VCU representative recruits students in Baghdad as part of an initiative to rebuild Iraq’s university system

By Mike Porter

As director of international student recruitment at VCU, Ian Little has traveled all over the world to interact with prospective students. 

He has recruited students in China, India, Russia, Kuwait, Jordan and many other countries. But until recently, Iraq wasn’t a stop on Little’s recruitment schedule. That changed last month when he participated in a first-of-its-kind student recruitment fair in Baghdad’s “Green Zone.”  

VCU was one of 24 American universities to take part in the trip, which was arranged by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Under the “Iraqi Education Initiative,” Maliki proposes using some of the country’s oil wealth on scholarships for 10,000 students in each of the next five years. The scholarships would help students earn undergraduate or graduate degrees at universities in the United States, Australia, Britain or Canada.

“VCU received a visit last fall from Zuhair A.G. Humadi [the executive director of the Iraq Education Initiative]. He was discussing the education reform initiative and scholarship and invited us to Iraq,” Little said.

The fair drew more than 300 prospective Iraqi students and their families.

“They were straight to the point and asked about our programs in engineering, hard sciences, business and English language training,” Little said.

In addition to providing Iraqi students with opportunities for studying abroad, Maliki launched the initiative to help rebuild Iraq’s higher education system by promoting partnerships between American and Iraqi universities. 

The “Green Zone” in central Baghdad is the heavily guarded government and diplomatic section of the city where U.S. occupation authorities are based. Security has improved in Baghdad in recent months, and Little said he felt safe during his visit.

“At no point did I ever feel anxiety,” Little said. “There was always a sense of security. The ‘Green Zone’ is a straight shot from the airport.”

Little described the trip as successful and said he would like to go back because an ongoing partnership would benefit Iraqi students eager to study abroad and VCU students, who would learn from their interactions with students from Iraq.

“It’s an opportunity for a meaningful relationship and in the end, it’s the right thing to do,” Little said.