On Tuesday, 9 January 2025, an important academic meeting was convened at the Presidency of the University of Zakho to discuss a strategic initiative aimed at advancing medical research capacity through international collaboration and access to global biomedical data resources.

The meeting was chaired by Professor Dr. Diyar Abdulkarim Saeed, President of the University of Zakho, and was attended by a number of senior academic and administrative leaders, including the Vice Presidents of the University, the Dean of the College of Medicine, the Director of the Information Technology Center, and the Director of the University Journals.

Focus of the Meeting

The primary focus of the meeting was the development of a formal international collaboration framework between the University of Zakho and leading global medical data institutions, with particular emphasis on institutions based in the United Kingdom.

The discussion benefited from the contribution of a University of Zakho faculty member currently based in the UK, who has established strong academic and research collaborations with several British universities and scientific research centers. These institutions are actively engaged in large-scale biomedical data collection and research across a wide range of diseases.

Strategic Importance of UK Biobank

Special attention was given to the potential establishment of a formal partnership with the UK Biobank, which is internationally recognized as one of the world’s largest and most advanced biomedical databases, serving as a cornerstone for high-impact medical research.

Access to the high-quality, comprehensive, and longitudinal data provided by UK Biobank—widely utilized by leading global research universities—is considered a critical step toward enhancing the quality, scope, and international visibility of medical research outputs produced by the College of Medicine at the University of Zakho.

Future Directions

 

The meeting concluded with a discussion of the administrative, technical, and institutional requirements necessary to initiate and formalize data access procedures and collaborative research agreements with UK Biobank and other medical research institutions in the United Kingdom. These steps are expected to lay the foundation for sustainable international research partnerships and contribute to the university’s long-term research strategy.