UK Consul General hails BIU as transformational for Kurdistan's future

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – During the grand opening ceremony of the British International University (BIU) in Erbil, UK Consul General Andrew Bizley praised the university's pivotal role in shaping the future of the Kurdistan Region and strengthening ties between the United Kingdom and Iraq.

In his address, Bizley thanked Kurdistan’s Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani for their leadership and support in making the BIU project a reality.

Reflecting on the significance of the university, Bizley shared how his predecessor had impressed upon him the importance of the BIU during his first days in office, describing it as "transformational" for the region’s youth and educational future.

“The flame of passion has been passed between successive UK representatives here for a number of years, and I think that's quite fitting given that we’re here to talk about education—at its heart, the passing of knowledge from one generation to the next,” Bizley remarked.

Highlighting the importance of education for state-building, Bizley quoted the Greek philosopher Diogenes: “The foundation of every state is the education of its youth.”

He emphasized that the BIU will give young people in Kurdistan access to high-quality British education without leaving their home region. The University of London, renowned for its academic excellence, will offer accredited degrees at BIU, including medical and vocational programs that will help to upskill the region’s youth.

“This university is an investment not only in the future of individuals from the Kurdistan region but also in the future health and prosperity of the region as a whole,” Bizley said.

Bizley noted the confidence that BIU represents in the prospects of Erbil and the Kurdistan Region, expressing hope that students from across Iraq and the Middle East will seek education at this new hub. He also pointed out that BIU’s creation is a testament to the growing international reputation of Erbil, especially in terms of its security and development.

Turning to the broader relationship between the Kurdistan Region and the United Kingdom, Bizley emphasized the strength of this long-standing partnership. He referenced the recent signing of a trade priorities document between the UK and Kurdistan, which marks a deepening of cooperation between the two regions. He hailed BIU as a tangible example of what can be achieved through such cooperation.

“My congratulations to the BIU leadership team and the University of London for this great success. It’s a brilliant example of what the UK and the Kurdistan Region can accomplish together, and we will aim for many more in the years to come,” Bizley added.

In his closing remarks, Bizley addressed the students present at the ceremony, describing them as “pioneers” and expressing confidence that the education they receive at BIU will prepare them to play a key role in shaping the future of the Kurdistan Region. “The future of this region is your future, and the UK believes it can be a great one,” he affirmed.

The establishment of the British International University in Erbil marks a significant milestone for education in Kurdistan, offering new opportunities for students to obtain British degrees and contribute to the region’s development without leaving home.

The collaboration between BIU and the University of London is set to have a lasting impact on the education sector and the broader relationship between the United Kingdom and the Kurdistan Region.

“This university is an investment not only in the future of individuals from the Kurdistan region but also in the future health and prosperity of the region as a whole,” UK Consul General Andrew Bizley said.

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Full transcript of UK Consul General Andrew Bizley’s speech:

Your Excellency, the Prime Minister, your Excellencies, the ministers for education, municipalities, lords, ladies, gentlemen, it's a genuine pleasure to be here today. It's always a great honor to represent your country overseas and never more so at celebrates than at celebratory events like these. And normally, when you're preparing yourselves for these jobs, you seek out your predecessors, look for their advice, but very quickly after I was appointed to this job, it happened the other way around, my predecessor who was in post here in Erbil at the beginning of this project, it was David Hunt, you saw him on screen just briefly before, he approached me directly and, in that first conversation, rather than delivering some negative advice and wisdom about the consulate that I was to take on, he said to me, Andrew, I need to tell you about the British International University. So he told me about its importance, that it could be transformational, and instilled in me a commitment to nurture it. And, of course, as soon as I arrived here, I saw this incredible building, met the investors, the dedicated faculty, and I've seen some of the energetic students already.

Of course, I completely understood his passion for the project. And so this flame of passion has been passed between successive UK representatives here for a number of years and I think that's quite fitting given that really we're here to talk about education which at its heart is passing the flame of knowledge and experience from one generation to the next. But, let me give you three reasons why this university has come to mean so much to us. The first is what the British International University represents for the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The Greek philosopher, Diogenes, said that the foundation of every state is the education of its youth, and we certainly believe that in the United Kingdom where we have some of the world's best universities and uphold very high standards in education.

Individuals in the Kurdistan region have long been able to choose to study British school qualifications in a great number of secondary schools, and I'm delighted that the BIU will now add the choice of British accredited higher education degrees and postgraduate education to the region. The University of London is rightly highly regarded for its academic excellence and its success in international education. With the BIU as a new hub, I'm proud that generations of youth from the KRI will be awarded University of London degrees after studying here in Erbil, And I know the university is already adding to this with medical pathway degrees leading to graduate medicine and an important intent to also expand into vocational education. So all of this will further upskill the region's youth for many years to come. So the university is an investment not only in the future of individuals from the Kurdistan region, but also in the future health and prosperity of the region as a whole.

Now my second reason is the confidence that building this great university shows in the prospects of Erbil and the Kurdistan region. I know that the university's leadership have high hopes that the BIU will act as a beacon, drawing students in from across Iraq and the wider Middle East. And that's testament to factors like the growing international reputation of Erbil, including in relation to its security and development. So I too hope that students will travel from other places to this city, to this institution to seek out an excellent education, and in doing so, they'll contribute to the broader development of the Kurdistan region, but also build a stronger relationship between themselves as students and the United Kingdom. And that brings me on to my third and final reason, which is what the university represents for the relationship between the KRI and the United Kingdom.

That relationship is long and strong. I was delighted to witness, alongside his Excellency the prime minister, the signing of a trade priorities document earlier this week. That's evidence of our shared intent to deepen our work. And standing here in this impressive campus today, I see a proof point of the kind of things that can be achieved through that corporation. It's a brilliant example, frankly, and we will aim for many more in the years to come.

So my congratulations to the BIU leadership team and the University of London for this great success. That includes Amir and all the team at GEMS who've worked tirelessly to get us to this point, and I know this is the day you have been long looking forward to. I would also like to say a big personal thanks to his Excellency, the prime minister, Masro al Barzani, and also his Excellency, the deputy prime minister, Qubad Talibani, both of whom have played a key role in helping us reach this important milestone. We're grateful for your support. A few last words, if you will.

I wanted to just say I wanted to save my last words, for the students who are here today from the British International University. You have my thanks and congratulations for being the pioneering class here. We look forward to celebrating your graduation in a few years, but, really, I wanted to say that the future of this region is your future. The UK believes it can be a great one and remains committed to working alongside the region's government and people to that end. But I feel sure that the education that you receive here in the British International University, with that in your background, you'll have a successful role to play in creating that future.

Thank you.