NAJAF'S KUFA UNIVERSITY - MUCH TO BOAST BUT "WORDS" OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HILLAH 000052 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/5/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM PINR SCUL SOCI IZ SUBJECT: NAJAF'S KUFA UNIVERSITY - MUCH TO BOAST BUT "WORDS" OF CAUTION REF: 07 HILLAH 161 HILLAH 00000052 001.2 OF 003 CLASSIFIED BY: Angus T. Simmons, PRT Najaf Team Leader, PRT Najaf, Department of State. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d),(g) This is a Najaf PRT Reporting Cable ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Kufa University staff has made impressive progress since PRT Najaf's introductory meeting November last year. With some PRT assistance, the influential university president Dr. Razak Al-Essa has accomplished much that was on his "wish list." (ref) In March, Kufa University became the first institution in South Central Iraq to offer the English TOEFL examination. Immediately after the Sadrist stream ended its "civil disobedience," Dr. Razak successfully organized an April 1 conference for political tolerance that was attended by Sadrist Spokesman Salah al-Obaidi, ISCI part leader Amar al-Hakim, as well as Dawa party representatives. The president found substantial funding to initiate the much-discussed IT network project to connect all campuses. Razak also indicated that the Ministry's budget for Kufa would double in 2009 to USD28 million. The PRT-sponsored USD 2.8 million ESF project to build the Mechanical Engineering Faculty is close to completion; other projects the PRT completed include replenishing the English Department's library, nominating two professors for ECA exchange programs, and funding a U.S. distance-learning course for English lecturers. The PRT continues to push other projects through the pipeline to help build capacity at Kufa. Amidst all the good news, however, the president and other Kufa contacts disclosed that they have received increased death threats and words of intimidation. END SUMMARY ENGLISH TOEFL TESTING CENTER - "FIRST IN 30 YEARS" -------------- ¶2. (C) From the first introductory meeting with the PRT in November, Kufa University President Dr. Razak Al-Essa emphasized time and again the importance of an English testing center in South Central Iraq. The PRT, using seed QRF money to build an initial allotment of testing booklets, helped Kufa University to launch its first English TOEFL testing on March 17. The number of testing booklets purchased should enable the program to become self-funding. The PRT, Embassy Jordan, and Embassy Baghdad OPA and GSO worked together to securely deliver the testing booklets to Kufa's English Lecturer Ikhlas Ali, who also heads the proctoring program. Dr. Razak sent Ikhlas to TOEFL proctor training in Jordan, and working in conjunction with the Ministry of Higher Education, built two campus classrooms dedicated as the TOEFL Testing Center. Presently, transport logistics present a big hurdle to success in the region, and the PRT is working to help the university on logistical shortfalls. CALL FOR POLITICAL TOLERANCE AMONG SHIA LEADERS -------------- ¶3. (C) Dr. Razak stated that he was pleased with the outcome of the political tolerance conference that he organized April 1, immediately after Sadrist leaders ended its three-day "civil disobedience." During a meeting with PRT Leader the same afternoon, he indicated that Sadrist Spokesman Salah al-Obaidi, ISCI leader Amar al-Hakim, Dawa party leaders, academics and Najaf officials successfully held constructive discussion, all sitting together "in the first row," and left the symposium hall satisfied and thanking him. Razak highlighted to the PRT that Kufa University would be holding a humanitarian conference April 15 in which Obaidi would again attend. Asked about the value of PRT reaching out to Sadrist political members, the president responded with "leave it for a while," opining that the timing is still premature. Comment: The PRT may consider reaching out to Sadrist contacts using the university as a conduit should the action be deemed safe for all involved. End Comment IT NETWORK CONNECTIVITY - "WE FOUND FUNDING." -------------- 4. (C) During Kufa University's meeting with the PRT at FOB Endeavor, Head of IT Communication Laith Kadlum highlighted that the university has found substantial funding of USD 1.2 million to connect all campuses to a single IT network, and that the project was already underway (reftel). The PRT has also been actively looking for funding for this comprehensive project and helped in soliciting expert advice on its design. During Laith's technical presentation, the USAID Rep offered to connect Intel and Cisco company engineers with Laith's team. PRT Leader applauded Kufa staff for being proactive and their commitment to build capacity, and added that the PRT may assist the project in the second or third phase in both advisory and financing capacities should funding come through. This project would provide internet access for all students and would enable the university to participate in international academic dialogues far more actively than it can today. Laith also informed the PRT that MOE has doubles its 2009 budget commitment to Kufa University to HILLAH 00000052 002.2 OF 003 USD 28 million, while expectation is for enrollment to increase from 10,000 to 14,000 students. "FIRST 'WEBINARS'" -------------- ¶5. (SBU) In addition, Laith