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SMERI newsroom — bridging Scandinavia and the Middle East.
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Latest writing.

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2025
Year founded
7
Country boards
12+
Research fellows
3
Research pillars
Map of Europe and the Middle East
About SMERI

A pioneering institute for cross-regional understanding.

Founded in 2025, SMERI fosters deep, nuanced understanding between Scandinavia and the Middle East through rigorous research, education and cultural exchange. Our work reflects contemporary societies while honouring historical perspective.

Academic excellence

Programs led by renowned scholars across both regions.

Global network

Partnerships with leading universities in Europe and the Levant.

Expert faculty

Researchers with field experience in conflict and culture.

Cross-regional board

Representation across Scandinavia and the Middle East.

Read our statement
Academic Programs

Our educational offerings.

Master's & PhD fellowships in Middle Eastern studies, conflict resolution and intercultural relations.

Political & Geopolitical Studies

Contemporary Middle Eastern politics, Scandinavian foreign policy, regional power dynamics.

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Cultural & Historical Studies

Shared histories from Viking-age contact to modern diaspora communities.

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Energy & Development

Green-tech partnerships, sustainable transitions and post-oil economic futures.

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Language & Literature

Arabic, Kurdish, Persian and Turkish — read in the original.

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Research Focus

Three pillars,
one conversation.

Our work clusters around three intersecting research pillars. Each pillar contains focused sub-areas where our fellows publish, teach and convene policy dialogues.

01 — Politics & Diplomacy

Statecraft across two regions.

  • 01Nordic foreign policy in the MENA region
  • 02Conflict mediation & track-II diplomacy
  • 03Migration, integration and citizenship
02 — Energy & Environment

From oil rents to green transitions.

  • 01Post-hydrocarbon economic models
  • 02Scandinavian green-tech transfer
  • 03Climate adaptation in arid regions
03 — Culture & Language

Translation as understanding.

  • 01Arabic, Kurdish, Persian, Turkish
  • 02Diaspora literature & memory
  • 03Viking-age to modern contact history
Partners

Working alongside leading institutions.

We collaborate with universities, ministries and civil-society institutions across both regions.

Univ. of Oslo
Lund University
AUB Beirut
Koç University
Copenhagen Business School
Salahaddin University
Join Us

Apply for our 2026 research fellowships.

We welcome scholars, journalists and practitioners working at the intersection of Scandinavian and Middle Eastern affairs.

Apply now