Iraq and the UK have a long history of cultural and educational collaboration, and BUIC is proud to be working with the Iraqi higher education sector in the early stages of the Iraq Education Initiative.
Announced by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in January 2009, this new initiative will send up to 10,000 Iraqi students overseas per year over the next five years to complete their higher education. The initiative is designed to mitigate four decades of underdevelopment due to wars and the economic stagnation of the last two decades. "We are celebrating the desire of the Iraqis to continue to seek their education [with this initiative]," said Prime Minister al-Maliki. "Our universities were known for being the most advanced universities in the world, but because of...all that we have gone through...we have lost what we had before."
From L-R, Prof Gordon Campbell (University of Leicester and BUIC), Stuart Scott (British Council Baghdad), HE Nouri al Maliki (Prime Minister of Iraq), Ali Hadawi (Principal of Southend Adult Community College), Dr John Withrington (University of Exeter and BUIC), HE Dr Abid Diab al Ajeely (Iraqi Minister of Higher Education), Dr Shaun Curtis (Universities UK)
BUIC Chair Dr John Withrington believes it significant that Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki has taken such a personal interest in higher education: "It was a privilege for several of us to meet him at the launch of the Iraq Education Initiative in Baghdad in January, and the Prime Minister spoke eloquently about his hopes for the future of his country when he visited the UK in April. The ability to fund 10,000 students a year to undertake a university education overseas is a bold step, but I hope that both British and Iraqi universities will be able to march in step along the path that I have just mentioned. "
Dr Zuhair Humadi, Executive Director of Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki's Education Committee shares BUIC's enthusiasm for ongoing co-operation: "We look forward to playing our part in strengthening educational collaboration and our partnerships with the British Universities Iraq Consortium, Universities UK and the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills. The first wave of Iraqi Government - funded scholars will take up their places in UK universities this autumn. A new programme of University partnerships commences in September. This ushers in a new era in British-Iraqi relations. We in Iraq look forward to working together over the next decade and beyond."
BUIC is helping the Committee for Educational Development by providing advisory support concerning the British higher education sector and in finding places in British universities for scholarship holders.
In the first phase of the Initiative, Iraq's Higher Committee for Educational Development will award scholarships to high-achieving Iraqi high school students who have taken required college admission tests. Students will be allowed to study nearly all majors and degrees, including PhDs. Iraqi students will be especially encouraged to study engineering, education, information technology, business, law and medicine. All scholarship recipients will be expected to return to Iraq after they complete their overseas programs.
A pilot project to place 500 students overseas commenced in the summer of 2009, 200 of which are expected to be sent to study in Britain. In the first two weeks of the pilot programme 350 applications had been received by the Committee for Educational Development, and BUIC members have seen a jump in the number of queries from Iraqi students hoping to come and study in Britain. Dr Humadi estimates the eventual cost of the program would be approximately £29,500 per student. So far, Iraq's parliament has appropriated £32 million to cover the 500-student pilot program for the next school year.
The second phase of the Initiative, expected to start next year, will focus on the rejuvenation of the Iraqi education system in the primary and secondary education sectors as well as spotlight higher education reform.
"This will always be remembered as the turning point in the development of Iraq," said Dr. Humadi.
For further information regarding the scheme visit the Higher Committee for Education Development's website at ww.hcediraq.org
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