Koya University Hosts Interdisciplinary Workshop on Gypsum Heritage Preservation

 The Department of Architectural Engineering at Koya University convened an academic workshop entitled "Revitalizing Historic Gypsum Production in Koya: Experiences, Challenges, and Future Vision" on Wednesday, February 25, 2025. This collaborative event brought together multidisciplinary experts to examine the preservation and contemporary application of traditional gypsum production techniques.

 Collaborative Framework

The workshop was organized through an institutional partnership between:

·        Koya University (host institution)

·        University of Mosul (academic partner)

·        Koya Directorate of Antiquities (governmental partner)

·        Wadi Organization (NGO partner)

With generous sponsorship from the German development organization Gerder 

Strategic Alignment

This initiative directly supports Koya University's strategic objectives by:

·        Fostering sustainable academic partnerships

·        Addressing critical heritage preservation challenges

Implementing the university's third strategic pillar of Community Outreach through:

·        Knowledge exchange with local stakeholders

·        International collaboration

·        Practical applications of academic research

Workshop Focus

Participants engaged in scholarly discourse examining:

·        Historical gypsum production methodologies

·        Contemporary conservation challenges

·        Potential applications in modern architecture

·        Sustainable approaches to cultural heritage preservation

The workshop facilitated meaningful dialogue between academic researchers, heritage professionals, and international experts, contributing to the development of actionable strategies for preserving this important aspect of Koya's architectural heritage.

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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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