The Iraq Britain Business Council (IBBC) held an online Education Session on 22 June, bringing together representatives from Iraqi and British educational institutions to discuss developments in Iraq’s education sector, the impact of recent regional events, and opportunities for future collaboration between Iraq and the UK.

The session was chaired by Professor Mohammed Al Uzri, IBBC Health and Education Advisor, and featured contributions from Prof. Dr. Kossay Al-Ahmady, Iraqi Cultural Attaché in London; Dr. Richard Sunderland, Iraq Country Director for the British Council; Mr. Raed Mahmoud, Regional Operations Director at SABIS; Mr. Timothy Fisher, CEO of Stirling Education; and Mr. Stephen North, Regional Manager MENA & Türkiye at Newcastle University.

Opening the discussion, Prof. Al Uzri noted that the online session formed part of IBBC’s commitment to supporting education in Iraq and maintaining dialogue between UK and Iraqi institutions despite the disruption caused by recent regional tensions.

Prof. Al-Ahmady outlined Iraq’s ambitious plans for higher education development, highlighting the continued success of government scholarship programmes and the growing demand for university places. He stressed the importance of expanding collaboration between Iraqi and UK universities through joint programmes, research partnerships and transnational education initiatives. He noted that Iraq’s rapidly growing youth population will require significant expansion of higher education capacity over the coming years.

Dr. Sunderland described how the British Council had maintained educational activities throughout the recent period of instability and had used the opportunity to review and strengthen its future plans for Iraq. He highlighted increased investment in higher education partnerships, transnational education, skills development and programmes supporting economic diversification. He also outlined new initiatives focused on climate education, human rights and youth development.

Speaking from the perspective of UK universities, Stephen North emphasised the strong reputation of British higher education among Iraqi students and the value of long-term institutional partnerships. While recognising that UK branch campuses in Iraq remain a longer-term objective, he advocated a phased approach centred on curriculum development, joint research, academic exchanges and collaborative programme delivery.

Timothy Fisher shared Stirling Education’s experience of managing a large network of schools and universities across Iraq during recent disruptions. He highlighted the importance of business continuity planning, communication with families and staff, and the successful use of online learning systems developed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Raed Mahmoud of SABIS reflected on the resilience of Iraq’s education sector, noting that international schools had successfully maintained academic standards and examination preparation despite challenging circumstances. He also called for greater support for high-achieving Iraqi students seeking undergraduate study opportunities abroad and emphasised the importance of protecting teaching time within the academic calendar.

The session also heard from Dr. Ahmed Al-Salihi of Queen Mary University of London, who highlighted growing collaboration between UK universities and Iraqi institutions, including scholarship programmes, academic partnerships and research initiatives.

A common theme throughout the discussion was the importance of strengthening UK-Iraq educational partnerships to support Iraq’s future workforce and economic development. Speakers agreed that despite current challenges, there remains significant potential for collaboration across higher education, schools, research and skills development.

IBBC will continue to support dialogue between educators, policymakers and industry leaders as part of its wider efforts to promote knowledge exchange and capacity building in Iraq.