The President of the University of Kufa, Prof. Dr. Alaa Naji Al-Mawla, received a delegation from the European Union Delegation to Iraq led by Vim Rietsema, who oversees EU partnership, development, economic and investment support programs in Iraq.

The visit was held to congratulate the university’s research team on its successful participation in a project under the Horizon Europe–Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Staff Exchanges program, marking the first participation of an Iraqi university in the initiative.

The meeting was attended by the university’s Assistant President for Scientific Affairs, Prof. Dr. Abbas Talib Al-Hadabi; Assistant President for Administrative Affairs, Prof. Dr. Rasha Al-Hatami; and members of the research team.

Al-Mawla welcomed the delegation and highlighted the university’s academic and research achievements, emphasizing its commitment to expanding cooperation with the EU and developing sustainable partnerships with international universities and research institutions.

The EU delegation congratulated the university and praised the research team’s achievement. Al-Hadabi also outlined EU funding and academic exchange opportunities available to Iraqi universities, including Erasmus+ and other programs focused on research, capacity building and academic mobility.

Prof. Dr. Ali Abdul-Hussein Shukr, head of the research team, presented the project’s objectives, which include artificial intelligence and explainable AI, researcher exchanges, knowledge transfer and research capacity building, as well as opportunities for collaboration with European institutions.

The two sides discussed ways to expand academic and scientific cooperation, increase researcher and faculty participation in European programs and grants, and organize seminars and workshops to raise awareness of available funding opportunities and application procedures.

Al-Mawla described the university’s participation in Horizon Europe as a significant milestone in its internationalization efforts, saying it would open new opportunities for sustainable research partnerships and strengthen the University of Kufa’s presence in the global research and innovation community.

Aziz Al-Yahya