“My hope is for this gift to enable the LMEI to flourish in its new home and welcome many more students, researchers, government organisations, media and business people from around the world to engage in its activities and increase their understanding of the Middle East and North Africa.” Sheikh Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber.

In order to help facilitate expanding activities at the London Middle East Institute (LMEI), Founding Patron and Donor, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber, whose generous support helped to bring the idea of the LMEI to fruition, provided funding for its relocation to a prestigious and more accessible new home at 21 Russell Square as part of a £1 million donation which will also support the SOAS Centenary Campaign.. This distinguished historic building, adjacent to the vibrant SOAS Bloomsbury precinct, has been named the MBI Al Jaber Building and includes an integrated conference room for seminars and events.  The donation will enable LMEI to prepare for the next decade and continue to contribute to the educational and academic needs and challenges of the MENA region in a unique way. 

The London Middle East Institute (LMEI) at SOAS serves as a neutral forum for the consideration of issues concerning the Middle East, and helps to create links between individuals and institutions with academic, commercial, diplomatic, media or other specialisations. LMEI draws upon the resources of London and SOAS to provide teaching, training, research, publication, consultancy, outreach and other services related to the Middle East, and has access to the largest concentration of Middle Eastern expertise of any institution in Europe.