Musa Emmanuel UMAR obtained B.A Combined Honours (History/Political Science) from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. He also holds M.Sc. and PhD in Political Economy and Development Studies from University of Jos, Nigeria. He was Fulbright Scholar at Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA. He attended Development Diplomacy for Peace and Security Course, funded by GIZ at Kofi Anan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Accra, Ghana. He also attended Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education Program, Applying Behavioral Insights to the Design of Public Policy Course. Dr. Umar is currently a Senior Fellow and Head of Department of Politics and Social Studies in the Research Directorate of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State, Nigeria. He is also the Deputy Chief Operating Officer (Programme) of the Political Parties Leadership and Policy Development Centre, NIPSS. Before joining the services of NIPSS, he was Training and Development Officer with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Jos, Nigeria. He has served as a researcher, consultant and facilitator to several national and international research projects and training programmes. He has published in areas relating to the economic development, public policy, security, ethnic conflicts, citizenship, national integration, civil society and democracy.