on March 4, 2024. The conference was attended by Iraqi university presidents and senior staff from the Ministry of Higher Education, amidst a distinguished Arab academic presence.
The conference began with a speech by His Excellency, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Naim Al-Abboudi. He called for the establishment and announcement of the Arab Higher Education Region under the umbrella of the Arab Universities Union. He emphasized that the conference presented a valuable opportunity for exchanging ideas and opinions on ways to develop higher education in the Arab region. The minister urged the establishment of the Arab Higher Education Region, citing it as a significant initiative with a roadmap to address challenges, strengthen collaborative efforts, similar to the experience of creating the European Higher Education Area. He highlighted the need to support and enhance reform climates in institutions and provide solutions to various difficulties faced by Arab universities and educational institutions.
He added that genuine and continuous collaboration among Arab universities would narrow the gap between Arab educational spaces and allow productive interaction with robust educational environments in many global capitals.
During the opening of the general conference of the Arab Universities Union, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research honored Dr. Amr Ezzat Salama, the Secretary-General of the Arab Universities Union, and Dr. Abdelmajeed bin Amara, the Secretary-General of the Union of Arab Scientific Research Councils. The minister also expressed confidence in strengthening the position of Arab universities in terms of academic, scientific, and research contributions.
