Arab Graduate Students Conference 2026

The Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies is pleased to welcome applications for its Fifth Conference for Arab Graduate Students in Western Universities. Prospective participants now have until 1 September 2025 to submit applications.

The conference will be held from 11-13 April 2026, at the Arab Center premises in Doha, Qatar. 

This round will build on the success of the previous conferences, which established an unprecedented academic tradition in the Arab region. The conference provides Arab doctoral students and recent PhD graduates of the social sciences and humanities based at Western universities an open space to present papers based on their PhD theses and receive critical feedback. This conference will give the participants the chance to benefit from discussions with their peers and with established academics. Most importantly, the conference will give the participants an opportunity to better acquaint themselves with an Arab research agenda as well as to create collegial, professional networks within the Arab region.

Eligibility:

• Candidates must be either:
• A PhD candidate in the advanced stages of their dissertation and are enrolled in Western universities (based in Europe, North America or Oceania).
• A recent graduate (within 2 years) of a PhD programme at a Western university.
• All candidates must have a demonstrable connection to a member-state of the Arab League.

Eligible participants interested in applying should register on the Arab Center’s Researchers System and submit the following materials no later than 1 September 2025:

• Research Proposal (no more than 500 words in Arabic or English). Please register and submit research proposals through the Researchers System.
• An up-to-date CV.

• At least one academic reference. The referee should fill out the reference form and send it directly to arabdoctorate.conf@dohainstitute.edu.qa. Click here to access the reference form.

• Optional: a writing sample (a previous research paper or published article).

Applications can be submitted in English and Arabic.

The academic committee will review the application and notify the applicant of the outcomes. If the application is successful, prospective participants should send the following:

• Final drafts of their papers (6000 and 9000 words, including footnotes and references) no later than 15 February 2026.
• In addition to the draft paper, participants are required to submit an extended abstract (maximum of 1000 words) no later than 15 February 2026. The extended abstract will be pre-circulated among attendees, who will include fellow Arab graduate students and established academics and researchers from the Arab region.

Submitted drafts must follow ACRPS guidelines.

Fees:

• Registration is free.
• The Center will provide meals and accommodation in Doha for all participants throughout the duration of the conference.
• Participants whose applications are accepted for participation in the conference are welcome to apply for travel grants. Grants assisting in the cost of travel between a participant’s country of residence and Qatar will be awarded on a competitive basis at a later date.

For inquires related to the conference, please contact: arabdoctorate.conf@dohainstitute.edu.qa

To explore previous rounds of the Arab Graduate Students Conference, please click here.