During the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research’s conference on implementing the Bologna Process in technical universities in Iraq and in cooperation with the European Union mission and the UNESCO office in Baghdad, His Excellency, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Naeem Abd Yaser Al-Aboudi announced the success of implementing the Bologna Process in the specializations of technical universities, which preceded their counterparts in Implement it.

Dr. Al-Aboudi stressed on all public and private universities’ readiness on adopting the Bologna Process and completing the requirements for its implementation in more than six hundred departments in the colleges of engineering and science, starting from the current academic year 2023/2024.

His Excellency reviewed that the Higher Education, its universities and institutions’ system have become part of an ambitious and effective vision and program linked to the globalization of academic events and that they will not be far from the aspect of internationalization of education.

Dr. Al-Aboudi highlighted that these climates make education sustainable and place universities directly in front of their responsibilities to benefit from global experiences in cooperation with representatives of the European Union and UNESCO within an environment of strategic partnership that extends to the horizon of the coming decades.

For his part, Dr. Khalaf said that adopting the Bologna Process in Iraq was a responsible decision towards developing educational systems and meeting the institutions’ need for competency-based programs, providing quality climates and applying their academic standards.

For her part, Director of the Cooperation Department at the European Union Mission, Mrs. Barbara Ecker praised the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and its universities for the level of cooperation and coordination in implementing programs and reaching the quality education station. 

Mrs. Ecker expressed her welcome to the Ministry’s decision to adopt the Bologna Process, noting at the same time that it represents the main path to education reform in Iraq.

For his part, UNESCO Advisor for Technical and Vocational Education and Training Reform, Mr. Tim Meisen affirmed his support for the decision of His Excellency, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Naeem Abd Yaser Al-Aboudi to implement the Bologna Process in universities.

Mr. Meisen reviewed that the keenness in making the decision contributed to the success of the project and that this aspect represents a radical reform in the educational environment at the level of education, programs, efficiency of the institution and its system.

For her part, UNESCO Advisor, Mrs. Anne Catherine Isaacs delivered sessions on implementing the Bologna Process, designing curricula and implementing the quality system presented by specialists from the four technical universities.

For his part, UNESCO’s program specialist, Dr. Anas Bu Hilal reviewed UNESCO’s agreements on educational qualifications, while a symposium was held on implementing the Bologna process in Iraqi universities, and the challenges and opportunities, with the participation of the presidents of the Middle Technical University and Al-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University, a number of UNESCO’s advisors and experts and the Ministry’s advisor, Dr. Alaa Abd Al-Hassan.

It is worth to be mentioned that the conference was attended by representatives of the European Union and UNESCO, Advisor to the Prime Minister, Dr. Hapmid Khalaf, a number of Deputies, Advisors, presidents of public and private universities, General Directors and an advanced group of academics and specialists.