| Academic scholars in Iraq, together with support from | | | | Council for Assisting Refugee Academics (CARA) is |
| the international community, are undertaking the | | | | working with the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education to |
| monumental task of rebuilding, and in many instances, | | | | safely return the nation's scholars from exile. In addition |
| redefining Iraqi higher education. | | | | to CARA's work, the University of Phoenix-Middle |
| A forced exodus from Baghdad and many other cities | | | | East is also making tremendous strides in stabilizing |
| in Iraq after the 2003 American invasion left the | | | | career education in Iraq by offering online classes to |
| country without many of its scholars. In addition to | | | | students. The flexibility of online courses has been |
| more contemporary events, Iraq's higher education | | | | particularly well received by students who work |
| system took a 'wallop' two decades earlier when the | | | | full-time to support their families. Mosul University in Iraq |
| United Nations imposed sanctions meant to deskill and | | | | and the University of Baghdad also offer practical and |
| isolate a population of Iraqi citizens feared to be a | | | | vocational programs for the 21st Century, such as |
| general danger. The UN did so by denying many | | | | veterinary medicine, legal studies, nursing, and dentistry. |
| students access to science and medical journals, | | | | In light of historic precedent, building a robust academic |
| teaching equipment, and the Internet. | | | | platform in Iraq will undoubtedly be a long and arduous |
| Current efforts are being spearheaded by several | | | | task. However, recent efforts by CARA and the |
| international groups, which are attempting to not simply | | | | Ministry of Education to safeguard the return of exiled |
| rebuild Iraq's previous collegiate structure, but also to | | | | scholars, in conjunction with the increased international |
| create an effective education system, free of political | | | | presence of such established institutions as the |
| and religious propaganda that will effectively prepare | | | | University of Phoenix, raises hope for the possibility of |
| students for a global work place. The United Kingdom's | | | | mainstream higher education in Iraq in the near future. |