The UC Davis Arab Region (UCDAR) Consortium is a partnership between UC Davis and five international universities in the Arab region: American University of Beirut, the American University in Cairo, the American University of Sharjah, Birzeit University, and Lebanese American University. The Consortium was founded in 2001 and is chaired by Dr. Suad Joseph, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology and Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies, at UC Davis. In March 2007 the Presidents, Chancellors, and Provosts of the partner universities signed an agreement to formalize the UCDAR Consortium at a meeting in Cairo. The agreement was renewed in 2012 for two years and again in 2014 for five years. In 2015, the American University of Sharjah joined as the sixth member of the Consortium and the Consortium agreement was updated and extended to 2020.
The vision of UCDAR is to excite the imagination of scholars for collaborative research and training among UC Davis and in the five Arab region universities. It provides the organizational foundation to establish impactful projects benefiting both scholarship and pressing issues both in the Arab region and in California. UCDAR does this by connecting UC Davis scholars with field sites, research opportunities and training partnerships in Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, and United Arab Emirates and connecting scholars in the five partner universities with UC Davis scholars for collaborative, interdisciplinary research.
UCDAR has provided numerous opportunities for faculty across UC Davis to engage with the region through various project initiatives. More than 80 UC Davis faculty members have been involved in the last three years.
The Consortium has initiated interdisciplinary collaborative research, faculty and student exchanges, teaching, and university activities across all disciplines. Current projects include: Mapping Knowledge Production of Women & Gender in the Arab region; Gendering STEM Education; Water-Energy-Food Nexus; and the Sustainability Research and Training Program (SRTP)
The UCDAR Consortium was previously called the BCBCB Consortium, an acronym derived from the first letters of the locations of the first five university partners (Beirut, Cairo, Beirut, California, Birzeit). In April, 2017 the name was changed to reflect the identity and value of this collaboration. "Dar" means house in Arabic. The new name reflects the Consortium members coming together under a shared roof.
At UC Davis, UCDAR is housed within Global Affairs.
Chancellors, Presidents and Steering Committee members at a UCDAR Steering Committee meeting in Dubai in October of 2015.
Back row from left to right: Khaled Assaleh, Fuad Hashwa, Joanna Rogulska, Chancellor Bjorn Kjerfve, Suad Joseph, Chancellor Linda Katehi, Henry Jaqaman, Provost Sherif Sedky, Faris Saeed, Nawar Golley, Hala Muhtasib, Mr. Saeed. Front row from left to right: Tim Rogmans, President Joseph Jabbra, Bryan Jenkins, Wassim Adlouni, President Abdul Latif Abu Hijleh, Dave Lawlor, Ehab Abdel-Rahman, Emile Samarah, Phil Dunn.