University of Arkansas, University of Sulaimani Establish Cooperation Agreement

University of Sulaimani President Salahalddin Saeed Ali and University of Arkansas Chancellor G. David Gearhart sign a formal agreement of cooperation between the two institutions.

From left to right: Bakhtiar Qader Aziz, Salahalddin Saeed Ali, Kim LaScola Needy, G. David Gearhart.

Participants in the signing ceremony.

Bakhtiar Qader Aziz (left) and Salahalddin Saeed Ali (right) pose with the Il Porcellino in front of University House.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The University of Arkansas and the University of Sulaimani in Sulaimani, Iraq, have established a formal agreement of cooperation that is intended to further the academic objectives of each institution.

Salahalddin Saeed Ali, president of the University of Sulaimani, signed the agreement during a recent visit to the University of Arkansas. He was accompanied by Bakhtiar Qader Aziz, the university’s dean of the Faculty of Science and Science Education. The visit was part of an initiative by the Graduate School and International Education to grow the Iraqi student population at the U of A.

“We are keen to send students to this excellent university,” Ali said. “We met so many kind people and professors here. Among all the universities that I visited in the United States, Europe and Asia, this is the first and only university that I will miss after leaving.”

Under the agreement, the universities will work to create programs for exchanging academic, research or other educational materials. The agreement also calls for the development of opportunities for the University of Sulaimani to send students to the U of A. Collaborative programs, seminars and research activities will be encouraged under the agreement as well.

Additionally, the universities will explore opportunities for their respective faculty members, visiting student researchers and administrators to be in residence at the other institution for the purposes of lecturing, conducting research and developing their academic or administrative skills.

A total of 34 students from Iraq are enrolled at the U of A in the Spring 2015 semester, including 30 graduate students who are sponsored by one of three scholarships awarded by the Iraqi government. In addition, there are 14 students enrolled at the Spring International Language Center who will begin their academic program at the U of A once they complete the English proficiency requirements. Spring International partners with the university to provide intensive English and cross-cultural education to foreign students. 

The agreement was the result of efforts by Douglas Rhoads, director of the U of A graduate program in cell and molecular biology, and Adnan Al-Rubaye, associate director of the cell and molecular biology program, to increase opportunities for sponsored students from Iraq at U of A.

The initiative was funded by Sponsored Student Programs and co-coordinated with Gloria Flores Passmore, director of sponsored student programs.  “This is the third agreement of this kind with a prestigious university in Iraq.  We are so grateful for this collaboration with cell and molecular biology to make this happen!”

This visit was part of an overall initiative by the Graduate School and International Education to grow the Iraqi student population at the U of A by attending Education USA Recruitment Fairs in Iraq, working with the Iraqi Cultural Office, and Kurdistan Regional Government - Iraq

Representation in the United States in Washington, D.C. and attending the U.S.-Iraq Higher Education Conference in Washington, D.C.

Al-Rubaye holds two degrees from the University of Baghdad and was the first Iraqi government-sponsored Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research scholar at the U of A. He earned a doctorate in cell and molecular biology and a master’s degree in science education at the U of A in 2013.

“I am so glad we were able to accomplish this milestone in our relationship with one of the top institutions in the Kuridstan Region of Iraq, the University of Sulaimani,” Al-Rubaye said. “Dr. Salah said he was thrilled by the research, administrative and academic facilities we have at the U of A. His visit was super productive and informative. Thank you to the many department chairs, faculty and administrators who took time to meet with him and Dr. Bakhtiar during their visit.”

The University of Sulaimani was founded in 1968 and has grown to an enrollment of more than 24,000 students.