OSU gets visit from University of Basrah professors
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
The Iraqi faculty members – Abdul-Khaliq Y. Zaier Al-Badran, Abdulzahra Khu Raheem
Alaliawi, and Majid Abdulnabi Alwan Al-Tameemi – came to OSU as part of a $1 million
grant OSU and Basrah University received from the U.S. Department of State’s Iraqi
Linkage Program.
Throughout the next three years, numerous faculty members from the University of
Basrahwill work closely with Oklahoma State faculty from the School of Chemical Engineering,
the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and the Department of Finance to
review the University of Basrah's current curriculum and to help the Iraqi university
develop a more student-centered, interactive pedagogy.
“We are excited about our engagement with these colleagues from the University of
Basrah, and are striving in collaborative effort to enhanceeducational programs in
Petroleum Engineering, Computer Engineering and Finance,” said Dr. Khaled Gasem, Interim
Dean, College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. “We believe once this
project is complete, the educational curricula in these programs will see significant
improvement. Specifically, our goal is to provide each discipline a contemporary undergraduate
curriculum that will prepare Iraqi students with the credentials and skills to enter
practice in industry or pursue graduate study.”
During the visit, there were several tours and information meetings giving the Basrah
faculty full appreciation for curriculum and instructional methods in the College
of Engineering, as well as the Spears School of Business.
OSU hopes to build a longstanding relationship with the University of Basrah, which
will broaden its international presence as well as educational development abroad.
“We are incredibly honored to host this program,” said John Polonchek, head of the
Department of Finance in OSU’s Spears School of Business and co-principal investigator
for the grant project. “This is just the first group we’ll be hosting. In the next
three years, we expect additional visits by other faculty cohorts.”
Polonchek said OSU was selected for the grant because the U.S. Department of State
wanted to work with a university that was able to deliver quality information in multiple
programs.
“Basrah is in the southern portion of Iraq,” Polonchek said. “It’s basically the functional
equivalent of Houston, and it’s located in a major oil area. That’s why they were
very much interested in petroleum engineering, computer engineering and finance. While
the Iraqi faculty members were here, we did certain things as a group, but then each
of the individual departments met with the individuals they’re working with from Iraq.”
Polonchek said they had several unique opportunities with Al-Badran, the finance professor
visiting. Throughout his 12-day stay in Oklahoma, Al-Badran toured OSU’s campuses
and several major financialinstitutions in Oklahoma; traveled to Dallas to see the
Dallas Museum of Art and the JFK Memorial; met with Spears School Dean Larry Crosby,
OSU Provost Robert Sternberg and OSU President Burns Hargis; attended several cultural
events onOSU’s campus; and spoke at Stillwater High School about Iraq. In addition,
Al-Badran met OSU’s finance department and sat in on several classes and training
sessions to observe western curriculum and teaching styles in person.
“Hopefully we’ll have the opportunity for a great many people to interact with them,”
Polonchek said. “This project is incredibly important to us, and we’re excited about
moving forward with it.”
For additional information about the Iraqi Linkage Program, call 405-744-5199 or send
an email to finance@okstate.edu.