Haider al-Aboudi, a spokesman for the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, told Al-Monitor that private education first started in Iraq in 1988. Today, Iraq has 52 private universities and 35 state universities.
"Private universities or colleges are established by presenting an application by the investor to the Minister of Higher of Education, who in turn submits it to the Cabinet. Afterward, the registration procedures are carried out based on the market need for specialized colleges,” he said.
“The conditions for establishing a university include meeting financial, human resources and scientific requirements, in addition to a campus of at least 7,500 square meters [1.9 acres], with departments of no less 2,500 square meters,” he added.
The current problem in private universities, Aboudi said, isn't just about losing accreditation; some schools without accreditation continue to admit students. Also, the medical departments of some private universities accept high school graduates from literature, commerce or economics programs, "which is contrary to academic standards.”
“The Ministry of Education formed a committee to consider the problems of students who were admitted to unaccredited universities, and decided that they should undergo proficiency tests." Students who were accepted without the necessary backgrounds, such as literature students accepted into the medical program, will be disqualified.
The review will affect about 3,000 students, he added. “The ministry is striving to strengthen academic standards in private education so that they meet international standards."
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