PILLAR I: STUDENT SUCCESS AND EMPLOYABILITY

One measure of the effectiveness of higher education and the degree to which human capital has been invested is the relationship between the academic programs offered by universities and the demands of the local and national job market. Learning is one of the foundational ways in which human capital is formed and developed. Human capital—with its competencies and capabilities—is the most productive capital. In all communities, there are two fundamental dimensions to human activity. Work is the process of engaging in social and economic activity, whereas education is the process of acquiring knowledge, abilities, and social orientations.

Koya University recognizes that college graduates’ skills gap has negatively contributed to unemployment in the region, which can hinder economic growth and jeopardize social stability not only in the Koya District but across the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Thus, our Student Success & Employability strategic plan aims at bringing about systematic reform in our academic programs to equip our students with adequate knowledge, skills, and competencies needed to succeed as productive citizens and to prepare them for the 21st-century job market. During the development of curricula at the university, therefore, employability skills should be one of the top priorities of the academic departments. This enables departments to adopt appropriate strategies to support and enhance employable skills among their students.

The primary goal of this pillar is to achieve teaching excellence, enhance students’ soft and technical skills, and empower students to succeed both academically and professionally.

OBJECTIVE 1: Achieve Excellence in Teaching

STRATEGIES:

1. Promote creativity and excellence in teaching

• Review and reform existing programs.
• Promote creative and innovative teaching as well as assessment methods and tools including appropriate assessment strategies to measure learning outcomes for both undergraduate and graduate students.
• Strengthen the pedagogical knowledge and skills of faculty members.
• Design and implement the Student-Centered Learning (SCL) curriculum.
• Improve students’ overall confidence in their academic ability using peer tutoring.
• Obtain international accreditations for programs offered by the university.

2. Improve retention, performance, and engagement

• Provide students with the required support, adequate resources, quality information, and instructions to overcome the challenges they face and to enable them to have a remarkable university experience.
• Holding student conferences, symposiums, and workshops at both the department and the university level to enhance and recognize student research skills and achievements.
• Create libraries and reading areas in the academic departments and college buildings.
• Promote effective use of technology both inside and outside the classroom to create an engaging learning environment that encourages students to be lifelong learners.
• Incentivize students’ ideas, achievements, and innovative projects by sponsoring and creating awards and mini-grants for outstanding students.
• Design new summer course opportunities and camp experiences for high school students.
• Create online programs and other non-traditional learning pathways to allow those who cannot afford to take classes on campus to further their education and acquire skills needed to advance their career.

3. Reform academic curricula and extracurricular activities

• Review and reform curricula to reflect academic departments’ learning outcomes and fulfill the university’s teaching excellence mission.
• Prioritize valuable extracurricular activities including community services activities, honors programs, leadership, personal development programs and experiences, volunteering, and student employment.
• Create effective credit accumulation to encourage students to engage in co-curricular and extracurricular activities by earning credits for participating in these activities.
• Establish an advisory board made up of recognized people from industry or other relevant societal organizations.
• Review, develop, and accredit academic programs to meet the 21st-century job market.

4. Implement new professionalism and professional development

• Encourage and support academic staff to integrate students’ professional goals into their curriculum and course learning outcomes in a way that is aligned with the university’s academic standards.
• Implement small group learning and teaching to develop students’ professional skills.
• Provide support and training to facilitators.

5. Promote ethics and inclusion

• Develop the Koya University Ethics Committee (KUEC) to deal with ethical issues related ‎to teaching, research, and professional commitment.
• Create the University Committee on Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (UCDEI) to introduce policies and practices that promote the principles of inclusion, civility, fairness, and human dignity.
• Nurture a safe and welcoming environment for all the students and staff.
• Ensure the code of ethics is embedded in a wider integrity management framework.

6. Improve codes of conduct and standardization

• Develop a compressive University Code of Conduct (UCC).
• Integrate and enforce codes into the University Practices and Processes.
• Raise awareness among the students and staff on the importance of the UCC and its implementation.

