Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research launched a national university robotics championship on Monday as part of its plan to shift toward digital education and expand the use of artificial intelligence in higher education.

Speaking at a press conference, Deputy Minister for Scientific Research Affairs Haider Abdul Zahid said the championship, initiated by young Iraqi innovators and organized in cooperation with the technology firm Cast Nine, falls within the ministry’s strategy to apply fourth industrial revolution concepts across academic institutions to strengthen scientific research and promote the use of artificial intelligence and robotics in teaching.

He added that the ministry has established ten colleges specializing in artificial intelligence, alongside multiple academic programs and research centers, representing “a strategic investment that supports development and strengthens the knowledge economy.”

Director General of the Department of Studies, Planning, and Follow-up, Diaa al-Zubaidi, told Shafaq News that the championship aims to employ academic capabilities in designing and developing applications and technologies that serve Iraq’s national development across various sectors.

Participation, he explained, is managed through a dedicated online platform that allows students to submit projects via their academic supervisors. Specialized scientific committees will evaluate submissions within an approved academic framework, using criteria focused on innovation, practical value, and societal benefit.

Also speaking with our agency, American University President Bradley Joe Cook said that “investing in students and young people is the real investment in Iraq’s future.” He stressed the importance of supporting Iraqi talent locally and internationally, noting that the country possesses significant human potential capable of driving scientific and developmental progress if provided with the right environment.

The initiative comes as Iraq ranks among the lowest Arab countries and 86th globally in artificial intelligence utilization, according to a 2025 report by the Microsoft AI Economy Institute, which found that only 10.3% of the working-age population uses AI tools.

Read more: Brainpower and bytes: Iraq's race for AI supremacy

Against this backdrop, the government in 2024 drafted the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (INSAI) to integrate artificial intelligence into sectors including healthcare, agriculture, tourism, and education. As part of this approach, the Ministry of Higher Education announced the establishment of two new colleges —the College of Artificial Intelligence and the College of Excellence— at the University of Baghdad, while the University of Warith al-Anbiyaa in Karbala has already launched an artificial intelligence department that has attracted strong student interest.

Read more: Iraq’s higher education enters the AI era: Promise and obstacles