On 18 May 2025, Prof. Dr Kamaran Younis Mohammed-Amin, President of Salahaddin University-Erbil (SUE), signed a renewed Memorandum of Understanding with the archaeological research team from the University Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Spain. The renewal ceremony took place with the attendance of Prof. Dr Shareef Maulod Sharif, Vice President for Scientific Affairs and Postgraduate Studies; Prof. Dr Musa Mohammed, Dean of the College of Arts; and Dr Awara Ibrahim, Director of International Relations at SUE.
The visiting delegation from UAB included Prof. Dr Miquel Molist and Prof. Dr Anna Bach, who were warmly welcomed by the university.
It is noteworthy that the University Autònoma de Barcelona is ranked as the second-best university in Spain and maintains a strong international research profile.
The renewed agreement extends the collaboration for an additional four years and focuses on archaeological fieldwork. Each year, the University Autònoma de Barcelona hosts SUE academics for a one-month residency, during which SUE faculty members from the Department of Archaeology participate as core members of the joint excavation project.
This partnership is conducted in cooperation with the Directorate of Antiquities in Erbil. So far, UAB has published ten joint academic research papers with SUE, many of which appear in high-impact journals.
Additionally, undergraduate students from the Department of Archaeology at SUE actively participate in the collaborative project each year to gain practical experience and benefit from the expertise of the UAB academic staff.
The project is funded by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with UAB assuming responsibility for most operational duties on-site, while SUE continues to provide consistent logistical and residency support.
