WorldPop Senior Research Fellow Dr Sarchil Qader met this week with Dr Salahalddin Saeed the President of Komar University of Science and Technology (KUST) to discuss opportunities for strengthening academic collaboration between the University of Southampton, WorldPop, and universities across the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Discussions focused on developing student and staff exchange programmes and exploring formal academic pathways that would enable Komar University graduates to pursue postgraduate studies at the University of Southampton, a top 100 global university. The meeting also addressed ways to strengthen research funding capacity in the region, an area that continues to face significant challenges.
Dr Qader also met with academic staff to discuss potential funding opportunities and future research collaboration.
Reflecting on the visit, Dr Qader said, “supporting academic mobility and building strong international partnerships is essential for developing long-term research capacity. Creating pathways for talented Kurdish students and researchers to engage with leading institutions globally is a key step towards strengthening science, innovation, and technology in the region.”
WorldPop would like to thank KUST for the warm welcome and constructive discussions and looks forward to working closely together to advance the priorities identified.
Headline image: Dr Sarchil Qader with Dr Salahalddin Saeed the President of Komar University of Science and Technology
