Adviser to the president of Kurdistan regional government for higher education said; the scholarship recently completed has been born from the real need of business and production sectors in the region، indicating that it confirmed the fulfillment of the Kurdistan coalition election promises. Also، his Excellency the minister of higher education and scientific research said; the scholarship program is one of the quality initiatives of Kurdistan region government with the blessings and support of its leadership to revitalize the scientific and academic institutions in particular and capacity building and cements it in Kurdistan in general.
The ministry of higher education and scientific research in Kurdistan region has completed arrangements for about 900 scholarships to major world universities of special program for capacity building under the new strategy approved by the Kurdistan region government to the higher education sector in Dec ember 2009 and allocated the amount of one hundred million dollars.
Adviser Dr. Jabbar added that the idea of the program was emerged of the real need for the region in general and the sector of higher education and scientific research in Kurdistan for specialties in various fields of knowledge of those who are well exposed to advanced international experiences.
Pointing out that it contains the "Sending of students to the major universities to complete their demanding higher education and obtain masters or doctoral degrees in the specialties of the region needs for its development.
He reported that this initiative "was among the electoral program of the Kurdistan Alliance (comprised basically of the two main parties in the region Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan) in summer 2009،" noting that its implementation "as an indication of the keenness of the Kurdistan Alliance and his government to implement what has been a piece of promises campaign to promote the region by qualitative and activating abilities.” He explained that the candidates " handed out on the basis of needs of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and formations of universities and scientific bodies، as well as the need for other ministries in the region"، pointing out that the Ministry of Higher Education " was in charge of the completion the processes of the first category and the Ministry of Planning will be in charge of choice of candidates for the second category through the needs of the ministries and official bodies in the Region
The Adviser Dr. Qader said that the objectives behind this initiative is to "prepare the cadres efficient in the various fields of knowledge to secure the needs of institutions of the Kurdistan Regional Government، business and its production،" he continued، as the student who will finish their higher studies in leading universities in the world "will transfer with them a rich experience that can contribute to the rebuilding of the region and its development.
And added، "There is also an important objective behind this initiative is to revitalize scientific research that cannot occur real development without progress on the field of higher education،" Noting that the first phase of the program "covering four years and have been allocated the amount of one hundred million dollars a year to be straightened At the end of the period specified، to build other programs on the basis of the results.
Dr. Jabbar Qader also said، the implementation of the program "has been through the High Commission under the chairmanship of the President of the Kurdistan Regional Government Dr. Barham Ahmed Salih، and the membership of the Deputy Prime Minister Azad Berwari and the Ministers of Education، Planning، Health and Higher Education and Scientific Research،" adding that this body " has developed a strategy for the program and oversaw the implementation of the program.
He added that there is a committee "is affiliated to the Council of Ministers oversaw the administrative and financial aspects of the program،" explaining that the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research "The process of selection and the nomination and complete the transaction and follow-up until the travel of students to pursue their studies and their progress during the following years note that there is coordination at the highest degree between these committees، to ensure the best implementation of the program، He also said، that this program، "responds to a large extent with the ambitious program developed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research، Kurdistan during the first year of government-sixth cabinet، capacity-building requires the presence of specialists at the highest level of knowledge and wide experience and developments in science and technology in developed countries
Quality initiative to revitalize the community
From his side، Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the Kurdistan Regional Government Professor Dlawer Abdul Aziz Aladdin said، The scholarship program is "one of the specific initiatives critical to the Kurdistan regional government with the blessing and support from leadership of the region to revitalize the sector of higher education and scientific research and building of human-capacity and to support it، "noting that" ratified by the Parliament of Kurdistan in paragraph 15 of the Code of the region and budget a hundred million dollars for 2010.
He added that it represents "a golden opportunity for the people of the region of university graduates bright and talented to complete their higher education master's and doctoral degrees in major universities in the world on according to the needs of the region to strengthen relations between the scientific and academic Kurdistan with its world counterparts and for the benefit of efforts to improve the standards of the region and its development and prosperity،" indicating that the program of capacity-building "also includes activities for training and support scientific research in the framework of the new strategy for higher education approved by the sixth governmental cab in December 2009
He reported that the current scholarship program is the "first of its kind to have competitive modern mechanism، ، fair، accurate and transparent، taking into account the actual needs of the scientific disciplines and the needs of universities، especially the young، and the ability of the developed and the points obtained through precise criteria are known and declared to everyone، whether candidates were admitted or not، he also said the program "has allowed the knowledge of all the data for persons accepted or not accepted." Professor Aladdin said، at this stage "have been seen the selection of approximately 900 candidates out of about three thousand applied for scholarship،" pointing to it as "second round after the ministry announced two months ago the first phase of top students of the scientific departments، with 240 top students from Universities، for the purpose of increasing their capabilities of science and motivate them to contribute in building the society of Kurdistan،" He said there is a "third phase of the program" dedicated to employees of other ministries will be announced soon، 300 scholarship will be administered by the Ministry of Planning Kurdistan. "Minister of Higher Education of Kurdistan، said that the Government of the region" saying that there are students outside the country of about 1200 students "، because of the limited budget they were sent and they faced difficulties especially in the western countries where living costs is high. “He added that the ministry "has raised a request to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers، which added a further $ 23 million to the scholarship allocations،" and added، "From now onwards students will receive in Western countries، $ 1500 per month instead of $900، other students in the eastern countries and third world countries will receive $ 900 per month instead of $500
He went on Prof. Alaa El Din، saying that the newly sent students "will receive salaries and allowances equal to their fellow students sent by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Federal government and the Supreme Committee for the development of education in the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of Iraq."
The minister Professor Dlawer Abdul Aziz Aladdin hoped "the success and luck in their scientific and research tasks"، because "they are the expectations of their parents and their families and before that، their community through the completion of the requirements of graduate degrees with honors and projects that would elevate the status of the region and put it on the world map of scientific and academic.