Dean Jamal Represents Princeton SPIA at Europe Forums

Dean Amaney Jamal represented the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs on the global stage earlier this month, participating in public policy conversations at the Munich Security Conference in Germany and at a gathering of higher education leaders in Spain.

The trip served as an opportunity to advance Princeton SPIA research, create opportunities for students, and strengthen connections between academia and policymakers. The Munich Security Conference is the largest global gathering on international security policy, drawing hundreds of top leaders from around the world.

“It’s important for policymakers to see that we, as deans of policy schools, are here to listen and to engage, to fortify our networks, to showcase our students, and to invite those policymakers to our schools,” Jamal said. “It shows that we are partaking in the most pressing issues in the world today.”

In Munich, Jamal represented the Arab Barometer at a briefing focused on challenges in the Middle East. The Arab Barometer, which Jamal helps lead, is a nonpartisan research network that serves as a central resource for quantitative research on public opinion in the Middle East. 

Last year, the Middle East Consultation Group (MECG) — an entity within the Munich Security Conference consisting of leaders from across the Middle East, including Israel and Palestine — commissioned a survey by the Arab Barometer to get a sense of public opinion on major security challenges in the region. It found that 45 percent of Israelis and a majority of Palestinians favor a two-state solution.

“I think it’s important to listen to the people, and I think this is a very encouraging sign,” MECG Chair Helga Maria Schmid said at the briefing. “The current moment offers a rare opportunity for positive change.”

Jamal said the Arab Barometer has always aimed to provide data that can inform better policy decisions. Thus, it was a significant achievement for the MECG to rely on Arab Barometer data as it conducted high-level meetings throughout the year and formulated its policy recommendations to the larger conference.

“To be in this space reminds you that behind all these policies are human faces, and they’re trying to weigh different perspectives,” Jamal said of the Munich gathering. “For me to see the human side of policy reinforces my commitments to the importance of constant dialogue and engagement, ensuring that we as a School are having the hard conversations and bringing the right people here to facilitate them.”

During her Europe visit, Jamal also joined other deans and university leaders at the Spanish Governance Forum, where they exchanged policy ideas around social welfare, climate change, global cooperation, and the strengthening of democratic institutions. Jamal met many of Spain’s top leaders, including the president, vice president, foreign minister, and king, sharing with them the various ways they can engage with Princeton SPIA — including hosting interns and speaking on campus.

“We want to remind them that we are training the next generation of policymakers, and we have all these faculty experts,” she said. “When we can provide that expertise, it brings the academic side of our work in touch with real-world issues.”

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Photo by House of H.M. the King

Dean Amaney Jamal with King Felipe VI of Spain, higher education leaders, and Spanish government officials at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid.