The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Kurdistan Region has called The Iraq Support Fund to cover programs of the ministry in the next phase under the supervision of the ministry.
These points were raised during a meeting between the ministry adviser for scientific affairs, Dr. Beriwan Muslih Abdul Kareem Khailany, with representative of the fund and” the partner responsible for its activities in Iraq” Mr. Ismail Marqah.
Khailany said that the ministry” has not benefited from the fund only slightly during the past stage” pointing out that this was due to the non-affected universities in the region in the events of 2003, as happened with the rest of scientific and academic institutions in other parts of Iraq.
She added that the representatives of the ministry briefed Mr. Marqah during the meeting on the priorities of MHE works and programs according to the new strategy adopted by the government of Kurdistan region at the end of 2009 to upgrade the sector of higher education and scientific research in Kurdistan, especially in terms of capacity-building and quality assurance.
Adviser Khailany indicated that the representatives stressed during the meeting on the necessity of covering the formations of the ministry by the programs of the fund and that the implementation of these programs must be under the supervision of the ministry without the need of mediations of United Nations organizations, specially that both the federal and regional governments will contribute to the funds future programs.
She stated that the Fund in support of Iraq "plans to open offices in other parts of Iraq to follow up and evaluate the implementation of projects financed by the fund", pointing out that the Fund was "established by the donor countries in the wake of the Madrid meeting during the month of October 2003."