Prime Minister of Iraq Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani

Prime Minister of Iraq

Engineer Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani, a prominent Iraqi politician, became Prime Minister on 10/27/2022 to form the government. Al-Sudani holds a bachelor's degree in agricultural sciences from the University of Baghdad. Al-Sudani won membership in the Parliament representing Baghdad for three consecutive terms (2014-2018-2021). Al-Sudani made his contribution as a member of the parliamentary committee overseeing the implementation of the government program and strategic planning. He served as Minister of Labor and Social Affairs from 2014 to 2018, and at the same time, he served as acting Minister of Industry and the Ministries of Commerce and Finance. The engineer, Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani, held the position of Minister of Human Rights from 2010 to 2014, and was appointed acting minister of the Ministry of Migration and Displacement, the Ministry of Agriculture, and head of the Political Prisoners Association. Al-Sudani held a number of civil service positions between 2004 and 2010, including: the mayor of the city of Amarah (governor of Maysan), a member of the Maysan Provincial Council, then governor of Maysan. He supported the protesters’ demands for political and economic reforms, improving services, employment, and social justice. He also proposed a government program for economic reforms, improving services, and combating poverty, unemployment, and corruption.

Dr. Naeem Abd Yaser Al-Aboudi

Minister of Higher education and Scientific Research

Dr. Naeem Abd Yaser Al-Aboudi was born in March 1978 from Al-Nasiriyah Governorate, “Al-Shatrah District.” He completed his primary and secondary studies and joined the Faculty of Arts, Department of Arabic Language University of Kufa. He obtained a master's degree for his thesis entitled (The Theory of Good Governance - The Experience of Imam Ali "PBUH" as a Model (a Study in Text Analysis) from the Islamic University of Lebanon. After that, he completed his doctoral studies and obtained the degree of excellence for his thesis entitled (Linguistic research among the fundamentalists - Sheikh Al-Naini - as a model) from the Islamic University of Lebanon Participated in several courses in the field of media, management and strategic planning inside and outside Iraq and many articles published in a number of Iraqi newspapers

Prof. Dr. Hayder Abed Dhahad

Deputy Minister for Scientific Research Affairs of MOHESR

Hayder Abed Dhahad is currently a Deputy Minister for Scientific Research Affairs at the ministry of Higher education- Iraq. His master's and doctoral degrees were from University of Technology- Iraq, and his postdoc from Brunel University London, UK. Hayder Abed Dhahad published nearly 153 papers in peer-reviewed journals and participated in several conferences. Recently, he is a guest editor for Energies journal for a special issue, "Hydrogen - New Alternative Fuel". His research interests include Renewable Energy, Biofuels, IC Engines, Combustion, Solar Energy, and Fuel Cells.

Dr. Muzahim Qasim Al-Khayyat

Chairman of the Parliamentary Education Committee

Dr. Muzahim Qasim Al-Khayyat was born on June 11, 1953 / 29 Ramadan 1372 in the city of Mosul, in the Kingdom of Iraq, from an ancient Mosulian family. Arabia in Nineveh Governorate. He obtained a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Mosul in 1977, a PhD from the Irish Royal College of Surgeons in 1984, a fellowship from the Royal College of Surgeons in London in 2014, and was granted the title of Professor in General and Laparoscopic Surgery in 2004. He spent one year attending training courses in Britain in 1993 1994, and worked as a visiting professor in the field of endoscopic surgery in Kent,

He worked as the Dean of the College of Medicine at the University of Mosul from 2005 to 2010. He has been a Consultant Professor of General and Laparoscopic Surgery since 1993. Professor of Surgery at the College of Medicine at the Hashemite University 2011-2012. He was appointed president of Tikrit University from 2012 to 2014, and president of Nineveh University since 2014.

After that, he held the position of Dean of the College of Medicine at the University of Mosul, and the position of President of Tikrit University (2012-2014) and worked as President of the University of Nineveh until August 9, 2020, then headed the engineering advisory team supervising the development of Al Hamdaniya University. He participated in many conferences and workshops in France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Syria, Iraq and Britain.

Dr. Michael W. Mulnix

AUIB President

Dr. Michael W. Mulnix is a seasoned leader with over 35 years of experience in higher education. Currently, he holds the prestigious position of Founding President at the American University of Iraq - Baghdad, spearheading a groundbreaking initiative that will encompass 14 colleges, a hospital, K-12 Model schools, a convention center, and more.

With a track record of establishing successful institutions, Dr. Mulnix previously served as the Founding President of the American University of Kurdistan. Over the past 12 years, he has held prominent roles in the Middle East, including Dean, Associate Dean, Chair of Graduate Business Programs, and Professor of Communications.

Prior to his international endeavors, Dr. Mulnix made significant contributions in various leadership positions. He served as the President of Antioch University Santa Barbara and as the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio. Additionally, he held the role of Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Our Lady of the Lake University, also in San Antonio.

Dr. Mulnix's extensive career includes impactful roles in the United States. He served as the Executive Director of University Relations at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and as the Director of Public Affairs at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities in Washington, DC. Previously, he held the position of Assistant to the Chancellor and Director of University Relations at the University of Alaska-Juneau.

Throughout his career, Dr. Mulnix has demonstrated exceptional grant writing skills, securing numerous successful grants. Additionally, he has achieved significant success in fund-raising and government relations, contributing to the growth and sustainability of the institutions he has served.

Dr. Mulnix's wealth of experience, strategic vision, and ability to foster collaborations have positioned him as a highly respected leader in higher education. His dedication to expanding educational opportunities, coupled with his expertise in institutional development, make him a driving force in creating impactful learning environments and shaping the future of education.

Linked in profile: Michael W. Mulnix, PhD | LinkedIn

Fanta Aw, PhD

Executive Director and CEO, NAFSA

Dr. Fanta Aw is a highly respected leader in international education and higher education administration. She currently serves as the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the largest membership association dedicated to international education and exchange with more than 10,000 members and partners, and acted as NAFSA's President and Board Chair from 2013-2016.

Dr. Aw spent her academic and professional careers at American University in Washington, D.C., where she earned multiple degrees including a PhD in sociology with a focus on international education, social stratification, and transnational migration. During her decades at AU, Dr. Aw held many leadership positions, including most recently Vice President of Undergraduate Enrollment, Campus Life, and Inclusive Excellence. She was also an award-winning teacher while at American, serving as the Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer at AU’s School of International Service. She sits on the Global Advisory Board of Times Higher Education and previously chaired the board of ETS TOEFL.

Originally from Mali, West Africa, Dr. Aw has lived in both East and West Africa and the United States and has visited close to 60 countries. She is a frequent keynote speaker on topics related to international educational exchanges, diversity and inclusion in higher education, and U.S. immigration and has been interviewed by major global media outlets, including CNN, Agence France Press, USA Today, Washington Post, The Chronicle of Higher Education, National Public Radio, Middle East Broadcast Corporation, and China Daily.