Abu Dhabi and Gallup, the world's leading public opinion research firm, have announced a partnership to create an independent centre for social research and analysis in Abu Dhabi.

Building on Gallup's seminal work in the field of Muslim studies, the Abu Dhabi
Gallup Center (ADGC) will offer unmatched research on the attitudes and aspirations
of Muslims around the world.

In addition to its worldwide scope, the ADGC will invest in the specific priorities of its regional base and present innovative analysis and insights on the most important societal challenges facing the UAE and the GCC.

The executive director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies (GCMS), Dalia Mogahed, will head this new initiative as ADGC director in Abu Dhabi. Mogahed co-authored the groundbreaking book 'Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think' with John Esposito.

Additionally, several Gallup analysts will relocate to Abu Dhabi to build the new
institution, while the GCMS will continue to operate in Washington, DC.

'Our vision is for the Abu Dhabi Gallup Center to be a major source for cutting-edge research and foresight on the most important challenges facing Muslim societies today,' said Mogahed.

The ADGC will open in the fall of 2010 and serve as a resource-rich hub for policy makers, thought leaders, and global media. In addition to its groundbreaking research studies, the ADGC will offer briefings, workshops, and seminars around the
region and the globe based on the centre's in-depth research.-TradeArabia News Service