During a meeting with a number of university representatives, including the President of Wolfson College, Sir Tim Hitchens at the University of Oxford with the Iraqi scientific elites and competencies working in the United Kingdom at the University of Oxford and a visit to its educational environment, halls and library, His Excellency, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr.  Naeem Abd Yaser Al-Aboudi announced on establishing of the Iraqi Competencies Council, which includes the academic, professional and medical elites working in Britain, with the aim of creating an environment for cooperation and partnership in the fields of scientific research.

Dr. Al-Aboudi reviewed the Ministry’s policy and strategy on developing the fields of Higher Education and scientific research in Iraq and to enable universities, their departments and councils to achieve the goal of the educational institution and its mission that serves the community and responds to the goals of sustainable development.

His Excellency highlighted the interventions and perceptions made by the attendees and participants regarding the steps of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in opening up to international institutions and developing cooperation programs that are consistent with the transformations of the educational system in Iraq, which has begun serious steps towards modernization, especially with regard to the decision to adopt the Bologna Process in Iraqi universities and attract international students, as well as launching of a package of procedures for developing tracks of scientific publishing in global websites.

It is worth mentioning, Deputy for Scientific Research Affairs, Dr. Haider Abd Dhahd, the President of the University of Baghdad, Dr. Mounir Al-Saadi, the President of Anbar University, Dr. Mushtaq Talib Al-Nada, and the Chairman of the Committee of Deans of Medical Colleges in Iraq, Dr. Anis Khalil Nail and the cultural advisor, Dr. Muhammad Hamzah Abd Al-Sada Al-Hashemi.