The First Knowledge Economy Conference, organized by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and hosted by University of Baghdad under the theme “Knowledge Economy: Entrepreneurial Universities and a Sustainable Economy” witnessed a distinguished and remarkable participation from the faculty members of the College of Administration and Economics.
The conference was attended by high-level officials, including Professor Dr. Haider Abdul Dhahd, Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research for Scientific Affairs, and Professor Dr. Alaa Abdulhassan Attia, President of the University of Baghdad, alongside a number of presidents of public and private universities.
The participation of the college’s faculty extended beyond attendance to active involvement in leading and serving on advisory expert committees. Professor Dr. Waqas Saad Khalaf chaired the Advisory Expert Committee for Administrative and Economic Sciences, which focuses on updating and developing curricula in these disciplines based on learning outcomes.
Furthermore, faculty members chaired several subcommittees emerging from the conference. Professor Dr. Bushra Najm Abdullah chaired the Accounting Committee; Professor Dr. Marwan Abdulhameed Ashour led the Operations Research Committee; Professor Dr. Manaf Yousif Hamoud headed the Statistics Committee; Professor Dr. Hadeel Kazem Saeed chaired the Public Administration Committee; and Professor Dr. Nagham Yousif Abdul Redha led the Industrial Management Committee. This reflects the distinguished academic standing of the college’s faculty and the confidence of higher academic institutions in their strategic expertise.
The conference aims to foster partnerships between academic institutions and the labor market, in order to bridge the gap between higher education outcomes and the actual needs of national institutions. This is pursued through activating innovation-driven institutions and reviewing progress within industrial advisory councils, as well as science and technology parks in Iraqi universities. In addition, the conference highlights qualitative initiatives and success stories of faculty members and students across universities.
In his speech during the conference, Professor Dr. Haider Abdul Dhahd emphasized that this event represents a fundamental step toward establishing a national integration roadmap. He noted that the Ministry seeks to transform universities from traditional educational institutions into fourth-generation entrepreneurial universities that significantly contribute to supporting the national economy through innovation and genuine partnerships with both the public and private sectors.
This activity aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 4 (Quality Education) and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
