A delegation of six Iraqi professors from the University of Kufa arrived on campus April 2. They are part of the Iraq University Linkages Program, which pairs Iraqi schools with U.S. institutions that can assist with curricular development.

In 2010, the University of Kentucky was one of five U.S. schools selected to receive a 3-year grant for curriculum development in Iraq. UK was paired with the University of Kufa, which is located in Najaf province in southern Iraq.

Other U.S. schools participating in this initiative are Ball State, the University of Cincinnati, Georgia State and Oklahoma State. Each school is partnered with an Iraqi university by the U.S. Department of State, based upon the specific needs of the Iraqi institution. The goals will be accomplished both through distance technologies and site visits by Iraqi delegations. This is the first visit to UK for the Iraqi group.

In addition to observing classes and reviewing curriculum in each focus area, the delegation will learn more about Lexington and Kentucky.

A tour of the Alltech headquarters has been arranged, as well as visits to tourist attractions throughout the state. Representatives include Ahmed Abdulhussein Talib Al Immarah and Muiead A. Kalal Al Fadhel from the School of Business; Ali Naji Attiyah and Sadiq Mohammed Ali Jasim from Civil Engineering; and Siham Mohammed Hasan Sadiq Al-Jasham and Hussein Dhahi Muzhir with English as a Second Language/Linguistics.

Four of the visiting professors are working with the Gatton College of Business & Economics, with faculty teams selected by Associate Professor Nancy Johnson, and the Department of Civil Engineering, with teams organized by Professor George Blandford. Their visit will conclude April 23.

Two ESL professors are here to work with the UK Center for English as a Second Language in conjunction with teams selected by Professor of English and Linguistics Tom Clayton and Director Liga Abolins. They will depart May 7.

Clayton manages the Iraq Linkages Project for UK, and the initiative is directed by Associate Provost for International Programs Susan Carvalho.

“We are delighted that our Iraqi colleagues have joined us on campus,” said Clayton. “The curricular collaborations in business, civil engineering and English are off to a productive start, and they will provide a strong foundation for the work to come in the second and third years of the project. In addition, it has been a real pleasure to get to know the Iraqis and to learn about their culture.”

by Erin Holaday Ziegler & Michelle Gorin