Cihan University – Erbil Celebrated World Quality Day
On World Quality Day, and as part of Cihan University – Erbil’s continuous efforts to promote a culture focused on quality and excellence, the university hosted a significant conference on Sunday, November 17, 2024, in collaboration with the International Federation of Businessmen and Businesswomen. The conference, titled ‘Quality and Innovation: The Key to Development and Excellence,’ witnessed a significant attendance of experts, academics, and stakeholders from various sectors. This conference aimed to discuss the importance of implementing quality standards as the cornerstone of achieving sustainable development in service institutions.
The conference program began with a speech by the Vice President for Administrative and Student Affairs, Assistant Professor Dr. Abdulsattar Kareem Saeed, representing the President of Cihan University – Erbil, Professor Dr. Amjad Sabir Al-Delawi. He spoke about the importance of quality in our lives and the university’s role in promoting a culture of quality among students. He also outlined the university’s steps and plans to achieve the highest standards and efficiency in the educational services it provides to students.
This was followed by a speech from the Deputy Secretary-General of the Federation, Mr. Imad Al-Rikabi. He began by thanking Cihan University-Erbil for hosting the event and later discussing the roles of universities in spreading the culture and concept of quality.
The next speech was delivered by Mr. Mohammed Zidan Al-Subaihi, Legal Director representing the Director General of the National Center for Administrative Development and Information Technology at the Ministry of Planning, the official body organizing World Quality Day. He spoke about the roles of governmental institutions, represented by the Ministry of Planning, in facing the difficulties and challenges of disseminating and implementing quality requirements within the Ministry. Mr. Azwar Mahdi Qasim Agha, Head of the Media Department at Cihan University-Erbil, moderated the first session. He began with a welcoming speech, emphasizing the importance of the conference’s theme in light of global trends toward improving the quality of services. He also highlighted Cihan University-Erbil’s commitment to applying quality standards in all its academic and administrative programs. He then initiated a discussion with Dr. Wissam Bader Kadhim, Director of the Administrative Training and Quality Department at the Iraqi National Center, who shed light on the center’s role in spreading the culture of quality in governmental institutions by providing consultations, organizing workshops, setting standards, and conducting evaluations. Also, Mr. Rebin Ali Mohammed Amin, Director of General Administration and Finance at the Ministry of Natural Resources, spoke about the importance of applying quality standards in managing natural resources to preserve these resources and achieve environmental sustainability. Mr. Hussein Sanjari, Director of the Kurdistan Artificial Intelligence Center, discussed the role of artificial intelligence in improving the quality of services through process automation, data analysis, and providing customized services to users.
On the other hand, the second session, titled ‘The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Quality Management’ and moderated by Dr. Hussam Al-Shaikha, focused on reviewing the opportunities and challenges associated with artificial intelligence in quality management. This session was through discussions with Dr. Hassan Fahmi from Cihan University – Erbil, who shared insightful perspectives on utilizing artificial intelligence technologies to improve operational efficiency, develop services, and achieve customer satisfaction. Mr. Sarood Ahmed Faqi Yusuf, Director of Planning at the General Directorate for Industrial Development at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, emphasized the role of artificial intelligence in quality management to enhance the competitiveness of the industrial sector by improving productivity, reducing costs, and raising customer satisfaction levels.
The conference witnessed active participation from the attendees through their contributions, opinions, and interventions. In addition to investing in human resource training and keeping pace with technological advancements, the conference emphasized the importance of implementing quality standards in all sectors, and cooperation between universities, government institutions, and the private sector to promote a quality culture.
At the end of the conference, Assistant Lecturer Azwar Mahdi Qasim Agha stressed the need to apply quality standards in all service sectors, whether government or private. He also emphasized the importance of cooperation between governmental institutions or universities and the private sector to enhance a quality-driven mindset and the necessity of investing in training and qualifying human resources on the concepts and methods of quality management. Mr. Qasim Agha also pointed out the importance of keeping pace with technological breakthroughs and utilizing artificial intelligence to improve the quality of services.
