Representative of His Excellency the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research: Striving for our Iraqi universities to obtain international classifications
Al-Abbasi: Quality is not the topic of the hour, but there is a link between it and comprehensive self-evaluation activities
and striving to improve the quality of education in a way that achieves possible efficiency and effectiveness
The Southern Technical University organized the third conference on quality assurance and university performance for the four technical universities in the conference hall of the Technical Engineering College in Basra, with the participation of researchers from Iraqi technical universities. The representative of His Excellency the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Assistant President of the University of Basra for Scientific Affairs, Professor Dr. Zaki Abdullah Ahmed, stressed in his speech the endeavor to obtain international classifications for our Iraqi universities, and this can only be achieved by obtaining programmatic accreditation, serving the community, expanding the dissemination of research, and reaching solutions to scientific problems, indicating at the same time that Iraqi universities are a beacon that rings in the world of knowledge and science and producing real alternatives to serve society. The President of the University, Professor Dr. Rabie Hashim Thajil Al-Abbasi, stated in his speech that the Southern Technical University sought, upon its establishment in August 2014, to work towards raising academic standards consistent with its vision and mission in a manner consistent with the philosophy of technical education and its scientific position in society
Pointing out at the same time that quality is not the topic of the hour, but there is a link between it and comprehensive self-evaluation activities and the pursuit of improving the quality of education in order to achieve possible efficiency and effectiveness. His Excellency pointed out that quality in all technical universities should include their activities represented by curricula, educational programs and scientific research, as well as workshops, laboratories and other infrastructure. Working papers were presented at the conference, including the paper presented by the Assistant President of the Northern Technical University for Scientific Affairs, Director of the Department of Quality Assurance and University Performance, Assistant Professor Dr. Omar Rafeh Mahmoud, which was via cyberspace, showing the importance of scientific research in achieving sustainable development goals during the Covid 19 pandemic
Southern Technical University presented a research paper in which the Director of Student Affairs Department, Dr. Raed Abdul Zahra, explained the extent of compatibility between the Bologna educational path and the philosophy of technical education. The third working paper, which was by Assistant Professor Muwaffaq Yahya Othman, focused on the extent of the possibility of applying the program accreditation standards of the National Council for Improving the Quality of Pure Engineering Education, which were approved by the University Supervision and Evaluation Authority, the Quality Assurance and Academic Accreditation Department, to improve the outputs of technical engineering departments in the formations of the four technical universities.
Middle Euphrates Technical University presented a research paper on the experience of the Continuing Education Center in developing teaching methods, presented by Dr. Mahdi Hatem, Director of the Continuing Education Center, and Dr. Ali Najah Kazim, Director of the Quality Assurance and University Performance Department. The conference concluded with a research paper from the Middle Technical University on the quality of educational laboratories, reality and ambition, presented by the Director of the Quality Assurance Department, Dr. Haider Mahdi Baqer. The conference came out with recommendations presented by the Director of the Quality Assurance Department at the Southern Technical University, Assistant Professor Dr. Rita Salem Adam, through which she indicated the necessity of developing and improving the efficiency of teachers in technical universities by developing the training program for teaching methods and paying attention to the quality of educational laboratories and their continuous improvement and providing them with modern devices that keep pace with scientific developments in various specializations. The recommendations also emphasized the preparation of cadres of internal auditors for quality systems by involving them in courses supervised by solid and specialized international institutions, in addition to forming the National Council for Granting Academic Accreditation and granting it the necessary powers. The recommendations concluded with the necessity of setting a specificity for technical education in all national classification forms
At the conclusion of the conference, certificates of appreciation were distributed to the participants
