(Baghdad, Iraq) – The American University of Iraq – Baghdad (AUIB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of California, Berkeley Extension and Summer Sessions, academic divisions at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) which host students from around the world for summer and semester programs. AUIB students can apply to do a semester or academic year study abroad at UC Berkeley and transfer their credits to AUIB.
UC Berkeley is the #1 public university in the world according to the prestigious QS World University Rankings index, #5 in the world by the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy, and #4 “Best Global Universities” by the top U.S. ranking index, the U.S. News & World Report. By partnering with UC Berkeley Extension and Summer Sessions, AUIB continues to build its roster of relationships with top universities in the U.S., Europe, and around the world to give AUIB students the best possibilities for study abroad programs. Normally, students in American universities who choose to study abroad as part of their university experience will do so in their third or fourth years of university study, although it is not required by AUIB.
Dr. Michael Mulnix, President of AUIB, stressed the importance of study abroad programs for AUIB’s students. Speaking from the United States, Dr. Mulnix said, “A core part of an American-style university education is exposure to other cultures and countries, build networks of contacts that will continue after university studies, and to gain practical experience through internships and other work programs during one’s studies. As we continue to build out our network of relationships in the US, Germany, and ultimately around the world, AUIB students will have unmatched opportunities to study abroad and work through internships with Iraqi and international companies as they prepare for careers in an ever-changing economy.”
Students who elect to study abroad through UC Berkeley Extension can take space-available courses through the Berkeley Global Access Program, which allows students to select courses that fit their academic needs. The Berkeley Global Access Program allows students to take courses in chemistry, physics, entrepreneurship, engineering, arts and humanities, foreign languages, math, sciences, and many other courses offered by UC Berkeley. Students who elect to study abroad through Summer Sessions can take space-available courses at UC Berkeley offered in the summer.
AUIB is a private, non-profit university established in 2018. It currently has six colleges.