A High-Level Delegation from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Including Professor Dr. Amjad Saber Al-Delawi, President of Cihan University-Erbil, Arrives in Poland
A high-level delegation from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Kurdistan Region has arrived in the Republic of Poland. The delegation is led by Dr. Amir Chali, Undersecretary of the Ministry, and includes Dr. Mohammed Kalari, Head of the Supervision and Quality Assurance Agency; Dr. Sabah Ibrahim Wais, Adviser to the Ministry; Professor Dr. Amjad Saber Al-Delawi, President of Cihan University-Erbil; and several other university presidents.
On the first day of the visit, Monday, July 13, 2026, the delegation visited the historic Jagiellonian University in Krakow. They were warmly received by Professor Dr. hab. Piotr Jedynak, Rector of Jagiellonian University, and members of the University Council.
The visit was followed by a significant strategic meeting, attended by Mr. Ziyad Raoof, the Representative of the Kurdistan Region to Poland. During the meeting, the Undersecretary of the Ministry delivered a comprehensive presentation on the structure, activities, and strategic vision of the Kurdistan Regional Government Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Subsequently, each university president provided an overview of their institution, international partnerships, and strategic priorities.
In this context, Professor Dr. Amjad delivered an insightful overview of the university’s vision and strategic framework. He highlighted the strong existing academic partnerships between Cihan University-Erbil and several prestigious Polish universities, particularly in terms of faculty and student mobility, curriculum development, joint research, and conferences. Additionally, he expressed a strong interest in expanding cooperation with Jagiellonian University, noting its distinction as one of Poland’s oldest and most prestigious academic institutions, with a heritage spanning over 600 years.
The meeting was also attended by Prof. Dr. hab. Jarosław Górniak, Vice-Rector for International Affairs; Prof. Dr. hab. Kazimierz Strzałka; Prof. Dr. hab. Jolanta Jura, Dean of the Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Biotechnology; Prof. Grzegorz Dubin, Acting Vice-President of the Małopolska Centre for Biotechnology; and Dr. hab. Ewa Trojnar, Vice-Dean for Student Affairs at the Faculty of International and Political Studies.
Professor Dr. Amjad then emphasized the importance of establishing joint exchange programs for both students and faculty, particularly through the EU-funded Erasmus+ program. He also discussed implementing a Visiting Professor program, as well as forming joint research teams and organizing international conferences. Furthermore, he addressed the development of scientific journals, noting Jagiellonian University’s high-quality publications. He expressed interest in drawing on the university’s expertise to enhance Cihan University-Erbil’s journals and support their alignment with the standards required for indexing in Scopus and Clarivate. To advance this collaboration, Professor Dr. Amjad presented a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to the Rector of Jagiellonian University. In response, the Polish side provided its own draft agreement for institutional review prior to a formal signing ceremony.
In response, the Rector of Jagiellonian University commended the efforts made to establish a strong scientific partnership with Cihan University-Erbil. During the discussions, Vice-Rector Jarosław Górniak announced that 31 joint research papers had already been published, co-authored by faculty members from Cihan University-Erbil and Jagiellonian University. This achievement was highly praised by Rector Piotr Jedynak, who described it as a strong foundation for future collaboration. Professor Dr. Amjad expressed Cihan University-Erbil’s readiness to host Polish students for Summer Schools or full academic semesters.
The visit concluded with Rector Piotr Jedynak presenting the Jagiellonian University emblem to Professor Dr. Amjad as a token of appreciation. The delegation then toured the university’s scientific departments and laboratories. During the tour, Professor Dr. Amjad emphasized the strategic importance of the Departments of Biotechnology, Biochemistry, and Medical Chemistry at Jagiellonian University as key areas for future academic and research collaboration.
