News

The Fourth Future Forum for Sustainable Cities… Al-Mustaqbal University strengthens its leadership in shaping Iraq’s urban transformation Al-Mustaqbal University, under the patronage of its President, Prof. Dr. Hassan Shakir Majdi, and the supervision of the Dean of the College of Engineering Technologies, Asst. Prof. Dr. Azhar Mohsen Abd, held the Fourth Future Forum for Sustainable Cities in celebration of World Cities Day 2025. The event, organized under the theme “Human-Centered Smart Cities,” attracted distinguished academics, specialists, and representatives from the Ministries of Planning and Construction, along with officials from Babil Governorate, reflecting the university’s growing influence in advancing sustainable urban development in Iraq. Opening Session The forum began at 9:30 a.m. with a keynote address delivered by the Dean of the College of Engineering Technologies, who highlighted the current state of Iraqi cities, infrastructure challenges, and environmental pressures. He emphasized the university's commitment to advancing education, research, and government partnerships to achieve meaningful urban sustainability. First Dialogue Session: Reimagining Iraq’s Urban Future Moderated by Eng. Khalid Kazim Hassan, the session featured: – Eng. Aseel Adel (Ministry of Planning) presenting “The Third Voluntary National Report on Sustainable Development: A Roadmap to Sustainable Cities,” offering insights into development indicators and opportunities for urban transformation. Dr. Dalia Ali Abdul Hussein (New Cities Authority – Ministry of Construction) with her talk “Human-Centered Smart Cities: A Glimpse into Iraq’s New Cities,” where she outlined a people-focused smart-city framework and showcased pioneering urban projects. Second Session: From Abdul Kalam’s Vision to the SSRET Model Led by Dr. Eng. Barq Ali, the session opened with a reflection on the book Target 3 Billion by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and Srijan Pal Singh, addressing the PURA model for rural development and its relevance to Iraq’s vision and the Sustainable Smart Rural Eco-Towns (SSRET) initiative. The session continued with a lecture by Prof. Dr. Salah Al-Ansari from the University of Madrid on renewable energy and sustainable alternatives, followed by a joint presentation from Prof. Dr. Silwan Ubaid and Asst. Prof. Dr. Ammar Abdul-Kadhem on the university’s sustainability achievements, including pollution-monitoring stations across Babil. The forum strongly aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, reinforcing the university’s role in linking academic research with societal needs and creating collaborative spaces that integrate students, experts, and governmental institutions to advance modern urban solutions. Closing Ceremony The event concluded with the recognition of speakers and participants, underscoring that the forum marks a significant step in a broader journey toward embedding the culture of sustainability, supporting reconstruction efforts, and preparing future leaders capable of steering Iraq’s urban transformation. Al-Mustaqbal University… the leading private university in Iraq.