Starting academic and scientific cooperation between the Faculty of Electromechanical Engineering at the University of Technology and the Defense University for Military Studies in developing drones

The College of the Electromechanical Engineering/University of Technology, President of the Defense University for Military Studies, hosted Lieutenant General Dr Aqeel Mustafa Mahdi with a delegation that included some officers and professors of the Defense University for Military Studies in a workshop to introduce the branches of Electromechanical engineering, especially the branch of Unmanned Aircraft Systems engineering. The workshop was held on 7 October 2024, attended by the Assistant President of the University for Administration Affairs, Prof. Dr. Farhad Muhammad Othman, and the Dean of the College, with some faculty members. In the welcome speech, the Dean Asst.Lect. Dr. Ghassan Abdel Hussein Bilal and General Lieutenant Dr. Aqeel Mustafa Mahdi and his accompanying delegation spoke about the educational system implemented in the college 

Then, the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Engineering Branch head, Prof. Dr. Ahmed Hamid Rajah, explained the curricula, what is being applied in practice, the number of graduates, and the memorandums of understanding concluded with other Iraqi ministries and universities 

The dean stated that one of the branch's most important goals is to meet the needs of the Iraqi labour market and keep pace with the development taking place in this speciality, which manufactures drones of various types and maintains aircraft in genera 

The branch rapporteur, Dr. Mazen Abdel-Aali Hamza, then reviewed different drone models, their characteristics, specifications, and the various tasks they perform. Then, Dr. Prof. Dr. Samir Abdel Khaleq Aziz explained how to manufacture drones and presented to the attendees some models the students had manufactured for graduation projects 

In turn, the Defense University for Military Studies President, Lieutenant General Dr. Aqeel Mustafa Mahdi, considered this visit a beginning to develop cooperation and learn about the existing capabilities and expertise in these specialisations to work on investing and developing them

The President of the Defense University wished the University of Technology all the success in developing this specialisation, emphasising that he would propose to the Prime Minister to sign a memorandum of cooperation with the Faculty of Electromechanical Engineering such that to continuously attract top graduate students to work in the Ministry of Defense and the government institutions and to initiate new joints for scientific research cooperation to develop drones for the Ministry of Defense