"A time to heal"

Dr. Asmat Mohammed Khalid: Thank you. My name is Asmat, I am president of University of Dohuk, Kurdistan region of Iraq. Very close to the Turkish-Syrian border. To enter the subject really, we are here as a delegate from Iraqi education to explore the possibility of having cooperation program basically to train our existing staff members and to have a place for some of our scholars that we are planning to send them outside to ensure future as a part of reform of our education system in all of Iraq.

Eric Fingerhut: Eric Fingerhut. I'm the Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents. We are anxious to partner globally with other great universities and university systems for exchange of students, the exchange of research, the exchange of all things that I'm sure we'll have a chance to talk about that.

Dr. E. Gordon Gee: We are the largest university in this country and we have a significant international population. We have significant efforts in terms of our international programming, but we certainly do want to look to establishing long-term relations, so your visit is propitious. You have come at exactly the right moment.

Dr. Abdulrazzaq Abduljaleel Issa: We are pleased you know to have such a wonderful university and we are also looking forward to have a relationship and present our students for postgraduate studies.

Dr. E. Gordon Gee: I think that with the elections and the progress there that we can now turn our attention to institutional building and nation building which is what we should be turning our attention to. Well I can say, both as a university president and as a citizen of this country that we very strongly that we have made mistakes in terms of our relationships with Iraq, but I think our universities are the healing ointment and I really do believe that. I believe that we can do things together that will establish a long-term, viable, committed relationship.

Dr. Asmat Mohammed Khalid: That is what we are looking for. And for my opinion, I have been to so many universities inside United States and outside universities. My feeling is this is the best place to send our students to.

After decades of difficulty in higher education, Iraqi academics are ready to return the country's universities to their glory days, when the schools were seen as some of the region's best institutions of higher education.

Some Iraqi college presidents have taken a concrete step toward reaching that goal: a visiting tour of American universities, including Ohio State.

Three college presidents--Abdulrazzaq Abduljaleel Issa of Kufa University; Nabeel Hashem Kaghed of University of Babylon; and Asmat Mohammed Khalid of Dohuk University--recently came to Ohio State to see how the university is using technology, observe teaching techniques, and study how the university is funded and lead.

"I have been to so many universities inside United States and outside universities," Khalid says. "My feeling is this is the best place to send our students."

The presidents also met with President Gee and Provost Alutto, in an effort to establish relationships that may lead to an exchange of students and scholars between Iraq and the United States.

“I believe that we can do things together that will establish a long-term, viable, committed relationship.”
—President Gee

Colleges in Iraq are beginning to rebuild themselves after decades of problems.

During former President Saddam Hussein's reign, many Iraqi colleges became political pawns. Then, in 2006 and 2007, heavy sectarian violence led to the widespread assassination of professors. Academics fled the country and classes trickled to a halt.

"I think that with the elections and the progress there, that we can now turn out our attention to institution-building and nation-building," Gee says.

He believes American universities can help. Not only would partnerships between American and Iraqi universities be a boon to higher education, he says, they also can help rebuild the relationship between the two nations.

"Our universities are the healing ointment," Gee says. "I believe that we can do things together that will establish a long-term, viable, committed relationship."

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