The Department of Petroleum Engineering at the University of Baghdad and Iraq Energy Institute celebrated the opening of Iraq Center for Energy Training, Development and Scientific Research, the first of its kind in Iraq.
The opening of this centre follows the signing of a memorandum of cooperation to develop research in the field of petroleum engineering and energy affairs, which was signed by the Department of Petroleum Engineering in the College of Engineering with the Institute in 2012. The President of the University of Baghdad, Professor Alaa Abdul Hussein, during a meeting with the delegation of the Iraq Energy Institute said: “The establishment of Iraq’s Center for Energy and Training, Development and Scientific Research is an important step in developing our national industry and I hope that we will see many steps towards sponsorship of research and studies and students with the aim of serving the common goal of the reconstruction of Iraq.” He added, “because we want to employ all the efforts for the reconstruction of the country and developing the capacity of the University of Baghdad”.
At the opening ceremony, a group of outstanding students and winning research projects received awards from the Iraq Energy Institute. These projects supported by the institute were praised by the Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Baghdad, Prof. Dr. Ahmed Abdul-Saheb, saying “This step is important to encourage and link scholars at the University of Baghdad with well-established research institutes via cooperation on graduation research projects and in tandem with the efforts of international companies working in the Iraqi oil fields.” He pointed out that “Iraq today looks forward to the future, and there is a need to work with academic research institutions like Iraq Energy Institute to develop our students’ knowledge and skills in oil, gas and energy analysis, raising them to international standards”, he also said: “We aim, through this cooperation, to create successful Iraqi leaders who will rise through management positions and handle operations at national and international oil companies.”
For his part, the executive director of Iraq Institute of Energy, Dr. Luay Al-Khatteeb said “We expect this centre to contribute research, data and analysis to the Department of Petroleum Engineering. Iraq Energy Institute will equip young researchers and scholars at Baghdad University with expert advice from senior research fellows from the institute and industry experts from outside Iraq, also encouraging research conducted by students in the field of energy management and attempting to embed them early in the labor market with international companies as a way to support local content in the oil sector”
The opening of this centre comes almost a year after signing a memorandum of research cooperation between the Iraq Energy Institute and the Petroleum Engineering Department of Baghdad University. The framework agreement allows the exchange of expertise and academic research collaboration in areas of petroleum studies, geology, geophysics, training, seminars, conferences. Thus far, the agreement has allowed the institute to collaborate with the university on a number of PhD projects. Also, the Institute has provided a number of important scientific books and publications which have become important sources and references for researchers in the field of petroleum engineering at the University. The centre will allow the expansion of these efforts as international oil experts will be able to conduct lectures via videoconference technology provided at the research centre.
At the end of the ceremony, the Iraq Energy Institute gave awards to students of outstanding academic standing at the department. As an official advisory to the Iraqi Parliament, Iraq Energy Institute works closely with the Energy Committee of the Iraqi Council of Representatives. The Institute’s Board of Directors includes an advisory committee of Iraqi academicians and industry experts in the various fields of energy. It provides studies and working papers that disseminate the latest information and objective analysis covering the most important activities related to Iraq’s energy sector.
Published originally by Baghdad University, here. Liberally translated by IEI.
