KRG High Representative Meets NCUK Delegation to Strengthen UK–Kurdistan Academic Cooperation
News : 11/26/2025
United Kingdom, London, www.uk.gov.krd. KRG
High Representative to the United Kingdom, Karwan Jamal Tahir, met with Stuart Smith,
Director General of NCUK Educational and Academic Foundation, known also as
(University Pathways), and Omayma
Hatem, the Foundation’s Director General of Finance, to discuss
expanding educational ties between the Kurdistan Region and the United Kingdom.
During the meeting, the NCUK delegation
outlined the Foundation’s ongoing work, highlighting a new agreement with the Centre for
International Studies at the University of Sulaimaniyah. The
partnership aims to strengthen cooperation between universities in the
Kurdistan Region and the UK by establishing foundation programs for students
seeking to pursue undergraduate studies in Britain. It also includes
specialized courses designed for students intending to embark on advanced
master’s programs at UK universities.
The delegation expressed interest in deeper
collaboration with the Kurdistan Regional Government to support the
implementation of the agreement and to pave the way for similar partnerships
with other universities across the region.
Hi Representative Tahir welcomed the
initiative and praised the growing academic links between the Kurdistan Region
and the UK. He noted that the region’s expanding education sector, alongside
the rising number of students aspiring to study abroad, makes such initiatives
particularly timely. He encouraged NCUK to broaden its engagement in the
Kurdistan Region and to explore agreements with additional universities, which,
he said, could eventually extend to the rest of Iraq and create wider opportunities
for students pursuing higher education in the UK.
Both sides also reviewed NCUK’s curriculum and
examination system, underscoring the importance of continued coordination to
ensure the success of the new academic programs.
KRG Uk Office
16th November 2025