The Faculty of Arts (FA), The Maldives National University (MNU), participated in an Academic-Policy Dialogue Seminar hosted by the School of Security and Strategic Studies (SSSS), MNU, for a 17-member delegation from India’s National Defence College (NDC) during its visit to the Maldives on 2 September 2026.

Representing the Faculty of Arts were Dean Dr Aminath Riyaz, Head of the Department of Social Sciences Ms Wajda Gasim, Dr Aly Shameem, and Mr Mohamed Hoodh Ibrahim. The Faculty shared its academic expertise and programmes in Political Science, International Relations, and Media and Public Relations, highlighting opportunities for interdisciplinary learning and knowledge exchange on governance, communication, geopolitics, and contemporary regional developments.

The engagement provided a platform for academics and visiting delegates to exchange perspectives on regional affairs, governance, international relations, and emerging issues affecting the Maldives and the wider region. The Faculty also shared its academic engagement in ocean governance and regional affairs, including the Ocean Governance Symposium hosted by MNU in recent years.

During the dialogue, the Faculty highlighted its newly opened intake for the PhD in Social Sciences, a multidisciplinary research programme offering opportunities to pursue research across areas including Political Science, International Relations, Public Relations, governance, and other issues of national and regional importance. The programme provides an academic pathway for advanced research and knowledge development in areas relevant to society and the region.

The dialogue also strengthened opportunities for academic-policy engagement, knowledge exchange, and institutional networking, bringing together higher education expertise and policy-oriented perspectives. Such engagements create opportunities to share academic knowledge, discuss emerging regional issues, and explore areas of mutual interest between academic and policy communities.

The Faculty of Arts’ participation reflects MNU’s commitment to quality higher education, interdisciplinary knowledge exchange, research development, and meaningful engagement with national and international academic and policy communities. The initiative contributed to SDG 4 (Quality Education) through academic knowledge exchange, research engagement, and advanced learning opportunities, and to SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through academic-policy dialogue, institutional engagement, and international knowledge exchange.