The American University of Iraq-Baghdad (AUIB) hosted the second day’s events of the “World Arab Congress for Innovation,” held in Baghdad on the fourth and fifth of October this year, under the patronage of H.E. Prime Minister Mohammad Al-Sudani, and in cooperation with the Arab Network for Creativity and Innovation. A number of officials and public figures attended the event, among whom were advisors to the Prime Minister, Dr. Hussein Flamarz and Dr. Aqil Mahmoud Al-Khazali, Chairman of the Federal Service Council, Dr. Mohi Al-Qazwini, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Network for Creativity and Innovation, Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, in addition to a host of professionals in technology, education, entrepreneurship, and various fields.
AUIB President, Dr. Bradley Cook, delivered the keynote speech on the second day of the conference, welcoming the crowd that filled the main auditorium of the College of Arts and Sciences at the university. “The future demands high standards, and Iraq deserves high standards… We believe that universities should be active engines of economic and social progress,” President Cook said, emphasizing that “innovation is a national necessity; Iraq’s future is dependent on the innovation of youth,” which is instrumental in the efforts at diversifying the economy. “Let us not be guilty of small thinking and lack of imagination,” he warned.
The conference explored various subjects, among them being the role of education and training in fostering innovation, and how to develop the outcomes of the educational system such that they meet the increasing sophistication of demand for talent on part of society and the economy, especially with the spectacular technological boom that we are witnessing and its transformative effects on our reality. In this context, the CEO of AUIB’s Center of Excellence for Innovation and Development (CEID), Mr. Ziad Chaaban, highlighted the increasing importance of continuing education_ particularly via international certificate training programs_ and also of start-up incubators, for the support of innovation and entrepreneurship.
At the conclusion of the conference, Mr. Chaaban, on behalf of AUIB, and Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh, on behalf of the Arab Network for Creativity and Innovation, signed a Memorandum of Understanding that aims to establish a partnership where efforts are consolidated and expertise is exchanged between the two parties as they mutually strive for “raising awareness among the Arab peoples, especially youth, of the issues of creativity, innovation, and sustainable development… integrating (all the latter) into all aspects of life, and building the knowledge capacities of Arab youth and developing their skills”, according to the signed document. The two parties aim to achieve that by means of various collaborative initiatives and by “convening scientific conferences and specialized seminars and organizing training programs and workshops, among other activities”.