On the 23 of June 2009 The Right Honourable Ivan Lewis, Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, welcomed those in attendance at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the launch of a major research report on UK higher education engagement with Iraq.
From L-R The Rt Hon Ivan Lewis, Prof Rick Trainor, and Dr John Withrington,
Produced by the UK Higher Education International Unit; the British Universities Iraq Consortium; and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (now part of the new Department for Business, Innovation and Skills), this report considers the prospects for higher education engagement between the United Kingdom and Iraq. It analyses key trends in Iraqi higher education, the pathways and roadblocks to future UK-Iraq collaboration. It also provides discrete recommendations for policy makers in the UK and decision makers at UK universities on how to create a step change in UK engagement with the Iraqi academic community.
Professor Rick Trainor, President of Universities UK, spoke to 80 attendees on the key role higher education has to play in the development of Iraq's civil society, arguing that "...if the UK sector is going to assist effectively, we not only require initiatives from individual universities, but a joined-up approach to engagement that will require the support of our government and its agencies."
The Right Honourable David Lammy, Minister of State for Higher Education and Intellectual Property, pointed out that the report "...offers a timely reminder both of the opportunities and of the challenges that co-operation between the British and Iraqi higher education sectors presents."
He emphasised that "this isn't an exercise in philanthropy or some sort of academic Marshall Plan. It's about fostering partnerships which are mutually beneficial and which can therefore intensify and grow long into the future." and announced that £300K is being allocated from 2009-11 for a Leadership and Management Training programme for Iraq universities.
From L-R The Rt Hon Ivan Lewis, Prof Rick Trainor, Dr John Withrington, and The Rt Hon David Lammy.
BUIC's Chair Dr John Withrington (and Director of International Office, University of Exeter) said "Higher Education has the power to serve as a peaceful catalyst for change, and the universities in BUIC have in common an interest in assisting Iraq in developing that country's most precious resource. Not oil, but its human capital."
"Our aim when established several years ago was to act as a focal point for Iraqi students and faculty, to advise on opportunities for Iraqis looking to better themselves by means of a world-class education. The development of a website, and a standardised postgraduate application form, are just some of the steps that have helped take BUIC forward to meet that aim."
The other speakers there acknowledged BUIC's role to date in forging links between the UK and Iraq's Higher Education sectors; David Lammy observing that "The British Universities Iraq Consortium, Universities UK and the British Council are already doing valuable collaborative work with Iraq", while Rick Trainer commented that "Over many difficult years, [BUIC] has been instrumental in supporting UK links with Iraqi higher education."
From L-R The Rt Hon Ivan Lewis, Prof Rick Trainor, and Dr John Withrington.
Dr Withrington closed his speech by reading a message from Dr Zuhair Humadi, Executive Director of Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki's Education Committee:
"On behalf of Prime Minister Maliki's Higher Education Committee I commend the publication of today's report on UK Higher Education Engagement with Iraq. As PM Maliki said himself during his recent visit to the British Council's Headquarters in London, Iraq and the UK have a long history of cultural and educational collaboration. As peace and stability bed down in our country, we look forward to reinvigorating the education relationship. This report, shared in draft with Prime Minister Maliki on his recent UK visit, makes an important contribution to the renewal of our traditional educational links. 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."
From L-R Dr John Withrington, The Rt Hon Ivan Lewis, and Prof Rick Trainor.
From L-R Dr John Withrington, The Rt Hon David Lammy, and Prof Rick Trainor.
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Iraq and its people have suffered grievously through three decades of despotism, war and sanctions. But today this great country has held democratic elections, and the use of violence to achieve political ends, although not absent, is much diminished.
Two years ago it was inconceivable that representatives from British and American universities would attend an education event in Baghdad. Yet the highly successful launch in January this year of Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki's visionary Education Initiative is both symptomatic of the improved situation in the country and a beacon to the future. It aspires to send upwards of 10,000 students a year for overseas study in English-speaking countries and the United Kingdom is committed to its success.
Iraq was once home to some of the finest universities in the Middle East but it faces an uphill struggle to regain that status. The UK is uniquely placed to facilitate Iraq's capacity-building ambitions. The long and distinguished history of academic co-operation between our two countries means that many of Iraq's leading academics were trained in the UK. Our commitment is to ensure that the next generation of Iraqi academics has similar opportunities. The international reputation of UK universities for excellence, reinforced by national quality assurance mechanisms, means that we as a sector are able to offer world-class teaching and research to Iraqi students, enabling them to employ these skills in the rebuilding of the country.
The UK has more than a long history of academic engagement with Iraq. It also has an integrated approach to international engagement and is ready to assist in the rebuilding of Iraqi higher education. Indeed, this report, co-sponsored by institutions across the sector, is tangible proof of such a unified approach. Whether at the level of universities (the British Universities Iraq Consortium), the UK higher education sector (Universities UK), the British Council in Iraq or across the UK government, there is a palpable British commitment to a coherent strategy to help Iraq meet the higher education challenges that lie ahead.
There is no greater resource than human capital. Iraq is the same as everywhere else in so far as its future lies in the education of its people, but in Iraq the task of strengthening its education provision has an urgency born of decades in which higher education did not develop. And in these troubled economic times, education is as important as ever. The UK has a vital role to play in helping our friends and colleagues at Iraqi universities and in government. This report - a ground-breaking piece of research - provides the context, road map and encouragement for UK universities to shorten the long road to recovery.
Rt Hon David Lammy MP
Minister of State for Higher Education and Intellectual
Property
Professor Rick Trainor
President
Universities UK
Dr John Withrington
Chair
British Universities Iraq Consortium
UK Higher Education International Unit
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills EU and International Unit