Palestinian Economy and Development
Research on growth constraints, labor markets, trade dependence, public finance, and long-term development in Palestine.
About the Institute
A formal institutional website for research and academic communication.
The Samarah Institute for Economic Research promotes rigorous, policy-relevant, and analytically grounded scholarship. Its mission is to support deeper understanding of economic systems, structural constraints, governance challenges, and development pathways through research, publication, and academic collaboration.
The institute’s work spans the Palestinian economy, public policy, regional development, applied econometrics, and comparative economic analysis. It is designed to serve as a professional platform for publications, research initiatives, academic partnerships, and institutional visibility.
Core Institutional Functions
- Research production and dissemination
- Peer-reviewed publication support
- Conference participation and scholarly engagement
- Evidence-based policy analysis
- Institutional and academic collaboration
Director
Wisam A. Samarah
Wisam A. Samarah holds a Master’s degree in Economics from American University in Washington, DC, and continued doctoral-level studies in Mathematical Economics and Econometrics at the University of Iowa. He taught at American University in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and at Kirkwood Community College in the Mathematics and Science Department.
He previously served as Assistant Director of the Business and Economics Research Center (BERC) at Al-Quds Open University, and currently serves as Director of the Samarah Institute for Economic Research.
Professional Biography
Academic profile
His academic and research work covers economic development, trade, governance, macroeconomic analysis, mathematical economics, and econometrics. He has published in peer-reviewed journals and has contributed to national and international academic conferences, scientific committees, and journal review activities.
Education
American University and University of Iowa
Prior Leadership
Assistant Director, BERC, Al-Quds Open University
Teaching
American University & Kirkwood Community College
Current Role
Director, Samarah Institute for Economic Research
Research Programs
Priority areas of scholarship
Applied Econometrics and Quantitative Methods
Empirical research using mathematical economics, econometrics, and analytical modeling for academic and institutional use.
Regional and Comparative Studies
Comparative analysis of Middle Eastern and developing economies, including competitiveness, governance, and structural transformation.
Public Policy and Institutions
Studies on governance, state capacity, fiscal policy, institutional performance, and policy design in complex economic environments.
Selected Publications
Research highlights
The Impact of Board Diversity on Financial Performance: A Comparative Analysis of Banks in Selected Middle Eastern Countries (2025)
The Role of Palestinian Imports in Forming a Competitive Economy: Lessons from Turkey (2025)
Gaza Genocide and a New Economic Reality (2025)
The Role of Imports on the Divergence of the Saudi Arabian Economy from an Oil Based Economy (2024)
The Role of Imports on the Convergence of the Jordanian Economy towards a Competitive Economy (2023)
Evaluating the Effect of Covid-19 on the Palestinian Economy by Estimating the Relationship Between Economic Growth and Unemployment in Palestine (2021)
Academic Engagement
Conferences and scholarly service
The institute supports academic visibility through publications, conference presentations, scientific committee participation, and peer-review service. This strengthens research dissemination and institutional presence across regional and international scholarly platforms.
- International Congress on Economics, Finance and Business (EFI-2025)
- International Balkan and Near Eastern Congresses Series on Economics, Business and Management
- Journal review and scholarly evaluation activities
- Academic networking and institutional collaboration
Contact
Connect with the institute
For collaboration, conference participation, peer review inquiries, and academic communication, please contact the Samarah Institute for Economic Research.
Email
ws@wsier.org
wsamarah@hotmail.com
Phone
+1 (202) 903-1049
+970 59 270 8383
Location
Hybrid – Santa Clara, California
Academic Profiles