University of Kurdistan Hewler
Zankoy Kurdistan – Hewlêr | |
 | |
| Motto | Knowledge to Shape the Future |
|---|---|
| Type | Public |
| Established | 2006 |
| Chancellor | Nechirvan Barzani |
| Undergraduates | 700 |
| Postgraduates | 94 |
| Location | , |
| Campus | Urban |
| Website | www |
The University of Kurdistan Hewlêr (UKH) is an educational institution in Erbil (Kurdish: Hewlêr, هەولێر) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. UKH was the fifth public university to be opened in the Kurdistan Region. It was established in 2006.[1] The university is a new initiative in the federal region of Kurdistan in Iraq, funded by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The founding rector was Abbas Vali, followed by Robin Brimms, Serwan Baban and then Sherzad Al-Najjar (acting Vice Chancellor). The medium of instruction and research is English and most of its staff are internationally recognized scholars. The University of Kurdistan Hewlêr was funded by the Prime Minister HE Nechirvan Barzani and founded in 2006. The prior aim of establishing the UKH was to introduce a British-style university into Iraq in general and the Kurdistan Region particularly, and educating the young generation of Kurdistan with modern programs and teaching facilities, so as to contribute to the developments of the region. It offers degrees in Management and Business Sciences, Politics and International Relations, Sociology Sciences, Applied Computing and IT, Natural Resources Science (Petroleum Engineering, Mineral Resources Engineering, Water Resources Engineering).[2] Its first class of graduation was in 2010. By June 2011, it had 224 graduates in both its undergraduate and postgraduate programs.
UKH has been regularly visited by local and international leaders, ministers, MPs, civil society managers and leaders, and public figures.[citation needed] The University of Leicester and the University of London have close links with UKH.
On May 29, 2011, by invitation of Baban, UKH granted an Honorary Doctorate in Politics and International Relations to John Major, the former British Prime Minister (1991–1997) who had been very helpful to the Kurds during his term in office. In his speech, he described students of UKH as a "rare asset".[citation needed]
In March 2012, Baban was appointed to the Kurdistan Regional Government and reluctantly[citation needed] stepped down from his position as Vice-Chancellor. In September 2012, Khaled Salih assumed the Vice Chancellorship of UKH.