To strengthen the ties between educational requirements and market needs, AUIS continuously invites and incorporates inputs from industry experts and the private sector. A few years ago, the Information Technology program at AUIS established the first Department of Information Technology Advisory Board (DITAB). The role of DITAB is to contribute to the development and operation of the IT program by providing feedback on current activities and inputs for future initiatives of the program. Validating current activities and establishing new ones based on teaching guidelines, academic research, and industry demands ensure that the program is more beneficial to the students and to the society at large.
“University programs, especially programs of fields that change very fast such as IT, need to be tied to industry needs and demands. AUIS practices this understanding through different activities on an institutional scale, but having an advisory board focused on one program has been more relevant and valuable to the program and the university”, said Dr. Hemin Latif, assistant professor of Information Technology who initially established and oversees DITAB. Dr. Atheer Matroud, chair of Information Technology Department stated, “DITAB is an essential component of our department. Throughout the years, DITAB helped us to understand the IT market, which guided us in making changes to our curriculum accordingly.”
The first DITAB was composed of five industry experts from various companies in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, with IT and business expertise. The members included Dr. Faris Al-Salihi, CEO of Com Tech Communications, Mr. Jabbar Tahir, CEO of MidyaTech, Mr. Ahmed Rasheed, CTO of Gorannet, Ms. Zino Faruk, CEO of Rasan Pharmaceutical, and Ms. Bnar Salah, office manager at Genel Energy.
Recently, the term of the first DITAB members ended and the department is in the process of establishing the second term of the board. As a gesture of appreciation for the valuable contributions of the current members, AUIS presented certificates of appreciation to the members. The members reassured AUIS that they will continue their support to help AUIS create a better future for all.