The Arab World numbering an estimated 130 million inhabitants (1972) has produced—through its own college and university system (40 institutions in 1971 and 400,000 college students)—some 560,000 graduates; see Table I. Study abroad has been at a high level ever since the early fifties. During the past two decades it has increased from about 10,000 to 40,000.

Research facilities in Lebanon are excellent and the research climate, as of June 1972, was fairly good. Lebanon continues to fulfill its historic function as a meeting place for Western and Arab culture. But the same political factors that are alienating the Arab world as a whole from the Anglo-Saxon community, notably the Arab-Israeli conflict, inevitably threaten this liberal research climate. There are vocal and influential elements of Lebanese opinion which feel that American imperialism harnesses even the scholarly community for its exploitative ends. Lebanon has had no Camelot scandal so far, but the American University of Beirut was once forced to cancel a project supported by the U.S. Department of Defense. Under these circumstances it is always possible that an innocent researcher could accidentally create a crisis that would jeopardize research conditions. Thus, it may not be out of place to suggest that visiting scholars should make special efforts to be prudent, candid, courteous and patient in their research work. It is desirable to have at least one reputable Lebanese friend who will be willing to advise and if necessary endorse the research project. It is not necessary that a local institution formally sponsor a project, but some kind of local association can be useful both in assisting the research itself and in avoiding troubles. Graduate students doing field research should definitely have some local advisor or patron.

A number of events, including the Lambert Report on Language and Area Studies, legislation on National Defense Education, and various other bills on international education, provide an important opportunity for reevaluating priorities in the study of foreign regions. We believe that Middle East Studies, as a regional study needs support and that this support is threatened by a shifting attention to domestic needs and by impending reductions in funds for education. But we also believe that what is needed is more than a simple blanket appeal for funding. Clear priorities and new directions are required to give meaning to the call for support and to channel that support into important directions. This matter has been the subject of much discussion within the Middle East studies community and specifically within the Middle East Studies Association. The latest discussions took place at the meeting of Middle East center and program directors, at the Fifth Annual Meeting of MESA in November, 1971.