The Deputy for Scientific Research Affairs at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Prof. Dr. Haider Abed Dhahad announced the launch of the guide, emphasizing that this initiative aligns with the Ministry's efforts to promote student mental health and establish clear scientific and professional pathways for addressing and monitoring psychological issues.

Prof. Dr. Haider Abed Dhahad announced on behalf of the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research during a conference hosted by the University of Baghdad’s College of Medicine, held entitled (Together We Build a Conscious and Safe Generation: Towards a Healthy Environment Free from Mental Disorders and Addiction), the event was attended by academics, specialists, researchers, and professionals dedicated to mental health and addiction prevention.

The Deputy reviewed that the guide provides clear procedures for managing and following up on psychological cases and fosters integration between educational and healthcare institutions, this initiative involves cooperation and coordination with the Ministry of Health which has made specialized psychiatrists available to ensure students receive appropriate care and support within the university setting, in accordance with established scientific and professional standards.

Prof. Dr. Haider Abed Dhahad demonstrated that Iraqi universities bear a significant responsibility for fostering health awareness among students and creating a safe educational environment that addresses their psychological and social needs, universities provide avenues for counseling and support while also directing scientific research toward studying psychological and social phenomena linked to addiction, diagnosing their causes and effects, and proposing evidence-based solutions grounded in rigorous scientific principles. 

The Deputy highlighted that the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research prioritizes this aspect as part of its responsibility for the university environment. 

The Ministry is working to leverage academic, medical, and research capabilities to support awareness and prevention programs, promote a culture of health, and instill a scientific approach to address psychological disorders and the risks of addiction to safeguard students' well-being and enhance their ability to pursue their academic journeys within a stable university environment.

For his part, the Dean of the College of Medicine at the University of Baghdad, Prof. Dr. Amin Abd Al-Hassan Al-Alwani, emphasized that student mental health is a fundamental component of the university environment, as well as highlighting that universities today possess a new generation of distinguished psychiatrists capable of contributing to this field and provide specialized care and support to students in collaboration with educational and health institutions.

Media and Government Communication Directorate 

Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research

September 15, 2026