On Wednesday, the 1st of February, 2023, Dr. Aram Mohammed Qadir, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq received the Erbil Polytechnic University partners in the Camplus project which consisted of seven international institutions from France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy and Greece.
In a meeting where the Consultants and General Directors of the ministry, the Vice Rector of Erbil Polytechnic University for Scientific Affairs and Higher Education, the Director of International Relations Office, and the officials and trainers of the project were present the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research welcomed the delegation of the European partners in the Camplus Project and expressed his pleasure for the joint work between the Erbil Polytechnic University and thanked them for choosing this university for implementing the Camplus project. He assured his ministry’s support for any joint work to further serve the youth, students and refugees in the camps.
It is worth mentioning that last year, six teachers of the Erbil Polytechnic University participated in a special course in Italy to become qualified trainers.
This project is funded by the European Union and aims to help refugees and the Erbil Polytechnic University alumni to develop their projects and create job opportunities for them.
In the presence of the University Rector Prof. Dr. Edrees Muhamad Tahir Harki, the Head of the Supervision and Quality Assurance Agency of the Ministry of Higher Education Dr. Mohammed Kalari, the General Director of Education and Planning Dr. Khatab Ahmed, the Vice Rector for Scientific Affairs, guests and Directors of the University Presidency, in a ceremony awarded Camplus accredited Trainers certificates to six lecturers of our university.
The ceremony was held on Wednesday, the 1st of February, 2023 in the Conference Hall of the university presidency. In the beginning, the Rector delivered a speech in which he welcomed the guests, European partners, academic staff, students and refugees. He said: “I congratulate our teachers on obtaining the certificate of qualified trainers. The university works as an academic institution to provide knowledge, conduct research and serve the community,” he said. Currently, the university’s relationship with its community has become a necessity for the economy to ensure social stability and also to solve social problems. Erbil Polytechnic University considers it its duty to help the community. In this regard, we have done a good job and will continue to step forward.
From this perspective, we look at the Camplus project, which is a three-year project funded by the European Union through the Erasmus Plus programme. It aims to help refugees, the poor, and our university alumni to develop their projects to become employers and create job opportunities for the youth of this region and pave the way for them to use their skills in the labor market.
We at Erbil Polytechnic University feel honored as we have been trusted by our partners to implement such projects in Erbil.
His Excellency added more by saying: “Ladies and gentlemen, I want to present some information about the project: “The Camplus project was launched in February 2021 by seven organizations, universities and institutes in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Greece, and the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, to train low-income people and refugee youth in Erbil and Larissa, Greece.
For this purpose, we have already prepared ourselves. In the past, six academic staff from our university went to Italy and were trained by the Italian partners in the field of project development and attention to continuous learning. From now and on, they can supervise different trainings in the camps based on their abilities and skills.
This project emphasizes the self-reliance of young people, the poor and refugees to become owners of their own projects and create job opportunities for themselves and their families.
We at Erbil Polytechnic University are working on finding job opportunities for our graduates and connecting our university with public and private institutions.
Commendably, through the Camplus Project, a model has been developed that focuses on constant learning that includes the following topics: (self-management skills, evaluation, counseling and leadership and truth management (evidence). Also, the creation of e-learning platforms.
Then succeeded workshops were presented by the partners, each of them separately discussed the role of their institution and country in the project.
Afterwards, Mr. Hawro, one of the teachers who was awarded the camplus certificate, presented a workshop on how to conduct courses in Erbil camps which has already begun to be implemented.
Finally, the partners awarded certificates of qualified Trainers to our university lecturers.
