The document summarizes Dr. Bushra Mohammed Amin Mohammed's participation in a 3-week training course at Michigan State University through the Iraq University Linkages Program. It describes meetings and workshops attended on topics like teaching pedagogy, career services, and faculty evaluation. It also outlines proposed changes to the University of Duhok's biology department curriculum and suggestions to improve Iraqi universities through research partnerships and faculty development opportunities.

1. Michigan State University
and
Duhok University
Assistant Professor
Dr.Bushra Mohammed Amin Mohammed
University of Duhok-College of Science –Biology Department
•Summary of the Training course on several techniques and pedagogy, and
support of the use instructional tools and resources for the Department of
Biology at the University of Duhok .In Michigan State University (MSU) for 3
weeks in September 2013. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State
(Baghdad Embassy) through IREX.

2. • IREX Iraq's Education Division
Partnered with US Embassy in Iraq
had successfully held a meeting
with Universities' representatives
from USA and Iraq in the city of
Erbil at 14 – 15 Oct, 2011 to
announce the beginning of
University Linkage Program.

3. Iraq University Linkages Program
University of Baghdad Georgia State university
University of Duhok
In Kurdistan region of Iraq
Michigan State University
University of Technology-
Baghdad
University of Missouri-
Columba

4. The program runs
from January 2012
through January
2014 and is funded
by a sub-grant from
IREX

5. This program aims to:
1. Promotes higher education by working
with Iraqi faculty and administrators to
strengthen University curricula,
2. Enhance and update teaching methods
and technology,
3. and Improve career services for
students.

6. Lori Mason
The Project Director of Iraq University
Linkage Program

7. The Coordinators with biology Department in UoD
were Dr. Kelly Millenbah, Dr. Philip Strong and
Dr.Cheryl Murphy From Lyman Briggs College/MSU.

8. Michigan State University (MSU )
• The history of Michigan State University
(MSU) dates back to 1855, when the Michigan
Legislature established the Agricultural
College of the State of Michigan in East
Lansing.
• Today MSU is the ninth –largest University in
the united states .

9. Michigan State University location
Gerald R. Urquhart
urquhart@msu.edu

10. University of Duhok
• While University of Duhok (UoD) was
established on October 1992.
• It is currently in the process of
expanding buildings on a unified
campus, which already has most of
the schools, thus becoming the final
face of the University of Duhok.

11. University of Duhok

12. University of Duhok Location

13. MSU 2012-2013 UoD 2012-2013
48,906 student 3,700 student
16.1% colored student
13,5% international
most native
Faculty member 5,000 1,190 faculty member
Employees 6,400 2,054 employee
130 academic buildings 9 faculties ,22 Schools

14. Michigan State University Logo

15. Michigan State University Logo
• Michigan State university Logo or the Sparty
is an important part of representing Michigan
State University, its campus, and illustrating
the statue itself.

16. MSU Logo are every where

17. Iraqi Universities have different logos but never
used them to develop the sense of pride..

18. Diverse student / Native Students

19. There are Programs for students with
disabilities…They Care
• Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities:
Provides disability-related information.

20. MSU also have Student Traveling
abroad program
• Study-abroad which offers more than
200 programs in more than 60
countries, It is a powerful and
important way to gain skills and to
build student self confidence .

21. Career Services Center In MSU

22. • IREX's University
Linkages Program
supports our
University to establish
the first career center
in Iraq in 2013 to
help students prepare
for real-world
employment

23. Career Center in UoD

24. Evaluation of MSU staff
member

25. A meeting with the head of the Department of
Fisheries and Wildlife Prof. Jones, Michael and
his assistant Prof.Winterstein, Scott

26. • Dr. Michael declare their roles and
guidelines to evaluate his stuff ,
which depends generally on:
• Faculty member research ,
• Student gains ,
• and his staff development such as
workshops, training for new
techniques ,post doctorate ,attending
meetings ,conferences …
• and for their community service/
outreach engagement.

