We are forging UK-Iraq Higher Education partnerships to support postgraduate study, international links and capacity building. Several exciting events have taken place over the last few months.
In January 2004, an International Symposium organised in collaboration with the Iraqi Higher Education Organising Committee and the University of Westminster www.wmin.ac.uk/iraq-he/. examined the current situation of Iraqi higher education and research institutions and an examination of their rehabilitation and development.
The issues raised in this symposium have inspired further projects including short term training courses for Iraqi higher education representatives. By the end of March 2004, 90 Iraqi academics had visited the UK, and 180 had attended training courses in Jordan.
Senior Iraqi University leaders from Northern Iraq including the Heads of Salaheddin, Dohuk and Kirkuk Universities and leaders from the Universities of Mosul and Tikrit came to the UK in March 2004.
The group discussed university leadership and management with Sir Graham Davies, Vice Chancellor of the University of London, and Geoffrey Copland, Vice Chancellor of University of Westminster. They visited Royal Holloway College and participated in a specially arranged seminar with UK university representatives and publishers.
The five delegates followed an intensive programme in Wales looking at the issues of devolution and diversity in Higher Education through visits to University of Wales Institute Cardiff, Cardiff University and Aberystwyth University as well as the National Assembly.
The AUA conference www.aua.ac.uk in April was attended by 8 Iraqi delegates from universities throughout Iraq. They found this a great opportunity to learn about new developments and network with hundreds of AUA Members from UK universities and higher education colleges. The delegates then went on to university attachments at the Institute of Education, Birkbeck College, University of Liverpool, Robert Gordon University, University of Leeds and Leeds Metropolitan University.
Organised by the British Council and the University of Birmingham, these courses are designed to provide senior Iraqi administrators and academics with a greater depth of knowledge and expertise in university administration, leadership and facilitate partnerships between UK and Iraqi higher education institutions. Twenty four Iraqi university heads have so far completed the intensive three week course.
A team of computer, civil and environmental engineers from the Universities of Basra, Babylon and Al Qadisia visited Liverpool John Moores University, Halton College, Salford University and Liverpool University in May.
The visit was intended as an introduction to new developments in UK engineering in higher education, as well as stimulating curriculum development, best practice and research collaboration.
For further details, please contact us at iraq@britishcouncil.org
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