Schedule

Workshop Schedule

Time	Event
19:30	Welcome Reception Dinner – Provided Only by Invitation

Time	Event
09:00	Registration
09:30	Welcome Speech National Anthem Dr. Amir Chali – Representative of Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Presidents of Universities Ministers of Higher Education Dr. Abdulkareem Al Faisal, Chairman of PM’s Advisory Council Professor Hamid Khalaf Ahmed – PM Advisor Executive Director, The Higher Committee for Education Development Mr. Ammar Tariq– British Council Representative – Head of Education (Interim), British Council in Iraq.
10:00	Keynote Speakers Professor lain Gillespie – Principal & Vice Chancellor at University of Dundee. Professor Elenor Robson-UCL Professor of Ancient Middle Eastern History, with a particular focus on Iraq Dr. Muhammed Hussein – Director General for Quality Assurance at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research: Current Quality of Research in Kurdistan, KRG Professor Serwan Baban, Chief Scientific Advisor for the President of KRG , Research for Decision making and Ensuring a Sustainable Future for the KRI’
11:00	Break
11:15	Research and Innovation, Chaired by Janroy Yilmaz Keles – Middlesex University. Professor Michael Osborne, University of Glasgow – How a Good Research Culture Can Be Developed: winning grants from multiple sources (identification of opportunity, creation of teams, honing grant-writing skills, providing admin support). Virtually online
11:35	Professor Simon Thompson, University of Sussex – Developing an inclusive and impactful research culture – maximising the potential of all research and scholarship faculty through mentoring, research communities and professional development (UK).
12:30	Lunch
13:30	Developing a Vision for Research Excellence, Chaired by Professor Serwan Baban, Chief Scientific Advisor for the President of KRG Professor Pat Wheeler, University of Nottingham – The Research Excellence Framework (REF): an overview of research outputs and impact case studies Dr. Diane Levine, University of Leicester – An Overview of How Research Support works at UK University. Virtually online
14:30	Learn from Success: Professor Graeme Barker – Cambridge University Learn from Success: UK International research Collaboration. Dr. Sura Al-Maiyah, Loughborough University, the Science & Technology Development Fund (STDF) of Egypt, Collaboration with Ain Shams University.
15:15	Break
15:30	Roundtable Discussions: Research and Innovation Issues to be discussed: • What is your institutions’ research and innovation ambitions? • What approaches and ideas from today’s sessions could you adopt at your own institutions to help you to achieve those ambitions? • What are the obstacles to implementing the changes you think are needed? Room 1: Amr Fahhad, Loughborough University Assoc. Prof Janroj Yilmaz Keles, Middlesex University Room 2: Dr Sura Al-Maiyah, Loughborough University Dr. Michael Green, British Council Iraq Room3: Professor Tala Kasim, Aston University Dr Mehiyar Kathem, UCL -The Nahrein Network’s Deputy Director
16:30	Wrap-up session (closed session) Wrap up of day’s discussion sessions and recommendations Assoc. Prof Janroj Yilmaz Keles – Middlesex University Dr Amir Chali – Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research Dr Anthony O’Tierney – University of Leicester.
17:30	Closing Remarks Dr. Muhammed Hussein – Director General for Quality Assurance at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research: Current Ouality of Research in Kurdistan. KRG. Professor Sultan Abuorabi – President of Tishk International University in Erbil.
19:30	Dinner – Provided by Tishk International University. Only by Invitation

