2009 Press Releases
U.S. Embassy Launches Country-wide Training Workshops for Student
Advisors
The U.S. Embassy, in cooperation with the Agency for Educational Development in Washington, D.C. (AED), has launched a $1.2 million country-wide series of workshops to train over 200 Iraqi professionals in the field of student advising and career development. After their intensive 4-day training sessions, and in accordance with the principles of the U.S.-Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement of 2009 to expand bilateral educational exchanges, these workshop participants will soon begin offering professional advising services throughout Iraq to students who wish to study at U.S. colleges and universities.
Ambassador Christopher Hill spoke at the opening of the Student Advising Workshop in Baghdad on Saturday, October 10 and commended the 43 Iraqi participants for volunteering to become student advisors. Citing the well-known Chinese saying that 'a journey of a thousand miles begins with a first step,' Ambassador Hill noted that this student advising initiative will be an important step in helping Iraq overcome a sense of isolation and helping Iraqi students take full advantage of the many educational opportunities available in the U.S. Ambassador Hill highlighted the crucial role that such students will play in the building of a new Iraq, saying that the training Iraqi students receive abroad will help strengthen the Iraqi economy and institutions. Ambassador Hill noted that America would also benefit if more Iraqi students studied in the U.S., as many Americans have not had the opportunity to travel abroad and would learn much from these Iraqi'student ambassadors.'
The participants in these country-wide workshops come from universities and colleges throughout Iraq. Through their training and affiliation with AED, these future advisors will be able to provide students and parents the latest information on U.S. higher education, including what each U.S. college has to offer, how to go about taking entrance tests,and what to expect upon arrival at a U.S. campus.
Further information on study opportunities in the U.S. can be found on our website: http://iraq.usembassy.gov/education.html.