University of Anbar President visits the Iraqi Embassy in Den Haag-Netherlands

University of Anbar president, Prof. Dr. Mushtaq Taleb Al-Nada, accompanied by the presidents of Basra, Mosul, Kufa, Karbala and Salah Al-Din- Erbil universities, visited the Iraqi embassy in the Netherlands at kind invitation of his excellency the Iraqi ambassador to the kingdom of Netherlands, Dr. Hisham Al-Alawi. The ambassador assured that the participation of Iraqi universities, especially the attendance of (6) presidents from large Iraqi public universities (Kufa, Karbala, Basra, Anbar, Mosul and Salah al-Din) indicate the success of the embassy’s efforts over the past years in strengthening partnerships and cooperation in the field of education, higher education and scientific research. Besides, the Iraqi delegation brings an important projects and practical proposals to enhance bilateral cooperation in the future.

On the other hand, the representatives of the Dutch ministries and institutions confirmed their commitment to continue and expand cooperation in the field of higher education and scientific research. Mrs. Titia Bredee, director general of the Nuffic Foundation for the internationalization of education, praised the great presence of the Iraqi delegation, which reflects the desire to strengthen partnerships and expand bilateral cooperation, especially in the priority sectors of the two countries.

Moreover, Mrs. Merrill D. Konick, the representative of Dutch embassy in Baghdad, indicated that Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs looks forward for additional cooperation in the field of education between the two countries as a priority in its work program in Iraq. Representatives of Dutch institutions continued to deliver their speeches, especially the President of Wageningen University and the professors coordinating and responsible for the program at the university, including Dr. Karrar Mahdi, the project manager and coordinator with Iraqi universities.

University of Anbar president acknowledged the great and crucial role performed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research represented by the minister, representatives and director general of the department of scholarships and cultural relations, as well as, the great efforts and support of the Iraqi embassy represented by Iraqi ambassador for the purpose of approving and implementing this project. The president confirms the commitment of university of Anbar to build bonds of communication with international universities for the purpose of raising the quality and quantity of research and developing the capabilities of teachers, researchers and students through the exchange of experiences and joint scientific programs, which ultimately leads to the development of research projects that contribute to strengthening the role of the university in community service with the presence of numerous specialized companies in agriculture, agricultural productions and water management in this event.

It is also worth mentioning that the program activities are part of the Orange Knowledge Programs (OKP) for the development of higher education sector in Iraq led by Wageningen University (the first in the world in the field of agricultural research and livestock sectors), and funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the management of Nuffic Foundation.