Middle East Institute - NUS

Name

Middle East Institute - NUS

Legal name

The National University of Singapore

Website

https://mei.nus.edu.sg

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Singapore

HQ country

Singapore

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional Funding: MEI operates as part of the National University of Singapore, suggesting institutional funding from the university and potentially government research grants.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Middle East Institute (MEI) at NUS is an academic research institute that conducts policy research and analysis on the Middle East and its intersection with Asia, particularly Singapore and Southeast Asia. It publishes research papers, analytical commentary, and books, and convenes conferences, virtual event series, and educational programs to disseminate expert perspectives on regional geopolitics, energy security, and diplomacy. All publications and event content are made freely available to the public through its website and digital channels.

Product overview

The Middle East Institute at NUS is a research institute focused on political economy and the diffusion of ideas in the Middle East. Its offerings include multiple publication series (Insights, MEI Perspectives, Think-In, Books, Annual Reports), event programming (Bridging the Gulf Series, MEI Salon Series, ME 101, Annual Conferences), and multimedia content (Stream+ podcasts and videos). The institute operates as a unified platform combining research publications, public events, and media content to provide analysis on Middle East geopolitics, economics, heritage, and regional cooperation. Call for Papers initiatives invite external scholars to contribute to themed Insights series on topics like climate security and diversification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bridging the Gulf Series: Event series focusing on Gulf region affairs and cultural topics
• MEI Salon Series
• ME 101
• Stream+
• Think-In

Products and services

• Insights Short-form research publication series providing evidence-based perspectives on Middle East and Southeast Asia affairs, including geopolitics, climate security, and regional developments, aimed at policymakers, academics, and the informed public.
• MEI Perspectives Long-form analytical articles and commentaries on current Middle East developments, written by MEI researchers and external experts for an audience of scholars, policymakers, and informed readers.
• Think-In (Weekly Digest) Recurring weekly commentary and curated digest series including Heard @ The Souq, Kaleidoscope, and Weekly Digest, providing regular analysis of Middle East regional developments.
• Bridging the Gulf Series Ongoing virtual event series exploring Gulf region topics including politics, economics, heritage, culture, and regional cooperation, featuring expert speakers from regional institutions.
• MEI Salon Series Cultural and intellectual event series featuring discussions on Gulf heritage, traditions, and societal topics including falconry, architecture, and historical sites.
• ME 101 Educational introductory events designed to help audiences understand fundamental aspects of Middle Eastern politics, economics, and society.
• MEI Annual Conference Annual flagship conference bringing together scholars, policymakers, and experts to discuss Middle East developments and regional dynamics.
• Stream+ Podcasts Podcast and video streaming platform featuring MEI podcasts including shows and episodes on Middle East affairs, alongside video recordings of events and conferences.
• Books MEI published and reviewed books covering Middle East geopolitics, regional studies, and policy analysis.
• Annual Reports Annual institutional reports documenting MEI activities, research outputs, and strategic direction, including the Winds of Change report covering 2020-2021.
• Call for Papers Periodic invitations for academic submissions on specific Middle East and Asia themes, including climate security, India-Middle East relations, Israel-Asia ties, and Qatar diversification studies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Published 318+ Insights papers and numerous Perspectives on topics including US-Iran nuclear talks, climate-security links, Gulf diversification, and Israel-Asia relations

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Derasat (Bahrain Center for Strategic, International and Energy Studies)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 July 2021Derasat speakers participated in MEI's Bridging the Gulf series Session 9 on Bahrain's political and economic transformations. This represents a formal institutional collaboration between two regional think tanks.
• Qatar Embassy in SingaporeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on events including the Al Zubarah virtual tour featuring Qatar Museums speakers. Qatar Embassy in Singapore co-hosted cultural segments of the Bridging the Gulf series.
• UAE Embassy in SingaporeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with MEI on cultural heritage events including the falconry tradition session. The UAE Embassy in Singapore co-hosted cultural segments featuring heritage experts.
• Al Sharq Strategic ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced as a source for imagery and research collaboration in MEI Insights series call for papers on India-Middle East relations.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Broad incumbents

• Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs): London-based world-leading international affairs think tank covering the Middle East, Asia, and global governance. Comparable in offering publications, expert analysis, and convening, but with much broader geographic and thematic remit than MEI-NUS's Middle East-Asia focus.
• Atlantic Council: U.S.-based international affairs think tank with significant programs on the Middle East and Asia, including energy security and Gulf engagement. Comparable in policy research and convening, with broader thematic scope than MEI-NUS.
• Brookings Institution: U.S.-based premier policy research organization with substantial Middle East and Asia programs. Comparable in producing high-quality policy analysis and convening events, though operating at far larger scale across many policy domains beyond MEI-NUS's regional focus.

Direct peers

• Carnegie Middle East Center: Beirut-based arm of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace conducting in-depth policy research on the Middle East. Highly comparable to MEI-NUS in producing long-form policy analysis, expert commentary, and convening programming on regional geopolitics.
• ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute: Singapore-based research institute focused on Southeast Asia and its external relations, with comparable mission of producing policy analysis, convening experts, and engaging government stakeholders. Closest Singapore-based peer with overlapping mandate on regional geopolitics.
• S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS): Nanyang Technological University's graduate school for international affairs and security studies, producing policy papers, commentaries, and convening events on regional security. Directly comparable Singapore think tank with similar Asia-focused geopolitical research.
• International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS): London-based world-leading authority on political-military and security research, with comparable publications (Strategic Survey, Military Balance), conferences (Shangri-La Dialogue), and policy convening across geographies including the Middle East and Asia.
• Middle East Institute (Washington, D.C.): U.S.-based think tank focused on Middle East policy, economics, and security, with a similar mandate to deliver policy research, expert analysis, and convening on regional developments. Shares MEI-NUS's core mission of bridging academic analysis with policy audiences.
• Middle East Council on Global Affairs: Doha-based policy research institute (formerly Brookings Doha Center) producing independent analysis on Middle East politics, economics, and security. Directly comparable to MEI-NUS as a regional think tank with policy research, publications, and convening on Gulf affairs.

Regional players

• King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies: Riyadh-based independent research institution producing policy studies on Middle East politics, economics, and security. Comparable in producing academic-quality research and convening on regional issues, but operates primarily within Saudi Arabia rather than from Singapore's vantage point.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MEI_NUS
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQpN-i0aCk3jhYt5FZXR87w
• Facebookfacebook.com/middleeastinstitute.sg
• Instagraminstagram.com/mei.singapore
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/middleeastinstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Middle East Institute - NUS