On October 27, 2024, a workshop on the accreditation process took place in the Congress Hall of the University of Sulaimani, attended by Prof. Zana Mahmoud, Vice Rector for Scientific Affairs and Higher Education, along with several deans and faculty members.
During the session, Dr. Hunar Isa, Secretary-General of the Accreditation Board for Education and Higher Education Institutions in the Kurdistan Region, explained that universities must progress through three stages to complete the accreditation process: Eligibility, Candidacy, and Accreditation.
He noted that achieving Eligibility requires meeting 21 Foundational Criteria, which cover areas such as institutional mission, planning, governance, curricula, student services, and transparency. The workshop aimed to clarify these expectations, assess the university’s current status, determine responsibilities for implementation, and identify the human, physical, and financial resources needed to meet the criteria.
Participants engaged in discussions to evaluate each criterion and outline preliminary activities required for alignment. By the end of the workshop, they agreed to continue working on a weekly basis to refine the final draft of the criteria and define the resources necessary to complete a 14-month implementation plan.