Final Day of the "Education, Peace, and Equality" Conference at Koya University

The second and final day of the International Conference on "Education, Peace, and Equality" concluded at Koya University on Tuesday, February 19, 2025. The conference, jointly organized by Koya University, Ulster University, and the Education, Peace, and Policy Network (EPP), built upon the formal presentations and research discussions initiated on the first day.

The final day’s sessions were held across multiple venues at Koya University and were also accessible via video conference, ensuring broad participation from local and international academics, researchers, and policy-makers. The program comprised a series of thematic panels structured as follows:

Session Four - A (Conference Hall): Education for Refugees: Challenges, Discrimination, and Pathways to Equality. Presenter: Leslie A. Doran- Focused on the educational challenges faced by refugees, particularly issues of discrimination and efforts toward inclusion. Salahuddin El-Mougharabil: Stories of Discrimination and Their Impact on Peacebuilding Among Syrian Refugee Youth. Kennedy Monari: Policy Trajectories for Uganda's Refugee Education. Bryan Lali & Eleanor Hargreaves: Reading for Syrian Refugee Children in Lebanon: Advocacy for Equal Participation in Informal Education

Session Four - B (Hall B): Building Peace through Learning and Pedagogical Approaches. Presenter: Dr. Haidar Lashkari- Highlighted the role of transformative pedagogies in promoting peace. Basida Anwar & Hazm Ramazan: Teachers’ Role in Implementing Peacebuilding in Koya Preparatory Schools. Burhan O. Mahmood, Sara K. Maarouf, Peyman O. Rasul: Paulo Freire’s Theory and Student Discontent in Sulaymaniyah (2021). Sophie R. Lane: Art as Research and Pedagogy in Post-Conflict Education. Adnan Shwan: Using Art to Promote Cultural Diversity in Kirkuk and Nineveh

Session Five - A (Conference Hall): Educational Policies in Conflict Areas. Presenter: Dr. Karwan M. Said- Examined educational systems in fragile contexts. Kawa T. Jalal, Ahmad A. Mohammad, Rebin N. Kakamen: Centralizing Education for Peacebuilding: Kurdish Context. Mona M. Baloo: Equity in Education Rights and Peacebuilding. Mohamed N. Mustafa & Karwan M. Saeed: Learning, Behavior Correction, and Peacebuilding in Secondary Schools. Ali Yasin & Ikram El Sawaf: Educational Policy and Cultural Tolerance in Iraq

Session Five - B (Hall B): Higher Education in Peacebuilding and Development. Presenter: Dr. Galawêzh B. Bapir- Focused on global perspectives on the role of universities. Bara M. Kamal & Binak Abdulla: Combating Extremism via Higher Education. Kote David Edhal Ngwar: South Sudan Case Study on Peace and Economic Development. Soran O. Rashid & Karwan M. Said: Pedagogical Impacts on Peace in Kurdistan. Ahmed L. Ghanem: Developing an E-Course on Human Rights

Session Six - A (Conference Hall): Education in Conflict-Affected Regions. Presenter: Dr. Niam Rayna- Analyzed educational structures and challenges in unstable areas. Karwan M. Said: Accessibility of Education in Kurdistan. Sangar Y. Salah & Khitab A. Sulaiman: Community Engagement in Higher Education. Hozan S. Hussein: Economic Impacts of Education in Kurdistan. Burhan O. Mahmood, Khadijah S. Rahman, Paiman O. Rasul: Inequality in Kurdistan's Education System. Genevieve Greer: Legal Framework for Education in Conflict Zones

Session Six - B (Hall B): Education, Health, and Identity in Crisis Contexts. Presenter: Dr. Ahmed A. Mohammed- Focused on resilience, identity, and maternal health education. Bestoon O. Nouri & Amin F. Sharif: Sustainability Challenges in Education. Leslie A. Dornan: Maternal Health Education in Conflict Zones. Zeytoon A. Hamed & Darya Rostam: Post-Trauma Mental Health in Sulaymaniyah Students. Peshawa J. Mohammed: Parental Involvement in Refugee vs. Local Education. Ikram F. Sawaf & Ali H. Yaseen: Cultural Identity and Iraqi Education

Session Seven (Conference Hall): Education, Justice, and Peacebuilding in Syria. Presenter: Benawat Marten. Delved into the Syrian experience of conflict and educational recovery. Mohammad O. Boukai & Yasser Hossen: Universities and Social Cohesion in Northern Syria. Rawa Al-Tawil: Education, Displacement, and Justice in Syria. Ghina Shumari: Arabization's Impact on Kurdish Identity in Post-Baathist Syria. Elis B. Espinosa: Islamic Governance and Children’s Education in Eastern Syria.

The conference concluded with closing remarks delivered by Dr. Sherko Krmanj, who commended the contributions of all participants and emphasized the significance of continued dialogue and collaborative research in promoting peace, justice, and equality through education.

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Koya University (KOU) is located in the city of Koya (Koy Sanjaq) which is 1.0 hr drive to the East of the Kurdistan Region capital Erbil (Arbil, Hewlér) in Kurdistan Region of F.R. Iraq. It is on the foothills of a beautiful high mountain. Its campus has been carefully laid out to embrace the beautiful mountainous nature.

There are 4 Faculties and 2 Schools in KOU; Faculty of Engineering (FENG), Faculty of Science and Health (FSCH), Faculty of Education (FEDU), Faculty of Humanities and Social Silences (FHSS), Shcool of Physical Education (SPHE) and School of Medicine (SMED).

Also, there are two research centers; Genome Center and Malai Gawra Center. Moreover, at KOU there is an English Language Center (BELC) at KOU has been opened with the sponsorship of IREX and American embassy in Baghdad as well as with the support of Spring International Language Center of The University of Arkansas. KOU has two Scientific Journals; ARO-The Scientific Journal of Koya University, which is indexed by Clarivate Analytics (ESCI), and Koya University Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences (KUJHSS). KOU is a proactive member of Erasmus/ Marhaba Project and Erasmus+.

KOU signed many Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) with many International Universities, e.g., The University of Arkansas (June 2015). The Lulea University in Sweden (April 2014), The University of Nottingham in the UK, The University of Buckingham in the UK (Oct 2008), Belkin University in Turkey (Sep 2009) The University of Greenwich in the UK, Cihan University-Erbil (2021) and Tishk International University (2021).

Koya University is a memebr of The Association of Arab Universities and the International Association of Universities.

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