Ali Esmail al-Sanafim, the president of Thi Qar University, and Khalil Ibrahim al-Dulemi, the president of Al-Anbar University, signed a memorandum of understanding with the University to enhance educational capabilities Feb. 12.

By signing the memorandum, both institutions agreed to “make every effort to exchange faculty, scholars, and students,” and agreed that the universities will offer educational, research and extension materials in the best interests of cooperation.

However, the memorandum did not say specific details about the exchanges, only saying they “will be negotiated.”

“It is proposed that collaborations and exchanges be initiated in fields of common expertise and interest,” the memorandum stated.

David Dixon, a coordinator in the Office of International Affairs, said the Iraqis want to send their students and faculty to N.C. State to study in their fields.

He said if details can be negotiated, NCSU would begin training Iraqi faculty members and granting them research opportunities.

Bailian Li, the vice provost for International Affairs, said no timeline to begin training Iraqi faculty has been set. However, his best guess is the fall semester.

According to a statement released by the Office of International Affairs, Iraq’s Ministry of Higher education established 10,000 scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students to study abroad.

Li said money isn’t an issue with any of the Iraqis’ proposals.

“They have money,” he said.

Li said the University appealed to the Iraqis because the Iraqis are more interested in land-grant institutions because at a land-grant institution, “high level research transfers to local economic development, and that is very important for Iraq.”

“Land-grant institutions have a special mission of research, economic development and education,” Li said.

He said the Iraqis were especially interested in public relations, engineering, business and physical and mathematical sciences.

“They realize engineering, management and higher education are the building blocks for rebuilding Iraq,” Li said.

Li said the Iraqis offered to pay to bring NCSU faculty and administrators over to the universities to visit.

However, due to security, Li said the trip is “not practical anytime soon. It is not something we want a student or faculty to do, Iraq isn’t for tourists yet.”

Dixon did not rule out the possibility of sending students and faculty to Iraq in the future.

Al-Dulemi and al-Sanafi did not respond to requests for comments.

Despite the war, Li is optimistic the situation in Iraq is improving and this proposal can work.

“This trip wouldn’t have happened otherwise,” he said.

Li said the trip will allow the University to be at the front of rebuilding Iraq.

“This is the perfect chance to build a relationship,” he said.

According to Dixon, Al-Anbar University has 19 colleges across Iraq with 15,000 students, 1,500 faculty and 2,500 staff members.

He also said Thi Qar Universities has 11 colleges across the nation, 10,000 students and two research centers.