Time	Event
09:30	Developing Strong Research Proposals I, Chaired by Eleanor Robson, University College London Dr. Tala Kasim, Aston University – Multidisciplinary research and Ethical Considerations. Professor Claudia Glatz, University of Glasgow – Searching for Research Grant – International Funders: Who are they? How to approach them? Which ones are relevant to my research interest? Professor Stephen Syrett, Middlesex University – Knowledge Exchange Through Research Development and Engagement with Different Stakeholders
11:00	Break
11:15	Developing Strong Research Proposals I, Chaired by Assoc. Prof Janroj Yilmaz Keles, Middlesex University. Mary Ryan, University of Glasgow – Developing Strong Research Proposals: Insights from the advice UK university research development staff give their research teams (including interdisciplinary research and team development in preparing to respond to various funding calls. Virtually Online Professor Pat Wheeler, University of Nottingham, Building Research Groups: How to foster collaboration (internal and external) and how to manage teaching departments to give the time/space/motivation for academics to excel.
12:30	Lunch
13:30	Managing a Research Project, Chaired by Professor Pat Wheeler, University of Nottingham Professor Huseyin Dogan – Bournemouth University. Software, Tools and Resources for Grant Submission and Academic Research: Overview of some of the software, systems and approaches used to support grant administration processes in the UK Dr. Rozhen Kamal Mohammed-Amin – Kurdistan Institution for Strategic Studies & Scientific Research (KISSR) – Reporting, Compliance, and Impact Assessment: Case study of successful grant management, including reporting (Researchfish) and impact assessment (providing concrete examples and illustrations of how to measure both academic and community impacts). Dr Mehiyar Kathem, UCL – The Network’s Deputy Director and Mrs Oana Borlea-Stancioi (Virtually Online), UCL- The Nahrein Network’s Administrator – Evidence of Expenditure: Funder representative provides overview of eligible expenditure and what counts as appropriate evidence of expenditure.
14:30	Research Outputs, Chaired by Dr. Tala Kasim, Aston University Professor Graeme Barker – Cambridge University – How to Attract, Support and Develop Early Career Researchers Assoc. Prof Janroj Yilmaz Keles, Middlesex University -How to publish in peer-reviewed journals
15:15	Break
15:30	Roundtable Discussions -Mechanics of Proposal Development: Overview of grant submission platforms, budgeting processes, internal peer review, institutional sign-off, responding to reviewers, interview preparation. Activity suggestion: two anonymized proposals (a successful and an unsuccessful one) along with their reviewers feedback to be provided to the participants in advance of the workshop; to be discussed and reflected on during the workshop so that the participants learn by examples. Room 1: Dr Sura Al-Maiyah – Loughborough University Dr. Rozhen Kamal Mohammed-Amin – Kurdistan Institution for Strategic Studies & Scientific Research (KISSR) Room 2: Professor Simon Thompson – School of Education and Social Work Professor Huseyin Dogan – Bournemouth University Room3: Dr Jason Norris – University of Dundee Dr Mehiyar Kathem, – UCL. The Nahrein Network’s Deputy Director
16:30	Wrap-up session (closed session) Wrap up of day’s discussion sessions and recommendations Dr Janroj Yilmaz Keles – Middlesex University Dr Amir Chali -Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Dr Anthony O’Tierney – University of Leicester
17:30	Closing Remark Dr. Muhammed Hussein – Director General for Quality Assurance at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research: Current Ouality of Research in Kurdistan. KRG.
19:30	Dinner – Provided by Knowledge University. Only by Invitation

Time	Event
09:30	Building International Research CollaborationsVisiting Universities in KRI, Salahaddin University-Erbil and Tishk International University
12:30	Lunch with Alumni and Postgraduate Students
13:30	Road Map for the Kurdistan Research and Development Council This session will be open to all participants from the UK and selected committees from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research to focus on shaping the direction of the newly-established Research and Development (R&D) Council. The aim of these two sessions are to: 1- seek appropriate advice to guide the Research and Development Council in the region. 2- Identify international experts to be affiliated with this council in the future. 3- Explore the potential benefits for UK and Kurdistan universities in connection to local and international funds. Group work 1: Identifying and Engaging Stakeholders in Research Initiatives. Table Discussions: Participants engage in role-playing scenarios, simulating interactions with stakeholders to identify potential challenges and solutions. Group Work 2: Drafting a Research Collaboration Plan for International Funds for Developing Countries.Participants work on a mock research collaboration plan based on a real-life interdisciplinary project and write inter-disciplinary proposals for grants.
14:30	Dr Amir Chali – Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research Dr. Muhammed Hussein – Director General for Quality Assurance at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research: Current Quality of Research in Kurdistan. KRG.