In an effort to gain deeper insights into the culture and educational standards of the University of Duhok, as well as to foster cooperation, build relationships, and implement joint projects, a delegation from the Canadian Parliament, led by Canadian Deputy and President of the Kurdish Association in the Canadian Parliament, Mr. Tom Kmiec, paid a visit to the University of Duhok. They were warmly received by the President of the University of Duhok and several of its staff at the Cultural and Social Center on the 31st of August.

During their meeting, attended by the Director of the International Relations Office, Dr. Rand Hamoudi, Dr. Dawood Atrushi introduced the University of Duhok and its impressive achievements, especially in the field of international relations, as it is currently engaged in 22 joint projects with various international organizations. He proudly stated, "It is an honor for us that the University of Duhok is one of the top universities in Kurdistan and Iraq in terms of international relations."

The head of the Canadian delegation expressed his admiration for the advancements made by the University of Duhok and declared his readiness to establish strong relations and collaborate on joint projects. Furthermore, he discussed Canada's federal experience. On the other hand, the President of the University of Duhok emphasized the importance of executing future joint projects with Canadian universities and institutions, revealing that the University of Duhok has serious plans in this regard.

Additionally, Mr. Karwan Al-Zebari, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Representation of the Kurdistan Regional Government in the United States, spoke about the crucial role played by Duhok Province and the University of Duhok in supporting refugees and internally displaced persons. He also pointed out that due to the proximity of Duhok Province to Mosul and Syria, a significant number of people have fled and sought refuge from various regions of Iraq and Syria in Duhok. the University of Duhok has played a fundamental role in supporting and guiding these displaced individuals, with numerous projects dedicated to serving them. Mr. Karwan Al-Zebari expressed his sincere gratitude to the University of Duhok in this regard.

THE UNIVERSITY OF DUHOK

The University of Duhok (UOD) is a public university in the city of Duhok city, which is about 150 km northwest of Erbil (Arbil, Hewlér), the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan Region (KRI). The city is situated in a beautiful valley surrounded by high mountains. The university campus is a large green area in the city's west side that provides an exciting view of the city and surrounding nature. UOD was founded in October 1992 with only two colleges to meet the region's growing demand for graduate professionals. Today, the UOD has a 19-college with 67 departments, nearly 24000 students, and over 4000 academic and administrative staff. Students thrive in one of the best regional academic communities, studying in programs such as Agriculture, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Architecture, Engineering, Humanities, Linguistics, Basic Education, and Economics as well as Spatial Planning. UOD has strong engagement through its International Relations with many Higher Education institutions and centres of excellence worldwide, such as Purdue University, Indiana University (IU), New York University (NYU), The University of Noter Dame (ND), The University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UA), BridgeWater State University in the USA, The University of Warsaw - Poland, The University of Glasgow - Scotland, The University of Twente - The Netherlands, Leipzig University, LLC University, University of Oldenburg, The University of Vechta, Europa-Universität Flensburg, TU Dortmund university, THM Giessen University in Germany, The University of Tuscia, The university of Pavia, Sapienza Università di Roma in Italy, The University of Deusto, The University of Barcelona, The University of Granada (UGR) in Spain, Lund University - Sweden, The University of Sussex in the UK, Tampere University - Finland, and so many more. The University of Duhok is an active member of the International Association of Universities (IAU), The UNIMED, the Mediterranean Universities Union, and The Association of Arab Universities (AARU).

UOD Media, August 31, 2023

Foto Credit: Ali Banki

Translation by: Mevan Mohammed Salih