In a landmark event that outlined the future of technical education, Al-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University officially announced on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, the transformation of the Technical Institute of Najaf into Al-Najaf Polytechnic College. The event was held under the patronage of Professor Dr. Hassan Latif Al-Zubaidi, President of Al-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University, and under the supervision and follow-up of Professor Dr. Haider Hassan Al-Abdali, Dean of Al-Najaf Polytechnic College. Attendees described the occasion as a “historic turning point” in the development of technical education in Iraq.
The ceremony, held in the college’s Scientific Complex Hall, was attended by representatives of the local government of Najaf Governorate, including Dr. Hussein Al-Isawi, Chairman of the Najaf Provincial Council; Ms. Insaf Al-Mousawi, Chair of the Council’s Health Committee; and Ms. Iman Al-Saadi, Chair of the Council’s Services Committee. Also in attendance were the University President’s Assistants for Administrative and Scientific Affairs, Professor Dr. Mohammed Al-Majtoumi and Professor Dr. Ahmed Ghanem Wadi, along with a number of deans of the university’s colleges and institutes, as well as academic and community figures and a large number of college staff who gathered to celebrate the achievement.
The ceremony began with a minute of silence in tribute to the souls of the martyrs, followed by the Iraqi national anthem. However, the most significant moment went beyond the formal protocol: the official announcement of the birth of another new college in the holy city of Najaf.
In his speech, the University President stressed that this transformation was no longer an option but a national necessity, stating:
“Today, we are not merely changing a name. We are announcing the birth of a new institution whose mission is to graduate, for the Middle Euphrates provinces and Iraq as a whole, skilled technical engineers and professionals who carry a degree in one hand and the tools of work and production in the other. The Polytechnic College will serve as the executive arm for reconstruction projects in the holy city.”
He explained that the new academic system would adopt international Polytechnic standards, with 70% of the educational program devoted to practical training in workshops and laboratories and 30% to theoretical study, ensuring a direct link between graduates and the labor market, with broad governmental and community support.
For his part, Dr. Hussein Al-Isawi, Chairman of the Najaf Provincial Council and representative of the local government, welcomed the decision, describing it as a “strategic investment in the potential of young people.” He noted that the college would directly contribute to meeting the governorate’s need for qualified personnel in economic, administrative, medical, and engineering sectors, particularly oil and energy, construction, information technology, artificial intelligence, and religious tourism.
He also expressed his full support for the transformation, emphasizing that it would create “a job opportunity, not merely a graduation certificate,” and describing the college as “the hope of our families.”
He further praised the decision as a major step toward establishing an integrated technical university in Najaf, placing education at the service of reconstruction and opening a new chapter in the city’s scientific and industrial history. He described the initiative as “the most important step this year,” stressing:
“The local government stands hand in hand with the university. This college is a strategic investment in the potential of our youth and a genuine solution to meeting the governorate’s needs in the energy, construction, information technology, and religious tourism sectors.”
In turn, Professor Dr. Haider Hassan Al-Abdali, Dean of the college, explained that the establishment plan includes seven promising academic departments designed to keep pace with labor market requirements and meet community needs:
- Department of Petroleum Refining and Energy Technologies Engineering
- Department of Software and Artificial Intelligence Technologies Engineering
- Department of Medical Devices Technologies Engineering
- Department of Electrical Technologies and Renewable Energy Engineering
- Department of Legal Administration Technologies
- Department of Tourism and Hotel Management Technologies
- Department of Interior Design Technologies
He expressed his pride in this achievement and praised the continued support provided by the Presidency of Al-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University, as well as the significant efforts made by the college’s staff throughout its development journey, culminating in the realization of this important milestone.
On the sidelines of the ceremony, the University President accompanied the distinguished guests on a tour to inaugurate the building of the Pharmaceutical and Drug Industries Technologies Department, the building housing the classrooms and laboratories of the Cardiac Care Nursing Technologies Department, as well as the Medical Clinics Building and the laboratories of the Oil and Gas Refining Department.
Nihad Al-Rubaie
Director of the Media and Government Communication Department
Al-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University
