The ASAD (American Saudi Arabian Dialogue) Education Center
The Western Studies Institute (WSI) is a non profit organization dedicated to improving mutual understanding between the United States and Saudi Arabia through dialogue and collaboration particularly in the area of law, religion, and economics/ business. In 2010 WSI approached Global Ecology principal, Dr. Sabine O’Hara, to assist the organization in identifying a University partner to advance its objectives.Dr. O’Hara facilitated a collaborative partnership agreement between WSI and the College of Professional Studies at The George Washington University in Washington DC. The partnership agreement established the ASAD Center at GW. The Center held its first successful programs in 2012 and has since established a range of collaborative and educational exchange efforts that will benefit professionals and students in the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.Most recently, the efforts of the ASAD Center were recognized by GW’s Innovation Task Force as one of nine programs university wide. The recognition was especially laudatory of the ASAD Center training program for judges.