(Baghdad, Iraq) – The American University of Iraq-Baghdad honored the President of the Supreme Judicial Council, Judge Dr. Faiq Zaidan, by appointing him Distinguished Professor of Law, honoris causa, at the AUIB College of Law. In doing so, AUIB recognizes Dr. Zaidan for his distinguished legal contributions to the development of Iraq’s judicial system, for his leadership of the Supreme Judicial Council, and for his support of the independence of the judiciary during his long and distinguished career.
In a formal ceremony at the university, AUIB President Dr. Michael Mulnix praised Dr. Zaidan for his many accomplishments over a career spanning thirty years, but most especially his contributions to the development of Iraq’s judicial system in the 21st century. “As AUIB continues its rapid growth in bringing an American-style university education to Iraq’s highly talented and deserving young people,” said President Mulnix, “we are especially excited to be opening our College of Law, which will bring the best of Iraqi and international legal education to train a new generation of lawyers that will practice their profession in Iraq and abroad. By partnering with the Iraqi Judicial Institute, with a highly rated American law school, building and sharing our library resources developed with help from distinguished American law schools, and having such top legal talent as Judge Dr. Faiq Zaidan on our faculty, AUIB will bring the best of Iraq, the United States, and the international community to our students’ education.”
Dr. Dawn Dekle, Dean of the AUIB College of Law, stressed the importance of this event to the university. “By accepting this appointment,” said Dean Dekle, “the first one to be made by AUIB, Dr. Zaidan honors us with his commitment to developing AUIB’s unique law program that will be the only one of its kind in Iraq. We look forward to drawing on his experience and wisdom in the years ahead.”
The President of the Judicial Council expressed his appreciation and thanks to the faculty and staff of AUIB.
“When I traveled to Beirut, I saw how great the American University of Beirut was and I wished there would be a similar university in Iraq. You have fulfilled this wish; therefore we provide our support to this establishment to fulfill its noble mission.” Dr. Zaidan said, “I hope this university’s distinguished students will be the best source of talent for the legal institutions in Iraq.”
The College of Law at the American University of Iraq-Baghdad is one of five colleges planned to open in January 2022 in addition to the College of Pharmacy, College of Dentistry, College of Nursing, and College of Healthcare Technologies.
The American University of Iraq-Baghdad is a private, non-profit university that has obtained accreditation from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Iraq and is working to obtain academic accreditation from the United States of America, as the university has signed many memoranda of understanding with a number of prestigious universities in the world, including Seton Hall University, George Mason University, Vanderbilt University, Ball State University, the University of New York in Prague and other internationally prestigious universities.
The College of Law at the university is also in the process of finalizing the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the most prestigious university in the world, and the details of this cooperation will be announced later.