UOD, October 21, 2025, University Press Office (UNPO) | Today, October 21, 2025, in a ceremony that highlighted the deep ties between the Kurdistan Region and Germany, the University of Duhok welcomed a high-level German government delegation led by the Honorable Florian Hassler, State Secretary for Political Coordination in the State Ministry of Baden-Württemberg.

The guest delegation also included the Honorable Ayla Cataltepe, Parliamentarianfrom the Christian Democratic Union Party; the Honorable Alena Flink-Trauschel, Parliamentarian from the Free Democratic Party; Mr. Philipp Keil and Mr. Laurids Nowak, representatives of the SEZ organization; and Mr. Ludger Müllers, a journalist from the Schwäbische Zeitung newspaper and the Caritas organization.

The ceremony was attended by Dr. Dawood Sulaiman Atrushi, President of the University of Duhok; Dr. Luqman Hadi Hassan, Vice President of the University; Dr.Jan Ilhan Kizilhan, Dean of the Institute for Psychotherapy and Psychotraumatology (IPP); members of the University Council; as well as the staff, students, graduates, and therapists of the institute.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Jan Ilhan Kizilhan warmly welcomed the guest delegation and spoke about the history and objectives behind the institute's establishment as a scientific response to the dire humanitarian conditions following the rise of ISIS.

Following this, the President of the University of Duhok, Dr. Dawood Sulaiman Atrushi, expressed his delight with the visit, noting it as a sign of the German government's continuous commitment to this project. He described the IPP as an "Iconic Project" for the university, which has built a significant and highly skilled cadre in the field of mental health. Dr. Atrushi also highlighted the university's focus on genocide-related research and announced that one of the largest international conferences on genocide, under the patronage of His Excellency President Masoud Barzani, will be held at the University of Duhok this month.

For his part, the Honorable Florian Hassler expressed his pleasure at visiting the University of Duhok again and seeing the new IPP building, stating: "The IPP is a project that not only we in the state of Baden-Württemberg but all of Germany is proud of." The State Secretary affirmed that they will continue to support this successful project.

Subsequently, the institute's faculty and therapists presented an overview of their various projects, including the Master's program, the Sinjar clinic, and the suicide prevention hotline.

One of the key highlights of the ceremony was an open discussion between the German State Secretary, Professor Kizilhan, and the institute's graduates and students, which created a productive atmosphere for dialogue about challenges and progress.

The visit concluded with a tour of the new IPP building and the Addiction Treatment Clinic. This event reaffirmed the strength of the academic and humanitarian relations between the University of Duhok and German institutions and underscored the importance of joint work in serving the community.

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University Press Office, October 21, 2025
Report by: Ismat Khabour
Photos by: Mohammed A. Tahar & Ali Habib Habib