On Wednesday, May 21, 2025, Mergasor Technical Institute, part of Erbil Polytechnic University, hosted a certificate awarding ceremony to recognize the participants of the international training course titled “Bridging Cultures in Education: A Global Approach.”
The event was held in the presence of Dr. Talib Mohammed Sharif Omer, Dean of Mergasor Technical Institute; Dr. Thad Russell, Vice President of Porterville College in California, USA; Professor Dr. Elissa Queenan from Porterville College, California as well as members of the Institute Council board members , faculty, staff, and students.
Dr. Omer opened the ceremony with welcoming remarks delivered in both Kurdish and English, expressing appreciation for the international partnership and the participants’ dedication. This was followed by a speech from Dr. Thad Russell, who highlighted the importance of cross-cultural collaboration in education.
The course was launched as part of an academic cooperation agreement between Porterville College and Mergasor Technical Institute under the broader framework of a Memorandum of Understanding with Erbil Polytechnic University.
Designed to build bridges between educators globally, the program ran from November 2024 toMarch 10, 2025, with the participation of 51 university lecturers and 22 K-12 teachers from across the region.
Conducted online through the Canvas and Zoom platforms, the course included five in-depth modules covering key topics such as:
• The impact of higher education and culture
• Effective classroom design
• High-impact teaching practices
• Understanding students and designing effective lessons
• Identifying and addressing cultural, economic, and social barriers to equitable education
The program also offered a platform for integrating global pedagogical theories and sharing innovative teaching strategies.
At the conclusion of the event, certificates of completion were awarded to all participants by Professor Dr. Elissa Queenan from Porterville College, California,USA
This initiative underscores the Institute’s ongoing commitment to international collaboration and professional development for educators, aiming to foster a more inclusive and globally connected educational environment.