In cooperation with the British Council, Imam Jaafar Al-Sadiq University, and the Higher Institute for Leadership Development, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research held a specialized workshop to identify leadership needs in the higher education sector.

Higher Education reviewed that the workshop is part of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research's efforts to develop leadership skills in higher education institutions and its endeavors to develop a specialized professional diploma in university leadership, as well as this diploma aims at qualifying academic and administrative leaders and enhancing their competence in strategic planning, institutional change management, and fostering a culture of quality and innovation, thus meeting the requirements for developing the higher education sector.

The Ministry added that the workshop delivered speeches by the Deputy Minister of Higher Education for Scientific Research, Professor Dr. Haider Abd Dhahd, the President of Imam Jaafar Al-Sadiq University, Dr. Riyadh Khalil Ibrahim, the Dean of the Higher Institute for Leadership Development, Dr. Abdul Karim Kadhim Ajil, and the Director of the British Council, Dr. Richard Sunderland. 

Higher Education also added that the speeches focused on the growing pursuit of internationalization, improving the quality of education, enhancing institutional independence, and aligning educational outcomes with labor market needs, as well as the underscores the need to build stronger leadership and administrative capacities among academic leaders, enabling them to effectively manage institutional transformation and lead change.

The Ministry demonstrated that the workshop witnessed delivering dialogue and consultation sessions that addressed identifying the required leadership competencies, anticipating future challenges facing Iraqi universities, and discussing the content of the proposed diploma program, its implementation mechanisms, and its expected learning outcomes.

Higher Education also reviewed that the workshop aimed at creating an environment for dialogue and consultation, enabling participants to diagnose current leadership challenges, anticipating the leadership competencies required for the next phase of higher education in Iraq, and developing a diploma program that meets the actual needs of the sector.

For their part, the participants emphasized the importance of building an integrated system for developing university leaders, which would support the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research's efforts to improve institutional performance, enhance the quality of education, and achieve the goals of sustainable academic development.

It is significant to mention that the workshop was attended by a number of presidents of public and private universities.

Media and Government Communication Directorate

Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research

June 23, 2026