance of scientific research in supporting security decisions, another on the role of research in enhancing human resources, and a third on the use of participatory geographic information systems in climate and energy research.

Third: The board praised the positive impact of the “Intellectual Dialogues” series, which has strengthened the culture of knowledge exchange. These dialogues provide a unique platform for experts to dive deep into current issues and explore innovative ideas, including discussions on global digital transformation and a lecture on the future of genetics in the age of artificial intelligence.

Fourth: Dr. Shaikh Abdullah called for continued innovation and the development of practical proposals that offer maximum added value while adhering to international standards. He also highlighted Derasat’s new publications, such as reports on the role of industrial-academic cooperation in energy transition, the impact of artificial intelligence on security in the GCC, the strategic importance of smart cities with Bahrain as a model, challenges and opportunities for diversifying economic sectors in the Gulf, and the impact of economic integration on intra-Gulf trade.

Fifth: The board reviewed significant developments in the “Derasat” journal, including a focus on pressing issues and collaboration with researchers from Bahrain and abroad. These steps are part of efforts to meet the requirements for the journal’s inclusion in the global Scopus database.