Shafaq News - Erbil 

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani affirmed on Thursday that 90 percent of the Region’s university graduates have already secured employment or government appointments.

Addressing the graduation ceremony of the University of Kurdistan in Erbil, Barzani described the graduates as a driving force for the Region’s future. He highlighted that the university was founded to exemplify high-quality education that keeps pace with global scientific and technological progress.

Barzani underscored the importance of maintaining an English-language university alongside other institutions in the Region, envisioning it as “a place for free thought and critical thinking, where young people are prepared to lead the future and make courageous decisions.”

Contrasting the present era with Iraq’s past under dictatorship, he reflected that today’s graduates are fortunate to have been “born in freedom,” while acknowledging that “a long road lies ahead.”

The Kurdish president urged reform of the education system to prioritize comprehension and intellectual growth over the mere attainment of degrees, stressing the need to foster critical thinking among students.

“The success of any university is measured by its impact on society and the services it provides,” Barzani noted.

“Solutions to social challenges should emerge from universities. We want Kurdistan’s universities to serve as engines of development and platforms for enlightened thought, because society is built through knowledge—and with universities, ideas are renewed.”