Dear Students,
University Lecturers and Employees,
Dear Guests…..
On behalf of the president and members of the University Council of Raparain, We welcome you. We do respect and express our deepest feelings for those martyrs who had sacrificed their lives for Kurdistan's survival. With Peshmarga's strive and sacrifice, Kurdistan region has experienced pivotal achievements towards civilization and higher levels of knowledge. Moreover, these achievements have been developed more and more; and we have been able to withstand any conspiracy against our region.

Graduates, family members and relatives of graduates, dear guests, today on this academic ceremony, and in the presence of Council Members, Lecturers and Employees of University, Raparin University awards Graduate Certificate to another group of youth graduates of this country in different expertise, with the aim of serving national institutions of our country.
Despite the political and economic issues and deepening the financial crisis in the region, education process was still going on at Raparin University for the last few academic years. Hence, I deem it necessary to pass the appreciation of the university’s presidency to all employees and lecturers, who were humbly committed to help the education process continue. Special thanks goes to those students who have been collaborating with their lecturers and departments to have education process ended up successfully.
During the last few years, Raparin University has been continuing to develop the architectural infrastructure, building colleges, laboratories, classes, dormitories and increasing green cover of the university area. Meanwhile, our University has persisted following the scientific developments and renewing its educational curriculum as well as improving English language capacity of the teaching staff; we have also endeavored to have Bologna System applied in some of the scientific departments at our university. The current step that our university is taking involves setting up the main requirements to construct Smart Education Halls; this way, we can promote the quality of education and have people even outside university getting benefit from us.
Much-loved attendees, our university has been steadily trying to adjust itself with Kurdistan’s current labor market, and this has been done through changing some of the departments with huge numbers of graduated students into more effective departments for whom the labor markets are in dire need. This process involved changing the department of Biology into Medical Laboratories; and suspending some other departments along with opening new scientific departments aimed at dealing with the current financial crisis, opening Animal Resources and horticulture departments are the outcomes of this project. Our university will persistently try to reform and be one of the leading universities in the region aiming at serving the students further. University of Raparin, in line with education process, has annually held many conferences, symposiums, local and international academic workshops, and hundreds of scientific, cultural and artistic activities. Furthermore, our university has also built scientific and academic relationships with many local, regional and international universities round the world and signed memorandum understanding with them. Raparin University is now a member of International Association of Universities (IAU) and Eurasia International Universities (EIU). In this framework, our university has participated in many international projects with the aim of exchanging staff members, students to develop them, and trying to internationalize the University Campus. This process includes participating the projects TIGRIS Erasmus Plus, European Union Marhaba, Daad Germany Scholarships, IREX (USA) and many other projects.
Pro-Knowledge students, developing the environment of education and improving the academic levels of Kurdistan Region’s Universities has been basically dependent on the strategic projects laid down by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Affairs in the eighth cabinet of Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). During the last for years, it has intensified its efforts to promote the quality of the universities and further develop their academic and scientific fields. This process includes expanding the circle of its relationships with leading universities in the world through implementing some projects, reforming the education system and the procedures of students’ admissions, developing research sectors, academic competing through establishing the system of national rankings for KRG universities, and then developing the field of scientific research through establishing Scientific Research Board. These developments have been in line with training, preparing and developing the instructors and researchers’ competences; and this could be achieved through establishing the Institute of Academic Development, followed by projects like reform in Higher Education system (postgraduate and doctoral studies), paying particular attention to English language, activating the process of Quality Assurance, opening Career Service and Interim Program Centers. These projects along with relying on Bologna process, which were supported by the office of (Mr. Qubad Talabani), KRG Deputy Prime Minister, have played a pivatol role in developing the academic route and have made the scientific competition among KRG universities enter a new advanced era.
We do hope that Kurdistan Regional Government will endeavor to provide graduates and other people with decent job opportunities, and promote the livelihood of people. This could be achieved through opening the door of public sector employment and strengthening private sector aiming at providing more job opportunities.
Dear graduates, family members and relatives of graduates, congratulations again for this remarkable day in which you have achieved Bachelor’s Degree; we do really wish you more success towards the next chapters that life brings your way.

Assist. Prof. Dr. Mofaq Khalid Ibrahim
President of University