Promoting Higher Education in Iraq

Promoting Higher Education in Iraq USAID’s HEAD Program May 2004 In support of the Higher Education Ministry, CPA and USAID’s Higher Education and Development (HEAD) Program brings together American and Iraqi universities to aid with the reestablishment of academic excellence in Iraq’s higher education system. USAID has committed $20.7 million to five partnerships that support Iraqi universities as they emerge from years of isolation from developments in teaching methodologies, research, and curricula, and decades of diminishing resources and infrastructure damage. Program Partners Public Health and Sanitation: Jackson State University and the Mississippi Consortium for International Development (JSU/MCID), an association of Alcorn State University, Jackson State University, Mississippi Valley State University, Tougaloo College, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Benetech, and U.S.-Iraq Business Resources, Inc. is partnering with the Universities of Mosul and Dahuk and the Nursing Institute/Dahuk. Legal Education System Reform: The Human Rights Institute, DePaul University College of Law, and Italy’s International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences are partnering with the Universities of Baghdad, Basrah, and Sulaymaniyah. Institutional, Academic, and Leadership Strengthening: The University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, Cameron University, and Langston University are partnering with Al Anbar University, Basrah University, Salah ad Din University in Arbil, Babil University, and the University of Technology of Baghdad. Archeology, Assyriology, and Environmental Health: The Research Foundation of the State University of New York/Stony Brook and the Universities of Chicago, Boston, and Oxford are partnering with Baghdad University, Al Mustansiriyah University in Baghdad and the Universities of Basrah and Mosul. Strengthening Academic, Research, and Extension Programs: The University of Hawaii College of Agriculture and Human Resources is partnering with University of Mosul Hamam al Alil and University of Dahuk USAID, CPA, and U.S. university representatives at the HEAD post-award conference in Amman, Jordan Public Health and Sanitation Jackson State University (JSU/MCID) and the University of Mosul have developed a three-part program for revitalizing the Iraqi university’s public health and sanitation program. Recover: The program will improve the laboratories, classrooms, office equipment and textbooks of Iraqi partner universities. Retool: The program will strengthen the skills of public health and sanitation engineers at the University of Mosul through exchanges, courses and conferences for faculty Revitalize: The Iraqi universities’ institutional viability will be increased by improved Internet access, increased access to textbooks and journals, and curriculum development. Progress to date: • The program has established offices, recruited staff, and developed a needs assessment for university refurbishments and procurements. • Five University of Mosul students attended the 8th annual Pan-Arab Diabetes conference in Egypt from March 22-27 • Developed a website at www.mcidiraq.org Special Feature Students at Dahuk University College of Medicine In close cooperation with Iraqi nationals and the Coalition Provisional Authority, USAID is restoring critical infrastructure, delivery of healthcare and education services, expanding economic opportunities, and improving governance in Iraq. Special Feature Supporting Higher Education in Iraq Strengthening Academic, Research, and Extension Programs This program seeks to promote economic growth and agricultural sustainability by enhancing higher education and outreach in agricultural sciences. The University of Hawaii and its partners will establish a Center of Excellence in agricultural research and extension, train administrators, faculty, students, and stakeholders at the University of Mosul, and develop human capacity in agricultural sciences at the University of Dahuk. Revitalizing Education Programs: This program will offer several activities for Iraqi graduate students and faculty, including: graduate degree training and research fellowships; visiting scholarships and professional conference travel for Iraqi faculty; and relevant workshops and conferences. Enhancing Infrastructure: The AHEAD program will re-equip library, research and teaching facilities to support the re- establishment of agricultural science programs at the Iraqi partner universities. The program will also co-sponsor the publication of the Iraq Journal of Agricultural Science. Progress to date: • Iraqi university library received electronic articles, journals and books as well as an electronic agricultural library. • Computer and communication systems are being installed at both the Universities of Mosul and Dahuk. • The selection of participants for the Visiting Scholar and Research Grant programs are underway; six students have been selected to participate in the one year graduate studies at the University of Hawaii. University of Oklahoma Student. Photo: USAID. Institutional, Academic, and