Shafaq News – Erbil

Vision Education, a leading educational foundation in the Kurdistan Region, will hold its first international conference on urban planning and smart technologies in Vienna, Austria, from March 23 to 25, 2026.

Founded in Erbil in 2018 by Idriss Nechirvan Barzani, Vision Education supports schools and universities across the Kurdistan Region.

Under the theme “Cities and Regions of Tomorrow: Planning Together Through Education,” the event will highlight education’s role in driving sustainable and inclusive urban development amid challenges from climate change, migration, and digital transformation, the foundation said in a statement.

The announcement follows a Memorandum of Understanding between Vision Education and REAL CORP, an international organization that has hosted smart-city and spatial-planning conferences since 1996.

“This partnership broadens our horizons professionally and geographically,” said Manfred Schrenk, Chairman of CORP. “Education is a central lever for sustainable transformation, and together with Vision Education we can spark new momentum.”

Vision Education CEO Prof. Dr. Dana Mawlood emphasized that the collaboration reflects the foundation’s mission to link education directly with urban and regional development. “Education equips individuals and institutions with the vision and skills needed to respond to today’s urban challenges."