Shaqlawa, Kurdistan Region — Under the patronage of the Ministries of Higher Education and Scientific Research in both the Federal Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, Al-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University (ATU) launched its First International Scientific Conference, titled “Engineering and Science for Sustainable Development Goals (ESNSD2026).” The event was organized under the supervision of the President of ATU, Professor Dr. Hassan Lateef Al-Zubaidi, and hosted at the Shaqlawa Technical College.
Conference Objectives
The conference aims to:
- Strengthen capacity building and knowledge exchange in sustainability fields.
- Highlight the latest innovations in engineering and green technology.
- Support applied initiatives that link scientific research to societal needs.
- Encourage public-private partnerships to achieve genuine sustainable development.
Wide Local and International Participation
The conference saw active involvement from ATU’s constituent bodies, including the Al-Qadisiyah Polytechnic College, Najaf Engineering Technical College, and Rumaitha Technical Institute, in cooperation with the Shaqlawa Technical College.
The event featured a global presence with participants from seven countries: Tunisia, UAE, Jordan, Iran, Sweden, the UK, and Vietnam. Additionally, eleven prestigious Iraqi universities participated, including the Universities of Baghdad, Mustansiriyah, Basra, Al-Qadisiyah, Thi-Qar, Mosul, Tikrit, Al-Kut University College, the University of Technology, and Middle Technical University, alongside the co-hosts ATU and Erbil Polytechnic University (EPU).
Opening Ceremony
The opening was attended by Prof. Dr. Hassan Lateef Al-Zubaidi (President of ATU), Prof. Dr. Edrees Mohammed Tahir Harki (President of EPU), and representatives from the Ministry of Higher Education in the Kurdistan Region, alongside numerous researchers and academics attending both in person and virtually via live stream.
In his keynote speech, Dr. Al-Zubaidi emphasized the vital role of scientific research in societal development and civilization building. He noted that addressing the challenge of providing a sustainable and secure environment for billions—amidst population growth and resource scarcity—is a top priority that this conference seeks to address.
He further highlighted ATU’s success in building real partnerships and its advanced rankings in international classifications, urging researchers to focus on technical and applied research that solves real-world problems.
Keynote Sessions
The opening session was moderated by Asst. Prof. Dr. Ahmed Razzaq Hassan (ATU) and Asst. Prof. Dr. Sevan Hussein Ali (EPU).
- Dr. Abdulsamad Salahuddin (Tishk International University):
- Topic: “Advancing Drug Discovery using AI: Innovations, Challenges, and Future Trends.”
- Focus: The transformative role of AI in accelerating R&D and reducing costs in the pharmaceutical sector, emphasizing the integration of engineering and medicine.
- Dr. Riri Fitri Sari (Chairperson of UI GreenMetric):(Represented by the UI GreenMetric team)
- Topic: “Sustainability in Action: Promoting Future Campus through UI GreenMetric Indicators.”
- Focus: Evaluating university environmental performance, promoting green campus practices, and resource optimization in line with global sustainability goals.
Concluding Events
The conference featured documentary films showcasing the infrastructure developments and academic milestones at both ATU and EPU.
To conclude the first day, Dr. Al-Zubaidi expressed his gratitude to the researchers and committees involved. He presented commemorative gifts featuring ATU’s landmarks to the President of Erbil Polytechnic University and several high-ranking officials from the Kurdistan Region.