Iraq University Linkages Program

Education, Higher Education Development, Middle East and North Africa

The Iraq University Linkages Program (ULP) promotes higher education reform in Iraq by working with Iraqi faculty and administrators to strengthen university curricula, enhance and update teaching methods and technology, and improve career services for students.

Through the ULP, Iraqi universities become more engaged within the global community and catalyze social, political, and economic development in Iraq. Through capacity building activities wtihin the ULP, Iraqi faculty become better equipped to conduct ongoing curriculum review while raising the standard of their curriculum to model internationally recognized accreditation standards.

The Iraq ULP is supported by the U.S. Embassy in Iraq.

Goals

- Promote higher education as an important pillar in rebuilding civil society by bridging the gap between universities and the private sector in Iraq;

- Build higher education capacity in Iraq in targeted program areas related to curriculum development, technology, pedagogy, and career services;

- Promote mutual understanding and strengthen US-Iraqi relationships through technical assistance, collaboration, online and videoconferencing courses, and training and exchanges; and

- Promote substantive and long-term connections between US and Iraqi universities that will endure beyond the scope of the program as a sustainable partner network.

Background

Years of conflict, preceded by decades of nepotism, have thwarted the progress of Iraqi universities and their ability to contribute to social, political, and economic development. Between 2003 and 2010, insurgent groups in Iraq targeted and threatened academics, forcing many to flee and isolating those who stayed. Among scholars in Iraq today, isolation is one of their deepest concerns, impeding their ability to equip Iraqi students to succeed on a local and global stage. The Iraq ULP addresses the needs of Iraqi universities to strengthen their teaching, learning, and career development through multifaceted technical assistance and collaboration. At the same time, the Iraq ULP brings universities into the broader global academic community and allows scholars and academics to resume their prominent role in promoting reconstruction and long-term stability.

Project Activities

- Offering technical assistance to universities through consulting and training in curriculum development, technology, and pedagogy, and supporting US-Iraqi academic collaboration;

- Creating and supporting Iraqi university career centers to prepare students for real-world employment, and facilitating dialogue between industry and academia;

- Preparing Iraqi undergraduates for the realities of a globalized economy through intensive English language training at US partner universities;

- Providing emerging Iraqi academic leaders with foundational training in university administration, including intensive management and leadership development, job shadowing at a US university, and support for participant-led reform initiatives.