Education
The Kurdistan Region is leading the way in education development in Iraq. Private universities are educating students alongside public universities and in 2008 the American University of Iraq – Sulaimani (AUIS) opened in the city of Sulaimani. It offers a comprehensive American-style liberal arts education to all qualified students.
Kurds are renowned for their skills in the hard sciences, in engineering and medicine—and there are many Kurdish doctors and senior consultants practicing in the United States and United Kingdom. The government is working to reinforce these core areas and to broaden and diversify the educational based for the people of the Kurdistan Region.
Primary and Secondary Education
Public and Private primary and secondary education institutions are continually strengthening in Kurdistan. Overcoming our shortage of educational facilities, our government is investing in its future by ensuring that every village, town and city has enough schools to house and educate our children.
With the emergence of renowned schools such as the International School of Choueifat (ICS), which is currently operating in Erbil with plans to open more facilities across Kurdistan, we are bringin the highest standard of education to our students.
Today, in its fourth year of operation and after adding one grade level every year, The International; School of ISC-ERBIL welcomes students in lower kindergarten (KG1) through Grade 9. Offering a high-quality education to its students, ISC is a member of the SABIS® School Network, which consists of schools in 15 countries and provides education to more than 56,000 students.
ISC-Erbil moved to a permanent campus in August 2008. The state-of-the-art campus, which can house up to 2,500 students, includes a semi-Olympic sized swimming pool, as well as modern classrooms, laboratories for the sciences and IT, a library, and staff accommodation.
With English being taught in many public and most private schools, other competenices such as IT, and literature ensure that our next generation will be more equipped to compete for knowledge and employment at a global level.
Higher Education
- Public Universities
There are seven universities in the Kurdistan Region. The three largest are Salahaddin University in Erbil, the University of Suleimani, and the University of Dohuk. They offer studies in various subjects leading to specialized diplomas, bachelors and masters degrees, and doctorates.
Salahaddin University was established in 1968 in the city of Sulaimani, and was moved to the city of Erbil in 1981. After the Ba’ath regime withdrew its administration in the aftermath of the Gulf War, in 1992 the Kurdistan Regional Government established the University of Sulaimani and the University of Dohuk. The two more recently established institutions are the University of Koya and Hawler Medical University.
- Private Universities
Kurdistan also has two leading private universities that teach exclusively in English. The University of Kurdistan-Hawler started its first academic year in September 2006. The only language of instruction at the university is English.
At the American University of Iraq – Sulaimani all instruction is in English. It offers an intensive English program to prepare students for its first degree program, a Bachelors in business administration.
The American University of Iraq – Sulaimani (AUI-S) offers a comprehensive American-style liberal arts education to all qualified students regardless of race, religion, gender, age, ethnicity, national origin, political affiliation, or financial or social standing.
Situated in the progressive city of Sulaimani, AUI-S was initiated in 2006 by its Board of Regents and Trustees and opened its doors in October 2007. AUI-S is currently accepting students to its pre-academic English language program, its undergraduate programs, as well as to its postgraduate Master of Business Administration program.
At all levels of instruction at AUI-S, learning is enhanced by way of small and interactive classes. The language of instruction is English throughout.
