Higher Education approves admitting Azerbaijani veiled students and lowers evening admission cutoffs
The Ministry of Higher Education approved inviting Azerbaijani veiled students to enroll in Iraqi universities and lowered admission cutoffs for some evening programs. It also amended exam instructions and delegated authorities to university councils.
Baghdad — The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced on Wednesday its approval to invite Azerbaijani veiled female students to enroll in study at Iraqi universities, and its decision to lower admission cutoffs for a number of majors in evening programs.
A ministry statement said that Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Haider Baha al-Hasani chaired a meeting of the Advisory Council in the presence of Chair of the Parliamentary Education Committee Adel al-Rikabi, committee member Qutaiba al-Bayati, and council members from the ministry’s staff and presidents of government universities.
During the meeting the minister pointed to the ministry’s continued fulfillment of its scientific and service responsibilities, its care for students and provision of the requirements for their academic success, stressing the pursuit of transforming universities into productive institutions and expanding areas of leadership, innovation and partnership with various sectors.
The minister stressed strengthening the procedures of the assessment examination to ensure accurate evaluation of students’ academic level, working within legal and administrative authorities, and completing the requirements of educational quality according to approved standards.
According to the statement, Advisory Council members reviewed the items on the agenda and proposals related to developing university performance, and voted to organize a peaceful sit-in on Thursday at universities in response to a call by Mr. Muqtada al-Sadr and in rejection of the decision to ban the hijab in educational institutions in Azerbaijan. The sit-in is to be limited to a few minutes so as not to conflict with the academic curriculum, and no pictures or flags are to be raised except for the Iraqi flag.
The council also approved inviting Azerbaijani veiled students to study at Iraqi universities through the approved admission channels and the "Study in Iraq" initiative, including the free scholarship channel.
The statement added that the council approved lowering admission cutoffs for certain majors in evening study programs at public and private universities, and tasked the Department of Studies, Planning and Follow-up with carrying out the necessary procedures in this regard.
The council also confirmed amending University Examination Instructions No. (11) for 2026 to reinforce the examination process, and granted university councils the authority to decide on transfer and hosting requests in accordance with approved regulations, in coordination with college deanships and only to the narrowest extent required by the educational interest.
The council further discussed ways to transform universities into productive institutions and develop mechanisms to invest their capacities to serve society and development, and approved granting university councils the authority to address critical cases for the 2026–2027 academic year by no more than one grade point, in accordance with approved regulations and instructions.
At the end of the meeting the Advisory Council affirmed proceeding to enhance university autonomy and to take the necessary measures consistent with legal and administrative frameworks, emphasizing that extensions of service are to be exclusively for teaching purposes and must not be used to fill positions.
