The CAAR International Speakers Program supported leading Syrian researcher Zaki Mehchy, the co-founder of the Syrian Center for Policy Research (SCPR). Mr Mehchy gave public lectures in Melbourne and Sydney and participated in a round table in Canberra, speaking on the root causes and impacts of the Syrian uprising. The SCPR is an independent think tank that was established in Damascus in 2011, and subsequently moved to Beirut. The think tank is the only body that has been able to do in-depth, quality research into economic changes in Syria since the conflict began. It regularly releases highly cited reports on topics such as Social Degradation in Syria, the impact of Forced Dispersion and health centre and hospital indices in Syria.