The Peace Theater at the College of Media, University of Baghdad, hosted the opening of the International Conference on the Future of Education, Vocational, and Technical Training in Iraq, organized by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in collaboration with UNESCO and the European Union. The event, held on Wednesday, was attended by the President of the University of Baghdad, Professor Dr. Bahaa Ibrahim Ensaf, along with various dignitaries and academics.
The conference lasts two days, from May 15th to May 16th, 2024, aiming to highlight international trends in education and vocational and technical training and their alignment with Iraq’s national education strategy for the period from 2022 to 2031.
Key focuses of the conference include curriculum updates, training program enhancements, and collaboration with international organizations to meet global standards. During the opening speech, Minister of Higher Education Dr. Na’im Al-Aboudi reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to keeping pace with advancements in knowledge and technical skills and developing policies and strategies to meet national and international needs in education and training.
Dr. Al-Aboudi emphasized the dedication of Iraqi universities specializing in technical fields to improving the technical and vocational education sector, considering it as the backbone of the national economy. This led to the inclusion of a primary goal in Iraq’s national education strategy related to integrating theory and practice by focusing on the practical aspects of education, contributing significantly to achieving sustainable growth.
The conference agenda included discussions on several key topics, such as sustainable development, digital transformation in education and training, relations with the labor market, and other topics related to the development of the educational, technical, and vocational sectors in Iraq.
The event witnessed a substantial academic presence, representing Iraqi technical universities, along with remarks from the Ministry of Education, the Executive Director of the Higher Education Development Committee in the Prime Minister’s Office, representatives from the Kurdistan Region, and representatives from the European Union and UNESCO in Iraq.
