On the 23rd of February 2022, the American University of Iraq-Baghdad (AUIB) celebrated the grand opening of “American Space” at its campus, in the presence of the US Ambassador to Iraq, the Iraqi Minister of Youth and Sports_ among several Iraqi officials, representatives of several embassies in Baghdad, notable members of the Iraqi academic community, business leaders, and members of AUIB faculty, staff, and students.
AUIB President, Dr. Michael Mulnix, welcomed the attendees of the opening ceremony, inviting them to tour the campus and its facilities, and appreciate the distinctive beauty of the “highly respected international university”, where the campus would in the near future witness the opening of several new colleges, research institutes, and a “220-bed teaching hospital”, buttressing AUIB’s standing as a “Tier One Research University” that would contribute to “reviving Iraq’s economy and restoring the nation to its historic role of leadership in the Middle East and beyond.” In this context, President Mulnix highlighted AUIB’s “well-rounded American-style education,” at the heart of which lies the teaching and developing of “broad based Liberal Arts to students of all majors,” including the technical, adding to students’ specialized knowledge broad cultural studies and the development of critical thinking and the general skills of analysis, debate, writing, and public speaking, enabling AUIB graduates “to succeed in today’s fast-paced competitive world.”
President Mulnix explained that “American Spaces” is the “umbrella program of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP), created in the early 20th Century for countering disinformation and influencing international public opinion.” These Spaces “offer welcoming environments where visitors can connect and learn about the United States,” usually featuring unrestricted internet access, as well as multimedia access to numerous American publications and works of literature and art. However, the “one defining feature” of an American Space, according to President Mulnix, is that it is “a place to meet, learn, share ideas, and debate sensitive issues, all while learning English.”
“There is no more important function for American Spaces than to serve as platforms for engagement with our government exchange program Alumni,” where the latter would be “the future leaders of Iraq and the Middle East,” proclaimed US Ambassador to Iraq, Matthew Teller, announcing that the US administration is “reactivating our Iraq-wide (International) Exchange Alumni associations” and providing resources for relevant community engagement projects, adding that they “expect AUIB American Space to play a central role on this engagement.”
President Mulnix then introduced “a great friend of AUIB,” Iraqi Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Adnan Durjal, announcing that the latter’s Ministry is “in the process of developing a variety of athletic and cultural events in direct concert with the American Spaces program, including setting up a sports champion academy, an annual scientific and sports conference, and a scientific and cultural week on AUIB campus,” among other sports and cultural activities.
Minister Durjal saw in American Spaces “platforms that would enhance community service and take countries closer to achieving sustainable development goals,” acclaiming the US government’s support of scientific and cultural enterprises in Iraq as “a fruit of the partnership agreement between the two governments.” The opening of an American Space at AUIB would enhance the importance of the “distinguished educational institute” and its role “in the region and the world,” cementing the values of citizenship and the “spirit of hope and optimism” among youth, “the true capital that would eliminate all forms of poverty and ignorance that rip apart the social fabric,” concluded Minister Durjal.
The American University of Iraq – Baghdad is a non-profit university founded in 2018. It currently has eight colleges.