The University of Halabja (UoH) recently took part in the WP5 Harmonization and Restitution Workshop, an event that was an integral part of the APPRAIS Project. The two-day workshop was held at the International Erbil Hotel in Erbil, Kurdistan, from the 27th to the 28th of February, and it brought together eight Kurdish universities, with UNIMED serving as the project manager and event organizer.

The aim of the workshop, which was spearheaded by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Kurdistan Regional Government and co-led by the University of Garmian, was to introduce the strategic plan of the Ministry as well as the strategic plan and roadmap of each university, with the ultimate goal of developing a comprehensive shared strategic plan to guide the universities towards achieving their objectives.

UoH was represented by a delegation comprising of Dr. Mahabad Kamil Abdulla, the University’s president, Dr. Dana Abdullah Tahir, Vice-president for scientific affairs, Mr. Aram Muhammad Amin Qadir, Director of Quality Assurance, Mr. Rasti Ayub Hama Saeed, the university’s representative from International Academic Relations, as well as the university’s local project coordinator.

During the workshop, universities presented both their strategic plan as well as their roadmaps including those of the UoH which were presented by university’s local coordinator Mr. Rasti Ayub Hama Saeed to the attendees. The presentations provided an excellent opportunity for Kurdish partner universities to learn from each other, as well as to share their experiences, challenges, and opportunities.

The APPRAIS Project is a European Commission funded Capacity Building project in the field of higher education that aims to enhance good governance by strengthening the definition and development of Higher Education Institutions’ roadmap, improving their capacities on quality assurance mechanisms, strategic planning, management, and accountability practices. Additionally, the project supports the implementation of the Bologna Process within HEIs in Kurdistan region of Iraq by improving knowledge on recognition of credits and learning mobility, and adopting the university reform on good governance and Bologna process at each HEI.