27. Because of the high competitive level of their stuff and
the roles of their evaluation they always organize
meetings ,conferences in different subjects ,
We attend two Lilly Teaching work shops presented
by Dr.Brian Coppola
• Real work is
better than
homework
MSU
always trying
to improve
their quality of
Education

28. We attend another work shop about
designing a new method of teaching in Kellogg
center represented by Dr.Brian Coppola
• Designing around
real work in
STEM disciplines

29. Dr.Brian Coppola
After meeting Dr Coppola
and back to Duhok ,
I begin to form a study
group and not focus so
much on individual
student.

30. We attend two other workshops about
Faculty organization and leadership by
Dr.Deb DeZure
• They always be
sure to help
leaders to
improve their
leader methods

31. Kathy joseph
• MSU also provided
the support for using
techniques tools
• So we did received
training in Histology
and
immunoflurescence
technique for two
days by Dr.Melinda
Frame and Kathy
joseph

32. Dr.Melinda Frame who trained some
of us how to use Confocal Microscope

33. • We also received a training in methods of
preparing a specimen for Scanning Electron
Microscope

34. Meeting With Dr.Sanan wei and
training on Cytogenetic techniques
• Also ,I did receive training in
Cytogenetic techniques by
Dr.Wei on karyotype analysis
and FISH studies
• She is willing to give a
training course on Cytogenetic
technique
• And she also do not mind split
site cooperation program

35. Science Leaders in MSU
• I have the opportunity to meet
some of those scientists

36. Dr.John Lapres Dr. Eran Andrechek Dr.Les Bourquin
Those three researchers in MSU are Changing our world and
doing their best to solve the most complicated health
problems.
All of them do not mind the split site Ph.D cooperation
research program with my Department in Duhok University if
my government found the research .

37. • Dr.justin mcCormick Dr.jim trosko
I really was honored when I meet Prof Dr.jim trosko and Dr.justin
mcCormick ,Their research focuses on the mechanisms of
carcinogenesis and mutagenesis, They promises to keep in touch
and send some useful researches.

38. Dr.Muralee Nair
• I had a connection with
Dr.Muralee
• Muralee's laboratory
focus on the discovery,
isolation, and
identification of
phytochemicals in
plants, and study their
activity on animal
,human , and other
plants.

39. While our
researches?!
.
MSU researches are helping to
solve their society problems
For example :
• To ensure safe food
and water supplies,
• Developing vaccines,
• Human biology Problems,
• computer sciences,
• Improving math
• Science education for
students nationwide,
• and advancing alternative
energy technologies.

40. Visiting Kellogg biological station
In this station MSU study
the interactions among plants,
microbes, insects, management,
and the environment to learn
how agriculture can provide
both high yields and
environmental outcomes that
benefit society.

41. Alternative energy
technologies
(Biofuel Research )

42. Experimental Ponds
Provide a unique opportunity to study the
ecology of fish, plankton, and other aquatic
organisms

43. • In summary , All those work shops ,meetings
,visiting student classes , Labs ,the research farm
in MSU.. had change me a lot …and when I
came back to my university I begin to change
my syllabus and renew my lectures and I begin
to change my teaching methods.
• Also I begin to encourage student critical
thinking habit ,because students need to be
challenged to think critically.
Changes that have taken place since the
involvement in Iraq University Linkage
program.

44. Changes that have taken place since the
involvement in Iraq University Linkage
program
• I am cooperating with some of the professors
that I had meet in MSU to design a Ph.D proposal
for a student from Duhok University and for the
participation in an advance cytogenetic training
course .
• My Department of Biology / Faculty of Science
developed a new curriculum to be applied the
next year.

45. Suggestions to improve our
University
• 1-Identify our society problems then
Facilitate University---Community
cooperation and research
partnerships.
• 2-Support the academic staff by
Providing faculty development
opportunities .

46. Suggestions
• 3-Promote the technical skills for our
staff through technical assistance
,collaboration ,online and video
conferencing courses , training and
academic exchanges…
• 4-Connect faculty with faculty to
encourage exchange research and
thoughts .

47. Suggestions
• 5-Place University staff and students in
service positions.
• 6-Increase leadership capacity, skills,
confidence.