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From the 9th to the 7th century BC, the Assyrian empire dominated the ancient world. Its infrastructural and administrative heritage shaped the Middle East for millennia and its history illuminates key features of imperialism in general. But limited access to the ancient sources has severely inhibited the study of Assyria: cuneiform script and Akkadian language are taught in only c. 50 universities worldwide and text editions are rarely accessible outside of these institutions. The literature available to wider audiences is very limited. Professor Karen Radner has transformed this situation by making the results of her research available via two websites designed to open up the study of Assyrian history to non-specialist users. These significant new educational resources have benefited hundreds of thousands of users from around the globe.
The Middle East Centre (MEC) has achieved a unique standing in providing informed analysis of the region, based on its cumulative academic expertise. It has made significant contributions to the media's and the public's understanding of political and societal developments in the Middle East. The MEC has given advice both to emerging Arab democracies on their own political systems, and to other governments on their relations with the countries of the region. The centre itself has also become a place of neutral ground, where individuals from opposite sides in conflicts in the region can meet, away from local tensions.