The Southern Technical University held the fourth edition of its International Scientific Conference under the theme:“Sustainability: Between Reality, Challenges, and Future Prospects.”
The conference was attended by numerous distinguished figures, including the Honorable Iranian Consul, the Director of the Central Bank of Iraq, the Chairman of the Higher Education Committee in Basrah Governorate, the President of the University of Basrah for Oil and Gas, the Vice Presidents of Southern Technical University for Administrative and Scientific Affairs, along with deans of the university’s colleges and institutes, academic and scientific personalities, and a wide audience of stakeholders and interested participants,
The opening ceremony began with recitations from the Holy Quran, followed by the Iraqi national anthem. The President of Southern Technical University, Prof. Dr. Mudhafar Sadiq Al-Zuhairi, who also supervised the conference, opened the first session with a keynote speech. In his address, he highlighted that the university continues to make significant strides, adding another milestone to its track record of achievements over the past four years. These accomplishments span diverse sectors, including the core of the educational process and community service, He emphasized the university’s commitment to openness, encouraging innovative ideas and initiatives, promoting loyalty and belonging, and fostering transparency in all aspects of institutional operations. He also pointed to the university’s vision of producing graduates equipped with high levels of knowledge and skills that meet market needs, solve real-world problems, and keep pace with the rapid development seen across all areas of life in the advanced world,
Prof. Al-Zuhairi concluded by affirming that scientific research is a fundamental pillar of development, essential for expanding knowledge, enriching sciences, and uncovering facts through rigorous scientific and logical analysis of phenomena,
Representing the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Asaad Ghani Jihad addressed the conference, stressing that adopting a scientific methodology in both thought and practice is the bridge to a secure and prosperous future. He noted that the theme of this conference illustrates the connection between the present and the future, as sustainability involves the development of land, cities, communities, and businesses to meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. He expressed his hope that the conference would yield scientific recommendations to advance administrative, financial, and accounting practices in Iraq, highlighting the positive economic impacts such initiatives can bring to the country,
Following that, Mr. Maher Talib Abdulzahra, Director of the Continuing Education Center at the university, introduced Dr. Elizabeth Shackley from Northern Ireland, who delivered her research presentation remotely via closed-circuit video. Her paper, titled “The Importance of Quality in Higher Education in Driving the Global Economy,” emphasized that quality has become an essential requirement for any educational institution aspiring for global excellence and competitiveness in the labor market. She focused on key areas such as enhancing cognitive, skill-based, and psychological aspects, as well as raising the efficiency and standards of professionals in the education sector, Dr. Alaa Abdul-Hussein, Chairman of the Iraqi Securities Commission, also presented a research paper titled “Financial Markets and Their Role in Development.” He explained that recent applied scientific studies confirm a strong link between capital and economic growth rates. Financial markets, he noted, drive economic development, fund international activities, and increase investment productivity, Over the course of two days, the conference will feature the presentation of 35 research papers, including 20 in administrative issues, 10 in accounting, and 5 in economics, presented by researchers from both Iraq and abroad.