explained that Kufa University was holding its first "webinar" offered by the University of Birmingham in the U.K. The webinars comprised 10 sessions and will provide knowledge to setup and implement Digital Video Conferencing (DVC) technology. Already in the design as a follow-on project is the building of six DVC rooms on different campuses after the initial network connectivity project is completed. Kufa University staff has set up five accounts for their first e-learning course - using slow internet connection while learning how to access new techniques. Kufa was also first and evidently still the only Iraqi university to provide logon accounts to all 5,000 of its staff, in addition to individual web pages to all its 1080 faculty members. PRT PROGRAMS MADE PROGRESS -------------- ¶6. (C) Working in close coordination with Cultural Affairs Office, the PRT successfully nominated two Kufa professors on the Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) programs thus far. The nomination of an English assistant professor to the United States Institute on Contemporary American Literature would hopefully bring American works to Kufa's English syllabi. The Dean of Law Faculty Dr. Shukri, an expert on constitutional and comparative law, will participate in an International Visitors Program on Human Rights. In addition, the PRT purchased a comprehensive library of textbooks for Kufa's English Department after consulting with Post's Regional English Language Officer. PRT is also offering to English lecturers the opportunity to participate in a distance learning program co-designed by a stateside university and the State Department dedicated to Middle-East English educators. LETTERS OF INTIMIDATION -------------- ¶7. (C) Dr. Razak and several close contacts at the PRT confirmed rumors that they have been receiving increased death threats. Both the president and his staff were surprised by the PRT's knowledge but immediately stepped forward and asserted adamantly that they "would not be intimidated," indicating at the same time that they must also "exercise caution" in appearance. They noted that "American security forces" on the campus on several occasions likely created some unwarranted "attention." (Comment: This is a matter that raises contradictory emotions for us, too, in a university campus where there has never been a security incident in five years and where we are trying to support progress and a sense of normalcy and confidence in the future. End Comment.) They further noted that although travels to meeting at FOB Endeavor can be conspicuous due to its remote location, alternating meetings between the FOB and on campus can have the benefit of some privacy without being observed. ¶8. (C) During a private conversation with PRToff, the president expressed deep concern for the safety of his two sons - both graduates of Kufa University. He quoted, "we will start with your sons before you" from one of the bullet-enclosed letters he received. He acknowledged that although he would not be intimated by such threats, he feared for his sons and would like to send them to graduate studies outside of Iraq. He felt that once he knows they are safe, he can continue work unencumbered and show "them" there is a right way to ask the U.S. and the U.K. for help. (Comment: Unfortunately, such threats are not unknown in Najaf and all over Iraq for those prominent in public life, even when the issue is not relations with the U.S. Nonetheless, we convey to our contacts that we are very conscience about their security and always ask them to decide to meet at a pace and at locations with which they are comfortable. End Comment.) PRT PROGRAMS IN PIPELINE -------------- ¶9. (C) After successfully helping to deliver most of the items of President Razak's original wish list, the PRT reached out to the Law Faculty, and is also attempting to find funding for construction of the Civil Engineering Faculty. PRToffs were duly impressed during a tour of the new 1.5 million square meters campus that will host six faculties as well as the central library and administrative building. The ESF-funded Mechanical Engineering building, also located on this green field site, is nearly completed. The Najaf Tourism Conference, another project sponsored by the PRT, will take place at Kufa's symposium located close to the Governor's compound. The PRT will help replenish the Law Faculty library next, and is working to get medical textbooks for the Faculty of Medicine as well. ¶10. (C) COMMENT: The dynamism and openness of Kufa University leadership is a key factor in much of the recent university HILLAH 00000052 003.2 OF 003 progress. Dr. Razak is reputedly well-respected among Ministry of Education officials and has the reputation of being "the man of firsts." His ability to convince MOE officials to double Kufa's 2009 budget to USD 28 million is a testament of his solid reputation. One local political pundit told PRToff that Dr. Razak was well-known among Baghdad academia during the Saddam era for his disdain of politics, and his strong advocacy for education. The president has built around him a management team of like-minds who are open-minded, proactive, and willing to work with the international community. The PRT highly values this team and will continue to work sensitively and at their pace in supporting Kufa University's ability to build Najaf and influence Iraq's future. END COMMENT SIMMONS