19 March، 2026
Al-Rafidain Center for Dialogue (RCD) organized a virtual discussion seminar on ZOOM titled, "Higher Education in Iraq: Problems of Centralized Administration, Privatization, and the Need for Development." A large number of university professors, academics, intellectual figures, and scientific elites from various specializations attended the event.

The following professors presented important research papers:

1.     Dr. Mohsen Abdul Hussein al-Dhalimi: "The Crisis of Higher Education in Iraq"

2.     Dr. Abdul Amir Kadhim Zahid: "Features and Prospects of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Iraq"

3.     Dr. Kamil Alawi Kadhim: "Stages of Higher Education Reform in Iraq"

4.     Dr. Ammar Abbas al-Hussaini: "The Experience of Private University Education: Problems and Paths"

5.     Dr. Aqil Abbas Naaman: "Attracting Foreign Universities: The Potential for a Solution from Abroad"

In his opening remarks, Dr. Hassan Latif Al-Zubaidi, Director of Al-Rafidain Center for Dialogue (RCD), stated, "I am pleased to welcome a constellation of Iraq's higher education luminaries to this seminar, which we hope will contribute to illuminating various aspects of the reality of higher education." He added, "The education system faces a deep crisis due to the Corona pandemic, and 220,000 students have been cut off from education and training, which is an unprecedented event in the vocational and technical fields."

Following this, Dr. al-Dhalimi presented a paper that diagnosed the bleak reality of higher education, highlighting the shortcomings in university administrations and leadership, problematic legal texts, and the lack of sufficient funding for managing universities and their infrastructure.

Dr. Zahid focused on scientific research, criticizing the state of research centers and stressing the need for their reform. He noted that there are 48 research centers in the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and 60 research units in various Iraqi universities, the majority of which are unproductive and often serve as places to punish professors who are deemed unproductive or who do not conform to their colleges.

The paper by Dr. Alawi offered solutions for reforming the education system. Among them was the proposal that the selection of leaders—whether the minister, university presidents, or college deans—must be free from political interventions and should originate from within the ministry itself, not from outsiders who are disconnected from the academic reality.

The papers by Dr. al-Hussaini and Dr. Abbas also addressed the state of higher education and scientific research, its many problems and deficiencies, the issue of private education, and the necessity of attracting foreign universities with the aim of evaluating and improving performance.