The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Naim Al-Aboudi, inaugurated the work of the International Conference on the Future of Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Iraq in cooperation with UNESCO and the European Union.
In his speech during the conference (15-16 May 2024), which sheds light on international trends and their suitability for the National Strategy for Education in Iraq (2022-2031), he stressed the continuation of updating educational curricula and training programs, enhancing students’ skills, and continuing cooperation with international organizations to meet global standards.
He explained that the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and its institutions are moving confidently to keep pace with the changes of knowledge and the movement of technical skills through the development of educational policies and strategies that meet national needs and are in line with international trends in this regard, pointing to the modernization of educational curricula and training programs in order to enhance students’ skills and qualify them to effectively engage in the local and global labor market.
The Minister of Education added that Iraqi universities specialized in technical fields have been focusing efforts and intensifying work on the revival of the technical and vocational education sector, which constitutes the infrastructure for the development of cadres and human capabilities, which represents a pivotal hinge in supporting the national economy, which necessitated that the national strategy for education in Iraq includes a specific goal of integrating theory and practice and promoting innovation and creativity through applied education, which is a catalyst for sustainable development.
The conference included a rich academic presence and representation of Iraqi technical universities, speeches by the Ministry of Education, the Executive Director of the Higher Committee for Education Development in the Office of the Prime Minister, the representative of the Kurdistan Region, representatives of the European Union and UNESCO in Iraq, in addition to sessions that shed light on the sustainable development goals related to technical and vocational education, UNESCO’s strategy for training and education, and the development of key strategic paths and directions. Education and training in Iraq and the digital transformation of education and training in Iraq and practices Responsible for achieving links with the labor market.
