Attended by the Deputy Prime Minister of KRG, the Minister of Higher Education and University presidents, the Ministry of Higher Education announced the KRG university rankings for its third time.
In the ceremony, which was held in Erbil, the Minister of Higher Education Dr Yousif Goran spoke about the mechanics of carrying out the process.
Dr Goran also mentioned the objectives of the rankings and said: “Originally, the philosophy of the ranking is to arrange a competition between KRG universities based on international and standardised set criteria.”
He also said that the Ministry has based its ranking methodology on eight major and forty-three minor criteria which rely on the following framework:
· Academic Research
· Quality, Academic Excellence, Quality Assurance and Teaching
· Academic Staff
· Interaction with Society and Cultural Activities
· International Activities
· Employability in Private Sector
· Libraries, and Academic Sources
· Student Feedback
His Excellency, the Minister, further explained the importance of the ranking in the progress of KRG universities among the regional and international universities since the Ministry has based its ranking methodology on international set criteria.
Academic research has been highlighted as the main criterion in order to promote productivity in research and publication. This has been given priority in the plans of the Ministry. Therefore, they have been able to activate the Research Council.
The Council would be responsible for revising the general policy of academic research in the Kurdistan Region and provide funding for research projects.
Among other successful results of the ranking project has been the electronic database which has rendered the ranking transparent and has reached self-sustainability. The universities are able to input data and audit it. This has resulted in a number of achievements for higher education in the Kurdistan Region as follows:
1. In contrast to the previous years, from 2015 to 2018, published research in the academic journals of Web Science/ISI with impact factor has raised by 586% and Web of Science and Scopus 700%.
2. Google Citation has increased by 700%.
3. KRG universities rankings among the international universities have increased from 16000 to 1400 and expected to increase in ranking further in the upcoming years.
The top five universities ranking according to the main criteria were:
Public universities:
· Academic Research: University of Kurdistan Hewler, Soran University, Salahaddin University, University of Sulaimani, Charmo University
· Academic Staff: Hawler Medical University, University of Kurdistan Hewler, Soran University, Koya University, Erbil Polytechnic University
· International Activities: University of Kurdistan Hewler, Soran University, Erbil Polytechnic University, University of Duhok and University of Raparin
· Student Feedback: University of Raparin, Koya University, University of Kurdistan Hewler, University of Garmian, Charmo University
· Quality Assurance: Koya University, University of Duhok, University of Kurdistan Hewler, University of Sulaimani, Salahaddin University
· Interaction with Society and Cultural Activities: University of Duhok, Zakho University, Salahaddin University, Koya University, University of Kurdistan Hewler
· Libraries, and Academic Sources: University of Kurdistan Hewler, Hawler Medical University, Soran University, Salahaddin University, University of Raparin.
· Employability in Private Sector: University of Kurdistan Hewler, Suliamani Polytechnic University, Koya University, University of Sulaimani, Hawler Medical University
Private universities:
· Academic Research: University of Human Development, Cihan University, Ishik University, Komar University, American University of Iraq Sulaimani
· Academic Staff: Erbil International University, Cihan University Duhok, University of Human Development, Komar University
· International Activities: University of Human Development, Erbil International University, Cihan University Duhok, Ishik University and Newroz University
· Student Feedback: Cihan University Duhok, Cihan University Erbil, American University of Iraq Sulaimani, University of Human Development
· Quality Assurance: University of Human Development, Cihan University Erbil, Ishik University, American University of Iraq Sulaimani, Newroz University
· Interaction with Society and Cultural Activities: University of Human Development, American University of Iraq Sulaimani, Cihan Univeristy Erbil, Lebanese French University
· Libraries, and Academic Sources: University of Human Development, American University of Iraq Sulaimani, Cihan University-Erbil, Cihan University Sulaimani
· Employability in Private Sector: American University of Iraq Sulaimani, Cihan University Erbil, University of Human Development, Komar University, Ishik University
Based on all the criteria, the universities were ranked into different groups of excellence arranged alphabetically (In Kurdish):
Public Universities
Group B
· Salahaddin University
· University of Sulaimani
· Soran University
· University of Kurdistan Hewler
· Koya University
· Erbil Medical University
Group C
· Charmo University
· Sulaimani Polytechnic University
· University of Duhok
· University of Garmian
· Zakho University
· University of Raparin
Group D
· Duhok Polytechnic University
· Erbil Polytechnic University
· Halabja University
Private Universities
Group B
· American University of Iraq Sulaimani
· Ishik University
· Cihan University Erbil
· University of Human Development
· Komar University of Science and Technology
· Newroz University
Group C
· Cihan University –Duhok
· Cihan University- Sulaimani
· Lebanese French University
Group D
· Erbil International University
· Bayan University
· Knowledge University
· Catholic University