March 13, 2025 – The Consulate General of Italy in Erbil, represented by Consul General Tommaso Sansone and Alberto Campagnolo from the Presidency of the Council of Ministers-Liaison, visited the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS), where they met with Dr. Bilal A. Wahab, AUIS President, to discuss potential areas of collaboration between Italy and AUIS.

During the meeting, Consul General Sansone expressed Italy’s strong interest in fostering academic and cultural cooperation with AUIS, highlighting the Consulate’s commitment to supporting higher education initiatives in the Kurdistan Region. Dr. Bilal provided an overview of AUIS’s history, its academic programs, and its dynamic research centers, including IRIS, AEIC, CACHE, and CGDS . He also shared AUIS’s upcoming plans to establish an Energy Research Center and an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Lab to further enhance academic and industry-focused research.

AUIS, home to over 2,300+ alumni across various fields, is dedicated to fostering global partnerships that enrich its students' academic experiences. Dr. Bilal expressed AUIS’s readiness to host Italian faculty members as visiting professors in its undergraduate programs, emphasizing that the University provides state-of-the-art facilities to support international faculty and researchers. He also noted AUIS’s willingness to collaborate with Italian scholars on joint research projects.

Consul General Sansone highlighted Italy’s deep engagement in archaeological research across the Kurdistan Region, with 11 active missions dedicated to uncovering and preserving the region’s rich historical heritage. He noted that all discoveries made by Italian missions are donated to local authorities, reinforcing Italy’s commitment to cultural preservation. Additionally, he mentioned ongoing efforts to promote the Italian language in a university in Kurdistan, strengthening educational ties between Italy and the region.

AUIS looks forward to further collaboration with Italian institutions and scholars, building on shared interests in education, research, and cultural exchange. The University remains committed to expanding its global partnerships to offer students and faculty opportunities for academic excellence and interdisciplinary research.