University of Duhok Plays Key Role in TRANSITION Project's Mid-Term Meeting in Rome
Rome, October, 2025 | University Press Office (UNPO)-
The University of Duhok (UOD), as the main coordinator of the Erasmus+ TRANSITION Project, successfully held the First Mid-Term Management Meeting held in Rome, Italy, on October 20–21, 2025, hosted by UNIMED – Mediterranean Universities Union.
The two-day event brought together representatives from partner universities in Iraq, Yemen, and Europe to review project progress and outline next steps in implementing the project’s work packages.
The opening session featured welcoming remarks from Prof. Mariagrazia Russo, Rector of the International University of Rome (UNINT) who welcomed the meeting at their institution, Dr. Dilshad Abduljabbar Haleem, Vice President of the University of Duhok and Scientific Coordinator of the TRANSITION Project, and Dr. Kherieh Rassas, President of UNIMED
The meeting was honored by the presence of Her Excellency Asmahan Abdulhameed Al-Toqy, Ambassador of the Republic of Yemen, who reaffirmed Yemen’s commitment to fostering cultural and educational partnerships that contribute to post-conflict recovery.
TRANSITION: Preserving Minority Heritage through Education and Cooperation
The TRANSITION Project—formally titled “Preserving the Tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Minority Communities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Yemen”—is funded under the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education program.
The project builds on two main principles:
- The pivotal role of education in promoting peace, human rights, and responsible citizenship.
- The social responsibility of universities to protect and promote cultural heritage, particularly that of minority communities affected by conflict.
Discussions and Work Package Progress
During the meeting, partners reviewed progress in completed and ongoing work packages and outlined the implementation of upcoming tasks.
Ms. Rund Hammoudi, the Project Coordinator, and Ms. Zeen Sabah Bazaz from UOD’s Directorate of International Relations (DOIR) presented updates on Work Package 1 (WP1): Management, led by the University of Duhok. Their session focused on administrative coordination, financial management, key challenges, and reporting mechanisms ensuring effective collaboration among all partners.
Other sessions covered:
- WP2: Cultural heritage curricula assessment and minority studies in Iraq and Yemen (led by UNIMED and Soran University).
- WP3: Curricula update and validation (led by Sapienza University of Rome).
- WP4: Teacher and staff training (led by the University of Évora).
- WP5: Networking and public awareness on heritage preservation (led by UOD).
- WP6: Evaluation and quality assurance (led by the University of Zakho).
- WP7: Dissemination and sustainability (led by UNIMED).
Special emphasis was placed on the upcoming activation of WP4 (by University of Évora) and WP5 (by Ms. Mina Faheem Abdollah, from UOD’s DOIR), which will focus on capacity building, networking, and raising societal awareness on cultural heritage protection through multi-stakeholder engagement.
UOD’s Leadership and Impact
As the main coordinator, the University of Duhok oversees the project’s strategic management and administrative framework, ensuring the effective alignment of partner institutions toward shared goals.
Dr. Dilshad Abduljabbar Haleem, project’s Scientific Coordinator, emphasized that this collaboration represents a milestone in strengthening academic cooperation between the Kurdistan Region, Yemen, and European universities to preserve cultural heritage and empower minority communities through education.
The successful conduct of the meeting in Rome highlighted UOD’s growing leadership in international project coordination and its commitment to using education as a driver for peacebuilding, inclusion, and cultural sustainability.
This initiative aligns with the University of Duhok’s Strategic Plan (2023–2030) by promoting international collaboration, research capacity-building, and community engagement in cultural heritage preservation.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE MEDIA COVERAGE FOR THIS EVENT
University Press Office | October, 2025
Reported by: Fatima Mahmood Ali
The News Keywords:
- University of Duhok TRANSITION Project
- Cultural heritage preservation Iraq Yemen
- Erasmus+ Capacity Building Higher Education
- UNIMED Rome meeting
- Work Package management UOD