Prepared and organised by IBBC, a delegation consisting of Dr. Ian Gillespie, Vice Chancellor of the University of Dundee, Mr. Jason Norris, Director of Global Partnerships at the University and Dr Mohammed Al Uzri, IBBC advisor on Health and Education concluded a 5-day official visit to Iraq with great success ticking all boxes the delegation aimed to achieve.

On the 30 May, the delegation arrived in Baghdad greeted by a welcoming committee, straight from the arrival’s hall of Baghdad International Airport, by the President of Baghdad University, Moneer Hameed, Director of scholarships department, Dr. Hazim Taher and his assistant Dr. Abdul Jaleel Al Hasnawi and other officials from Baghdad University.

With a compact schedule ahead, the next day Dr. Ian Gillespie, Mr. Jason Norris and Dr Mohammed Al Uzri visited Baghdad University and held a meeting with Dr. Muneer Hameed, President Baghdad University in his office. The meeting was attended by Dr. Hamid Al-Wakil, Advisor to the Prime Minister, Dr. Ali Al-Shawi, President of Al-Nahrain University, Dr. Ahmed Al-Ghabban, President of the University of Technology, President of Warith Al Anbiaa University and other Deans of colleges in Iraq. The discussion focused on scholarships and needs/requirements of the Iraqi Universities and especially on cooperation in the medical departments, as well as other several different projects which were discussed, such as the support in elevating and improving the higher education curricula, assistance in training programs for the university’s academics staff in Dundee or inside Iraq.

Dr. Muneer and the IBBC delegation also attended a pre-planned meeting with a group of Iraqi alumni of the University of Dundee. The talks drove towards how the Dundee post graduates could assist the new students and prepare them in undergoing their journey of study at the University of Dundee or at Baghdad University.

Later in the evening, the delegation attended dinner hosted by Haider Al Shamaa, IBBC representative member, at his guest house on the bank of the river Tigres. The attendees included Mohammed Dulaimi, Standard Chartered Bank, Uni House representative, representatives from Stirling Education and G4S, Red Crescent Chairman and Al-Wakil, Advisor to the Prime Minister.

The following day, a very productive meeting was held with Dr. Haider Dhahad, deputy Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and high-ranking officials in the Ministry. The discussions addressed several programs that can be established as a base of cooperation to build upon with the University of Dundee. The scholarship program, the higher education academic staff training, especially in the medical departments, which the University of Dundee is regarded as a global expert in medicine teaching, and the potential step of launching a teaching center of medicine in Iraq.

The delegation then visited the American University accepting the invite from the University’s President and its administrative and academic staff. The meeting discussed potential cooperation between the two Universities and an official invite was delivered to the President of the American University to visit Dundee.

In the evening the delegation attended dinner hosted by Dr Muneer at Baghdad University, which included a Baghdad folklore music portrait and memorabilia tokens were handed to the visiting delegates from Dundee.

On the 2 June, the delegation met with Mr Jim Buttery, Country Director, British Council Iraq, followed by a meeting with the Chairman of the Iraqi Red Crescent at the Red Crescent HQ located in Mansur- Baghdad. The talks focused on cooperation in training the medical staff of the Red Crecent.

The delegation took the afternoon flight from Baghdad to Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan Federal Region of Iraq, and that evening attended dinner with several Presidents and Deans of Universities and Colleges in Erbil.

3, June the delegation visited the village of Barzani and paid tribute to the memorial center museum in the village.

The delegation visited Tishik University and met with the President of the University and other high-ranking officials; the talks focused on exploring potential cooperation. Later in that evening the delegation attended dinner hosted by the president of Tishik University.

On 4, June, the delegation visited Saladdin University and met with the President and Deans of several colleges and explored potential cooperation.

The delegation then met with H.E. Masroor Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, discussed the importance of education and potential cooperation with the University of Dundee.

On that afternoon, a meeting with Deputy Minister of Higher Education of KRG was held at the Ministry attended by advisors and high-ranking staff to discuss the cooperation in the field of scientific research.

Later that day, the delegation visited the University of Kurdistan Hawler and held a meeting with the President Keith Sharp and several Deans and academic staff.

The visit was concluded with a meeting with the Directors of the newly established Kurdistan knowledge and innovation institute to explore ways of cooperation between the two institutions.