Rome, June 12th 2023
The First Lady of the Republic of Iraq, Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed, wife of President Abdul Latif Rashid visited the Headquarters of the International Telematic University UNINETTUNO in Rome, member of UNIMED. During the meeting, Professor Maria Amata Garito, Rector of the University, presented to the First Lady the academic activities of UNINETTUNO in Iraq, focusing on few projects of academic cooperation of UNINETTUNO and Iraqi Institutions and Universities in particular the EDICT Project and the archeological Mission in Eridu.
The EDICT – Enterprise Development through Information and Communication Technology Project realized by UNINETTUNO and UNIDO has contributed to the establishment of four Technology Hubs in Baghdad, Basra, Erbil, and Thi Qar, providing training for Iraqi students in entrepreneurship. The “Archaeological Mission in Eridu” involves innovative activities in surveying, documentation, and management of geographical, topographical, architectural, and archaeological data, with the development of new methodological approaches in the archeological area of Eridu.
Expressing her satisfaction at the end of the visit, First Lady Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed said, “I have heard a lot about UNINETTUNO University, and I am delighted to be here. I have gained valuable insights from this visit, and when I return home, I will immediately share all the information received. I hope that soon a delegation of UNINETTUNO faculty members will visit my country to share their experience and the know-how that have led UNINETTUNO to success.”
Professor Maria Amata Garito, acknowledging the First Lady Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed’s commitment to women’s participation in society, economy, and politics, as well as her unwavering support for press freedom, stated, “We have laid a solid foundation for strengthening academic collaboration with Iraqi universities. The visit of the First Lady and the overall interest shown by the Republic of Iraq towards our university have been a delightful surprise. Our students come from 167 countries worldwide, including many from Iraq. Our university has always expanded competencies while respecting differences, with the aim of creating an increasingly globalized and interconnected world. I sincerely thank First Lady Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed, and today I am assured of her clear understanding of the importance, even for Iraq, of a quality education model like that of UNINETTUNO.”
UNIMED is particularly active in Iraq with initiatives and projects that are currently active in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, such as APPRAIS – governAnce, quality, accountability: a Piloting Reform PRrocess in kurdistAn regIon of Iraq and TeachersMOD – Future Elementary School Teachers Modernization in Kurdistan. In the framework of the APPRAIS project a meeting with all the Iraqi members of UNIMED – currently 5 – has been organized at the Polytechnic University of Duhok.
UNIMED strongly encourages cooperation with the Iraqi Universities and the activity planned by the UNINETTUNO University are important to improve this relationship.
