BAGHDAD — The American College of Baghdad celebrated the commencement of its first cohort of scholars Saturday at a campus that was as soon as a palace constructed by Saddam Hussein.
Officers stated they hope the commencement will mark the start of a brand new period in larger training in Iraq rooted in modernity, openness and worldwide educational requirements.
The college was inaugurated in 2021 on the location of the al-Faw Palace, constructed on an island in the course of a man-made lake by Saddam within the Nineties to mark the retaking of the peninsula of the identical title throughout the struggle.
After the U.S.-led invasion that unseated Saddam in 2003, it was used as a U.S. coalition army headquarters known as Camp Victory. It was later developed into an American-style college with a core liberal arts program by way of funding by influential Iraqi enterprise proprietor Saadi Saihood.
A complete of 38 college students — 20 male and 18 feminine — graduated Saturday with levels in enterprise administration, sciences and humanities at a ceremony attended by political dignitaries in addition to households and school members.
Chatting with the attendees, college President Dr. Michael Mulnix mirrored on the college’s rocky beginnings.
“Once I first arrived on the American College of Baghdad in 2018, the campus appeared nothing prefer it does at this time,” he stated. “Years of struggle and neglect had left the infrastructure in ruins, with many buildings broken or destroyed. At this time, we stand earlier than an distinctive, nonprofit educational establishment that ranks among the many most interesting analysis universities.”
At this time AUB has a rising community of worldwide partnerships with high universities, he stated, together with Vanderbilt College, Colorado College of Mines, Lawrence Technological College, Temple College, the College of Exeter, and Sapienza College of Rome.
College founder and proprietor Saihood known as the commencement “a symbolic second that affirms this establishment was constructed to final and to make an actual distinction.”
He acknowledged the financial challenges dealing with graduates, particularly the shortage of presidency employment, however emphasised that the college has geared up its college students with the adaptability and initiative wanted to thrive within the personal sector or by way of entrepreneurship.
Though Iraq’s safety state of affairs has improved lately after a long time of battle, the nation nonetheless suffers from mind drain as younger folks search alternatives and stability overseas.
“The longer term in Iraq is just not straightforward. All of us graduates have considerations,” stated Mohammed Baqir from Najaf province, who graduated Saturday with a bachelor’s diploma in enterprise. “However what units us aside from different universities is that we’ve already obtained job presents by way of AUB, particularly within the personal sector. Though my training price round ten million Iraqi dinars, it was a very invaluable funding.” Ten million Iraqi dinars equals about $7,600.