The American University of Iraq – Baghdad (AUIB) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Bradley J. Cook as the second president of the university, succeeding Dr. Michael W. Mulnix, the founding President of AUIB, who will transition to serve as President Emeritus of the university. This is Dr. Cook’s fourth university presidency, and he brings more than 25 years of experience in academia to his new role. As the second President of AUIB, Dr. Cook will lead the university during an exciting time of growth as it expands its enrollment and launches the process to become the first U.S.-accredited university in Iraq.
Dr. Cook will succeed Dr. Mulnix as President of AUIB. Dr. Mulnix has founded five universities prior to AUIB. Under President Mulnix’s leadership, and with the backing of the Saadi Saihood family, AUIB developed on the grounds of the Al-Faw Presidential Palace complex on Airport Road, transforming the compound into a state-of-the-art university and residential compound. On May 24, 2025, AUIB will graduate its first class of students who represent the first cohort of a student body of some 2,700 students enrolled in nine colleges, several of which are already partnered with such prestigious American universities as Vanderbilt, Temple, Colorado School of Mines, Lawrence Technological University, and others.
Dr. Mulnix received his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland and his Master’s Degree from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. His 35 years of experience in academia included positions as a Dean, Associate Dean, Chair of Graduate Business Programs, and Professor of Communications at institutions in the Middle East for the past twelve years. Prior to that, he was President of Antioch University in Santa Barbara, California; Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas; Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Our Lady of the Lake University also in San Antonio; Executive Director of University Relations at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Director of Public Affairs at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities in Washington, DC; and Assistant to the Chancellor and Director of University Relations at the former University of Alaska-Juneau. As a professor, Dr. Mulnix taught journalism, history, marketing, and business.
Dr. Cook is currently the President of the American University of Bahrain (AUBH), the first comprehensive, American-style, coeducational university in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Previously, he served as President of Snow College in the U.S. state of Utah, and the Abu Dhabi Women’s College. Prior to his work in the Middle East, Dr. Cook also served in the U.S. as Vice-President of Academic Affairs and Provost at Southern Utah University and Vice-President for University Relations and later of Academic Affairs at Utah Valley University. As a professor, Dr. Cook taught history, political science, and international and comparative education at four universities.
As President of the American University in Bahrain, Dr. Cook led the institution’s accreditation through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, one of the seven regional accreditation agencies for universities in the United States. When AUBH achieved full institutional accreditation, it was the youngest university ever to achieve this milestone. On the academic front, Dr. Cook has a stellar record of starting new academic programs at several of his universities, including graduate programs for working professionals. Over the course of his long career, Dr. Cook received 28 awards and other recognitions of excellence, both in the U.S. and abroad.
Dr. Cook holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Stanford University and a doctorate from the University of Oxford. Dr. Cook’s research has focused on Islamic thought and Islamic approaches to education, as well as Islamic banking. He is the author of Classical Foundations of Islamic Educational Thought, published by the Brigham Young University Press. He has special research interests in Islamic educational theory, comparative religion, and international and comparative education. Dr. Cook is active in his academic field, maintaining a consistent research and publication agenda. His research has also been broadly published in peer-reviewed academic journals and books to which he contributed chapters.
President Mulnix will introduce Dr. Cook to the AUIB community at that commencement ceremony, during which the two Presidents will speak of AUIB’s accomplishments to date and their shared vision for the future during this most important of transitions. In particular, the expansion of graduate and professional programs at AUIB will be a high priority, with AUIB having already launched an MBA program with more graduate programs in the works.
“It is with great enthusiasm and honor that I accept this transformative position at AUIB, and I am eager to join forces with the Founders, Board, and university community to strengthen its established foundation and advance education in Iraq,” noted Dr. Cook.
In his new role as President Emeritus, Dr. Mulnix will work closely with Dr. Cook to implement the vision of the university’s founders to become a world class research and teaching university with a broad range of scholarships and support to enable talented students of all economic levels to attend the university.
“We are very excited to welcome Dr. Bradley Cook to the AUIB family,” said Dr. Mulnix. “With his deep knowledge of local traditions in education and experience in the Middle East region, Dr. Cook will build on the foundations already established to usher in a new era for AUIB as it transitions from a start-up university to a fully accredited, comprehensive university that is globally recognized for its teaching and research,” concluded Dr. Mulnix.
Mr. Saadi Saihood, Acting Chairman of the Board of Trustees of AUIB and founder of the university, said, “Dr. Cook’s stellar record in growing student enrollment and fundraising as President at all of his previous universities, along with his deep knowledge of our region and culture, was a major factor in choosing him to succeed and build on the great work that has been accomplished to date under the leadership of AUIB President Michael Mulnix. I and my three sons, Hussein, Ali, and Yusef, look forward to working closely with Dr. Cook as AUIB enters the next phase of its growth and development while we continue our work with Dr. Mulnix in his leadership of the Board of Trustees.”