Arabic: مركز ابن خلدون للدراسات الإنمائية Established 1988 Non-governmental organization Chairman: Saad Eddin Ibrahim The Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies (ICDS) is a non- governmental professional institution, registered in Cairo since 1988 as a limited liability civil company (license no.3044). Its headquarters are in Moqattam Hills, Cairo. ICDS was founded by Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim, who is a visiting professor of Arab and Islamic Studies at Harvard University. The main objectives of ICDS are the advancement of applied social sciences with special emphasis on Egypt and the Arab world. According to its website, the center is committed to the promotion of responsible dialogue, democracy, peace and development for all peoples in the region. ICDS has its own research, advocacy, and development programs, but it also conducts commissioned research and provides consultation and training services to governmental and non-governmental organizations on issues of public policy. The center carries out supportive activities related to its objectives, including organizing seminars, conferences and the publication and dissemination of information. ICDS seeks to become a focal point for national and regional NGOs sharing its mission. Facilities at the Center include a specialized library, computerized data banks, an information system, and conference rooms for hosting small to medium-size seminars. The center's name comes from the great Tunisian intellectual Abd al-Rahman Ibn Khaldun, who is considered the founder of Arabic social science.