OBJECTIVE 2: Enhance Students’ Soft and Technical Skills

STRATEGIES:

1. Develop student’s soft skills

• Create unique learning environments that foster students’ soft skills both inside and outside the classroom.
• Integrate soft skills into academic programs and curricula.
• Conduct awareness campaigns on the value of soft skills such as teamwork, professionalism, social and emotional intelligence, and leadership skills and its role in students’ academic and professional success.
• Start various competitions such as the annual university Speech and Debate Competition aimed at enhancing students’ critical thinking, communication, and negotiation skills.

2. Offer technical and vocational education and training (TVET)

• Conduct a comprehensive survey to determine what types of human resources and technical skills are needed in both the private and public sectors in Koya, its suburbs, and across Kurdistan Region.
• Partner with local and international employers and organizations to offer training programs that allow students and recent graduates to acquire practical training and work experience related to their area of study.
• Provide vocational training to those disadvantaged local youth who do not have the opportunity to attend college.
• Acquire national and international accreditations for TVET programs offered by Koya University.

3. Develop an entrepreneurial mindset among students and staff

• Implement entrepreneurship through curricular and extracurricular activities including offering courses on entrepreneurship in every academic department to develop students’ entrepreneurial competencies.
• Foster an entrepreneurial ecosystem at Koya University in partnership with leading private companies and businesses.
• Task the University Career Development center with annual entrepreneurial learning activities to nurture both undergraduate and graduate students talents and innovative ideas.

4. Accelerate students’ transition from academia to their professional roles

• Develop business incubator accelerator programs such as Technology Business Incubator, Startup Studio, and Networked Incubators.
• Strengthen and expand partnerships with relevant governmental and nongovernmental entities to create more university to work transitions.
• Provide students with innovative facilities and platforms such as FabLabs, CityLabs, Makerspaces, and Innovation Houses to develop employability skills.

OBJECTIVE 3: Empower Students Within and Beyond the Classroom

STRATEGIES:

1. Implement bilingual education

• Prioritize bilingualism in all academic departments in a way that enhances our students’ career prospects and furthers their educational opportunities and successes.
• Require all Koya University students to demonstrate proficiency in a second language before graduation.
• Have students satisfy second language requirements either by passing a language proficiency exam designed by the University or obtaining a satisfactory score on a recognized international language test.
• Create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students by embracing linguistic and cultural diversity.

2. Create a university-market link and Promote Education 4.0 

• Work closely with employers and relevant industries to create strong relationships between our students and employers before graduation.
• Prepare students for real-world work experiences and enable them to better compete in the increasingly digitized and disruptive labor market.
• Holding annual university career fairs and other networking events where students and alumni can directly connect with employers from various sectors such as business, technology, education, non-profit organizations, etc.
• Create an employer partnership program that allows employers to connect with students by participating in career development events, interviewing students and alumni on campus, and posting part-time and full-time jobs on the university career website.

3. Invest more in scholarship and exchange programs

• Recruit and maintain the best and brightest domestic and international students and staff.
• Renew efforts to offer various study abroad programs and student exchange opportunities such as Koya University merit-based scholarships, partner scholarships, internships, and externships.
• Enter into official student exchange agreements with partner universities across the globe.
• Work with other international government bodies, organizations, and industries to provide more student exchange and scholarship opportunities to all our students.

4. Form and support student clubs and associations

• Place students at the center of their learning process.
• Encourage students to be trusted partners who participate in making and implementing relevant policies and decisions at all the administrative levels of the university to enhance their trust and sense of belonging.
• Create and expand student councils, on and off-campus advocacy groups, department student clubs, and university alumni associations.
• Ensure students can actively engage in co-designing their academic experience.
• Develop policies and rules that require student leaders and members to ensure all the student organizations and clubs act responsibly and promote values aligned with our university vision