Iraq Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, ICDL GCC take their strategic partnership to next level

ICDL GCC has been working closely with MOHESR for a number of years supporting its 2009-2013 strategy which aims to promote awareness, teaching and use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) across Iraq.

ICDL's work in Iraq was originally triggered by a collaborative project to implement the ICDL standard within the Iraqi educational system which included ICDL GCC Foundation, the Iraqi Ministry of Education, UNESCO and ESCWA.

ICDL GCC Foundation worked hand-in-hand with the Education Ministry to integrate the ICDL globally unified syllabus and international standards into the ICT curriculum being taught in public schools in Iraq as well as preparing and certifying public education teachers to become ICDL certified professional trainers in ICT teaching.

2012 has witnessed further development of ties between MOHSER and ICDL where an ICDL local office has been established to provide on the ground support in Iraq and being hosted internally by MOHESR within the Ministry premises in Baghdad; and a circular issued to all public universities requiring the establishment of an ICDL accredited centre on campus to offer ICDL to students.

A similar agreement is currently in place in the Kurdistan Region where ICDL has been established in many universities and made an essential requirement for all post graduate students.

In an effort to reduce the financial burden associated with the implementation of the ICDL program on all public universities, ICDL GCC is bearing the cost of providing training workshops that prepare staff to manage and operate an ICDL accredited centre, as well as securing third party funding from renowned UN organizations and IT industry leaders to reduce and/or subsidize the overall cost of training and testing material.

This is made possible by ICDL's unique relationships and its ethos of vendor neutrality and noncommercial cause to promote digital skills within the educational sector. The integrity of the ICDL certification and its reputation is demonstrated by the UNESCO and ESCWA endorsements and the inclusion of their logos on all ICDL certificates issued in Iraq.

Mr. Jamil Ezzo, Director General of ICDL GCC Foundation, commented, "We thankful to the recognition that ICDL receives from the educational authorities from across the region. We have been working with the educational sector in Iraq at all levels for a long time and we are honored to expand our partnership with MOHESR and offer them our unconditional support to sharing our knowhow and best practices in the widespread of computer skills. Although our relationship primarily targets higher education students, ICDL is an inclusive programme that is for everyone and every social group including women, jobseekers, retirees, and those with special needs. This will enable the participants to leverage these new skills at work, school and home."