The proceedings of the General Conference of the Association of Arab Universities (AARU) commenced in the capital, Baghdad, for its fifty-sixth session, on Monday, March 4, 2024, at the premises of Baghdad University. The event was graced by the presence and participation of His Excellency, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Al-Aboud, and the Secretary-General of the Association of Arab Universities, Professor Dr. Amr Ezzat Salama, along with several heads of Iraqi and Arab universities, ambassadors, and academic figures. During his speech, the Minister of Education emphasized that the conference serves as an important academic platform for exchanging opinions, scientific, cultural, and knowledge-based experiences, contributing to the development of higher education in the Arab region. He called for the establishment and declaration of an Arab Higher Education Area, tasked with charting a roadmap for educational institutions to enhance collaborative work and foster environments for reform in Arab educational institutions. He highlighted that the Iraqi government's program and ministerial curriculum provided the foundation for Iraq to achieve international accreditation, stressing the need to narrow the gap between Arab universities and strengthen cooperation among them to foster a robust scientific environment. Furthermore, the Secretary-General of the Association of Arab Universities, in his conference speech, elaborated on the establishment, tasks, and functions of the union. He emphasized that the Association of Arab Universities (AARU) serves as a platform for Arab higher education institutions to work together to develop higher education and scientific research, address challenges, and achieve a sustainable educational and academic future by directing scientific research towards a knowledge society, leveraging innovations of the industrial revolution and artificial intelligence, and enhancing vital projects needed in the Arab region. Moreover, Professor Dr. Bahaa Ibrahim Ansaaf, the President of Baghdad University, clarified that the conference aims to provide a nurturing environment for the meeting of bright minds to exchange opinions and ideas in a spirit of cooperation, elevate Arab communities, enhance academic cooperation among Arab universities, and contribute to the responsible exchange of experiences for the development of the educational field. Subsequently, the conference's proceedings and sessions continued throughout two consecutive days.
