As part of its strategic approach to enhancing its academic and research standing in international rankings, Al-Mustaqbal University participated in the extended training workshop organized by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, in cooperation with the Department of Scholarships and Cultural Relations and the Association of Arab Universities. The workshop was held from Monday, September 22, 2025, to Thursday, September 25, 2025, at Gilgamesh University – Baghdad. This participation comes within the university’s commitment to keeping pace with developments related to international and regional rankings, particularly the Times Higher Education (THE) and QS Rankings, and to exploring ways of improving research and academic performance indicators that enhance the competitiveness of Iraqi universities regionally and globally. The workshop featured detailed presentations delivered by Tarek Elkhooly, researcher at Delta University for Science and Technology (Egypt) and member of the International Rankings Technical Committee, who addressed the following points: 1-Mechanisms and criteria of QS and Times Higher Education rankings and their branches. 2-The importance of international cooperation and following up on voting communications. 3-The significance of the Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) as a quality research indicator. 4-The necessity of publishing in reputable journals ranked within the top 10% of global citations. A comparative analysis of Iraqi universities’ performance in scientific publications and citations for the period (2020–2024). Case studies of successful international experiences in advancing universities’ positions in global rankings. Al-Mustaqbal University was represented in this workshop by: Prof. Dr. Tariq Jwad – Director of the Scientific Affairs Department. Mr. Ali Zwain – Director of the International Rankings Unit. The university’s delegation emphasized during its participation that such events represent an important opportunity to learn from best international practices in rankings and to strengthen academic partnerships that contribute to consolidating Al-Mustaqbal University’s position as one of the leading universities in Iraq and the region. The active participation of Al-Mustaqbal’s ranking officers in such events reflects the university’s strategic vision of building a modern academic environment founded on rigorous scientific research, while expanding academic and research cooperation with regional and international universities to enhance its presence in global rankings and solidify its standing among leading institutions.

The Rankings Team at the Scientific Affairs Department of Al-Mustaqbal University attended the online workshop organized by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in collaboration with the international organization QS on Saturday, 20 September 2025. The workshop highlighted several key points related to the mechanisms for advancing Iraqi universities in global rankings, in addition to showcasing opportunities for participation in the services offered by QS to strengthen the position of Iraqi universities within international academic indicators. Al-Mustaqbal University’s participation comes within the framework of its strategic orientation to enhance its standing in global rankings and align with the Ministry’s plans in this field.

As part of the ongoing preparations for the Al-Mustaqbal Ambassadors Sustainability Camp scheduled for early October this year, the President of Al-Mustaqbal University, Prof. Dr. Hassan Shaker Majdi, delivered a distinguished lecture via Zoom, highlighting the importance of this major event and its strategic role in strengthening the University’s mission and community impact. During the lecture, the University President announced the launch of the AI Hackathon for Sustainability, covering a wide range of themes across medical, engineering, administrative, and humanitarian fields, in addition to sports, arts, law, and environmental domains. He emphasized that the competition provides a creative platform to showcase youth talents and harness modern technologies in support of the Sustainable Development Goals. Prof. Majdi also instructed the deans of colleges, academic departments, and administrative units to prepare their contributions to the camp and to follow up on preparations on a regular basis to ensure the success of this landmark event. He stressed the need to actively engage students and young people, as they represent the core element through which the University can deliver its message to society and advance its developmental role. The lecture was co-presented by Prof. Dr. Mudhaffar Sadiq Al-Zuhairy, Director of Scientific and Academic Supervision, who provided a detailed overview of the camp’s activities and organizational plans. The session was attended by more than one hundred participants, including University Vice-Presidents, deans, department heads, and faculty members—reflecting the institution’s strong commitment to making this youth-centered and academic initiative a resounding success.

