Representatives of Cihan University-Erbil, Female Academics Participate in the Ministry of Higher Education’s “Kazi Forum”

Representatives of Cihan University-Erbil, Assistant Professor Dr. Zin Fathullah Zfnaki, Head of the Community Health Nursing Department, and Assistant Lecturer Hawre Fatih Sami, Head of the Medical Biochemical Analysis Department, participated in the national “Kazi Forum for Academic Women.”

The forum was held on Sunday, February 15, 2026, at the Erbil International Hotel (Sheraton), under the auspices and in the presence of Dr. Aram Mohammed Qadir, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, with a significant attendance of female academics from across the universities of the Kurdistan Region.

In his keynote address, Dr. Aram Mohammed Qadir highlighted the robust status of women within the higher education sector, presenting official statistics which show that the percentage of female students in regional universities and institutes has reached 58%. He further noted that 38% of faculty members with scientific titles are women, and female Assistant Lecturers constitute 43% of the total teaching staff. The forum featured several panel discussions focusing on women’s leadership in academic institutions, capacity building, innovation, and the advancement of scientific research, in which the representatives of Cihan University-Erbil actively engaged.

The event concluded with a set of proposals and recommendations to be drafted into a policy reform framework for the Ministry, aimed at further empowering women in decision-making roles within universities. The participation of Cihan University-Erbil’s female academics reflects the university presidency’s ongoing commitment to supporting national competencies and providing equal opportunities for women to excel in scientific and administrative spheres.