Iraq is taking bold steps toward integrating artificial intelligence into its higher education system. The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research has announced the creation of two new colleges at the University of Baghdad — the College of Excellence and the College of Artificial Intelligence — set to open in the 2025–2026 academic year.
The College of Excellence will span disciplines such as data science, e-business management, banking, philosophy, and sociology, while the College of Artificial Intelligence will focus on engineering applications, biomedical technologies, and big data analytics. The ministry has set an August 20 deadline to finalize logistics and faculty appointments, with admissions tailored to attract top-performing students.
For Minister Naeem Abd Yaser al-Aboudi, the initiative represents more than administrative reform. It is part of a national effort to align academia with global technological trends and prepare Iraq’s youth for a digital economy. The University of Baghdad joins a growing list of institutions embracing AI: Warith al-Anbiyaa University in Karbala has launched an AI department, Middle Technical University offers AI and cybersecurity courses, the American University of Baghdad has established a digital Innovation Lab, and Al-Iraqia University has introduced AI journalism.
These developments mark the beginnings of an academic ecosystem that could anchor Iraq’s AI future. Parliamentary education leaders see the new colleges as models for a nationwide rollout, while academics caution that infrastructure, reliable electricity, qualified faculty, and international partnerships will determine their success.
Students view the programs as a pathway out of Iraq’s stagnant labor market, with aspirations ranging from stable domestic opportunities to remote work with international firms. Yet challenges remain: weak internet reliability, persistent brain drain, and the absence of a legal-ethical framework to guide AI research and deployment.
The University of Baghdad’s initiative complements Iraq’s broader National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence (INSAI), drafted in 2024 to embed AI across healthcare, education, agriculture, and tourism. It also builds on earlier efforts such as the Ministry of Interior’s Cybersecurity Directorate, launched in 2022, which now trains thousands in digital forensics and AI-driven threat detection.
Regionally, Iraq still lags behind AI leaders like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. However, the decision to establish AI-focused colleges reflects a recognition that exclusion from the AI revolution risks deepening Iraq’s marginalization. For policymakers, the challenge is clear: turn scattered efforts into a coherent national program that secures Iraq’s place in the digital age.