Leadership Strengthening The heart of this higher education program led by the University of Oklahoma rests on two objectives: providing sufficient educational infrastructure and strengthening human resources for effective delivery of higher education. Establishing an Effective Learning Environment: The Iraqi University partners will be equipped with computer laboratories, discipline-specific software, and education materials such as textbooks and journals. In addition, an online database will be established to provide access to electronic journals and periodicals. Training: Training in specialized fields and technical equipment will be offered to complement the laboratories and instructional materials being provided. Strengthening University Administration and Leadership: Leadership workshops will bring together university presidents and deans from throughout Iraq. Progress to date: • A research effort is surveying academic, public and school libraries to determine which could have the Internet access required for the proposed online database. • More than 700 potential donors of textbooks have been identified and a commitment of $4,500 has been made for geology and petroleum engineering texts. • A delegation of Iraqi university presidents traveled to the US with the CPA Senior Advisor for Higher Education from April 28 to May 4. U of Mosul Computer Center United States Agency for International Development www.usaid.gov/iraq/ Iraq Ministry of Education http://www.cpa-iraq.org/ministries/education.html Special Feature Supporting Higher Education in Iraq Archeology and Assyriology The Archeology and Assyriology Program seeks to strengthen archeology and cuneiform studies at the Universities of Mosul and Baghdad through two major efforts: Institution Building: The program will offer workshops, curriculum reforms, and training in archeological information tools, as well as graduate study programs at Stony Brook. Refurbishing Libraries and Laboratories: The program will upgrade partner institution archaeology libraries with critical books, online journals and digital references, and train librarians in catalog and research methods. Progress to date: • Nearly 1,000 volumes have been purchased. • In mid-March, five Iraqi faculty attended the 4th International Congress on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East in Berlin. • Eight graduate students have been admitted for advanced studies and applied for visas. • Computer lab/internet installation is underway. • 54 faculty and graduate students will attend 10-week summer workshops in Amman. Environmental Health In partnership with the Universities of Mosul, Basrah and Al Mustansariyah, SUNY Stony Brook seeks to establish a strong infrastructure in environmental health to stimulate national interest and provide tools for preventive health services research. Building Capacity: The program will establish Environment Health and Research Centers in each partner institution, which will be staffed by Iraqis trained in the United States. A “mini- grant” program will support research and new programs in environmental health. Refurbishing Facilities and Libraries: The three Environmental Health and Research Centers will be equipped with laboratories, teaching equipment, communication systems, books, journals, and databases. Progress to date: • This program has begun establishing the environmental health centers and has Directors and Coordinators in place. The first group of staff trainees departed in April for US training. • The procurement of environmental health and related discipline books is underway. United States Agency for International Development www.usaid.gov/iraq/ Law library at the University of Basrah. Photo: USAID. Legal Education System Reform The Legal Education System Reform program through DePaul University offers four distinct components that are designed to be integrated and mutually reinforcing: Rule of Law and Good Governance: Through seminars and the establishment of a research center, the program will support a dialogue on rule of law among faculty and students. Curriculum Reform: Existing curricula will be improved through exposure to global developments in law. Clinical Education: Using moot courts, advocacy seminars, courtroom visits and externships, law students will gain practical experience in trial advocacy. Library and Education Technology: The program will re-equip libraries with computers, web-based resources and other critical tools. Progress to date: • Preparations are underway for the first of four Rule of Law seminars in the summer of 2004 titled Post Conflict Justice in Iraq • At Baghdad University, 20 fourth year students have been selected for the courtroom visitation program. • In the Basrah program courtroom visits are expected to begin in the next few weeks, and judges, prosecutors and practicing attorneys will be conducting workshops at the university. • The procurement of books from Iraqi and Egyptian distributors for the Iraqi university law libraries is underway Iraq Ministry of Education http://www.moeiraq.info Web page constructed with UN Humanitarian Information Centre for Iraq assistance