In a Strategic Stage, Cihan University-Erbil Integrates Artificial Intelligence into Curricula of All the Academic Departments

In an incentive statement, Professor Dr. Amjad Saber Al-Delawi, President of Cihan University–Erbil, stated, “Our contemporary world is witnessing tremendous progress in the field of Artificial Intelligence, which has become an integral part of our daily lives.” Accordingly, in a pioneering academic initiative, Cihan University-Erbil has announced the integration of “Artificial Intelligence” as a core course within the curricula of all its academic departments. The program is set to be implemented in the second semester for first-year students, starting from the academic year 2024-2025. The course content has been tailored to suit the specific specialization of each department, with the aim of enhancing the professional and scientific capabilities of students in their respective fields.

Professor Al-Delawi added that this step is a direct response to these global transformations and aims to prepare a new generation capable of effectively navigating the opportunities and challenges presented by this technology. It also aims to direct the academic research of faculty members towards vital disciplines such as medicine and health sciences, engineering, administration and accounting, law and international relations, as well as the fields of languages, media, and education.

Importance and Impact of the Initiative:

According to experts and specialists at the university, the significance of this initiative is evident in several key aspects:

• Scope of Implementation: The program encompasses all academic departments, ensuring that its benefits extend to all students.
• Learning Outcomes: The primary objective is to enhance students’ proficiency in utilizing AI tools and applications in their academic projects and research.
• Research Output: Encouraging faculty members to conduct specialized and innovative research in the diverse fields of Artificial Intelligence.

Implementation Mechanisms:

Cihan University-Erbil is working to achieve these goals through two primary mechanisms:

1. Curriculum Design: Designing a specialized AI course for each department, to be taught in the second semester of the first year by specialized academic staff from the respective department. Furthermore, specific AI-related topics have been integrated into other courses at advanced stages, which will be delivered to students by the course instructors.
2. Research Support: Providing a supportive and stimulating academic environment for researchers to enable them to align their research with the demands of the labor market and the needs of society, and to make optimal use of AI’s potential.

This strategic program is set to commence with the beginning of the present academic year (2024-2025), marking a new phase in the academic and technological development quest of Cihan University-Erbil.