University of Evansville to Participate in New Iraq Education Initiative

Iraqi officials this morning announced the University of Evansville as one of only 22 colleges and universities across the nation participating in the first year of the new Iraq Education Initiative.

The project, which was announced in Washington, D.C., this morning by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, was created as part of an effort to help rebuild Iraq by offering its citizens access to quality education in foreign countries. Among the goals of the Initiative is to send up to 10,000 Iraqi students per year over the next five years to the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia to complete their higher education studies.

The program will kick off in 2009/10 with 500 students going to the 22 universities announced this morning, including the University of Evansville. It is not yet known, however, how many of the students will attend UE.

"We are just incredibly excited to be part of the Iraq Education Initiative," said Bev Fowler, UE's director of international admission. "As we prepare to welcome Iraqi students to the university for their education, we also anticipate their presence will have a positive impact on the entire UE community."

All of these students' education will be fully-funded by the Iraqi government.
With this morning's announcement, UE joined 21 other universities in creating the American Universities Iraq Consortium. But the University's efforts in Iraq go back beyond this project.

Last year, UE welcomes its first Iraqi student, Zaid Abdulmajeed, as part of a separate program, entitled the Iraqi Student Project. Then, in the spring, UE Vice President for Enrollment Services Thomas Bear traveled to Iraq to explore the new Iraq Education Initiative, leading to UE's participation in this morning's announcement.

At the news conference Prime Ministar al-Maliki - joined by the program's executive director, Zuhair Humadi - signed an implementation agreement with the Academy for Educational Development's president, Stephen F. Moseley.
The event took place at AED headquarters in Washington, D.C. Fowler was in attendance to represent the University of Evansville.

Courtesy: University of Evansville

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