Under the patronage and presence of H.E. the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Prof. Dr. Naeem Al-Aboudi, the First Scientific Conference of Iraqi Journal Editorial Boards was launched on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. The event was hosted by the University of Technology in Baghdad, with the participation of university presidents, editorial boards of Iraqi scientific journals, and international experts representing Elsevier, Clarivate, the Egyptian Knowledge Bank, and ASF. Al-Mustaqbal University had a strong and distinguished participation in the conference, under the direct guidance of the University President, Prof. Dr. Hasan Shakir Majdi, reaffirming its leading role in supporting scientific research and advancing international rankings. In his opening remarks, the Minister emphasized the importance of strengthening the presence of Iraqi university journals in international indexing databases and enhancing their positions in citation and impact indicators. He pointed out that, over the past three years, the Ministry has established a qualitative stage based on standards of quality, specialized research, and sound governance. He stressed that this approach ensures clear editorial policies, rigorous peer-review mechanisms, sustainable technical and technological support, as well as continuous training for editorial boards and researchers to keep pace with global developments in publishing and indexing. The Minister also highlighted that strategic partnerships with Scopus and Clarivate have contributed to integrating Iraqi journals into global databases, providing universities with accurate data on citations and research impact, in addition to opening sustainable channels for support and specialized consultancy. The conference also featured a speech by the Ministry’s Deputy for Scientific Research Affairs, Dr. Haider Abd Dhahd, as well as scientific sessions addressing academic content indexing and an overview of the Research Management System (RMS) as part of the Ministry’s comprehensive digital transformation. This participation reflects Al-Mustaqbal University’s commitment to supporting the Ministry’s policies aimed at developing academic journals and enhancing the standing of Iraqi scientific research at both the regional and international levels.

As part of its commitment to active engagement in specialized workshops that aim to develop universities and strengthen their linkage with the labor market, Al-Mustaqbal University took part in the international online workshop entitled: "AI and the Sensory Future of Shopping: Virtual Tasting, Smart Fashion, and the Transformation of the Consumer Experience" delivered by Prof. Sima A. Hamadeh, Full Professor of Public Health Nutrition at Haigazian University – Lebanon, on Thursday, September 4, 2025 via Microsoft Teams. The workshop explored the role of advanced technologies and artificial intelligence in reshaping consumer experiences through virtual tasting, smart fashion, AR/VR, and sensory marketing, while also addressing ethical challenges related to data privacy and algorithmic bias. Al-Mustaqbal University’s participation in this event reflects its strategy to stay aligned with the latest scientific and technological innovations, and to reinforce its academic role in preparing graduates equipped to meet the evolving demands of the labor market.

Al-Mustaqbal University is continuing its preparations to launch the “Future Ambassadors for Sustainability Camp”, scheduled to be held at the Babylon Tourist Resort on October 4–5, 2025, under the generous patronage of Mr. Adnan Fayhan, Governor of Babylon, and with the direct supervision of Prof. Dr. Hassan Shaker Majdi, President of Al-Mustaqbal University. The event will witness broad participation from institutions and directorates inside and outside Babylon Province. In this context, a university team headed by Prof. Dr. Mudhaffar Sadiq Al-Zuhairy, Director of Scientific and Academic Supervision, along with several department heads at the University Presidency, conducted a field visit to the camp site at the Babylon Resort to review the preparations and arrangements necessary to ensure the success of this landmark event. The camp program will feature a wide variety of activities implemented by Al-Mustaqbal University’s student volunteers serving as sustainability ambassadors. Participants will experience scientific, cultural, artistic, and sports activities, in addition to creative performances, debates, dialogue sessions, and exhibitions showcasing students’ outstanding outputs across different disciplines. A highlight of the camp will be the launch of the Student Hackathon Competition: Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development, a pioneering initiative designed to harness students’ capabilities in applying AI solutions to address contemporary challenges in vital areas, including: Engineering and technology Smart agriculture Health, nutrition, and healthcare systems Smart energy Climate change solutions Smart applications in management, municipal and e-services, and judiciary systems Innovations directed towards clean water and other multi-purpose applications