Arlington, VA– CRDF has been given responsibility for implementing an impressive new public-private partnership aimed to significantly further reconstruction efforts in Iraq. Supported by the U.S. Departments of Defense and State, the Iraq Engineering Enhancement Program (IEEP) has selected five Iraqi engineers to participate in internships with universities and private sector engineering firms in the United States.
The selected Iraqi engineers—representing government ministries, university faculty, and small businesses across the nation—have undergone a rigorously competitive screening and selection process over the past year and will arrive in the U.S. this spring. The selected Iraqi engineers will spend three to six months working with their host institutions and are dedicated to returning to contribute to Iraq’s reconstruction efforts upon completion of their training and studies.
IEEP will greatly facilitate the recovery and growth of Iraq’s infrastructure and economy, while simultaneously building a cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship between Iraqi and U.S. engineers dedicated to reconstruction. The engineers involved will return to Iraq with considerably increased professional and technical skills and the ability to actively promote infrastructure and workforce development within Iraq. The Iraqi participants will return with the knowledge of how to teach current industry practices and to serve as liaisons between Iraqi and U.S. governmental ministries, educational institutions, and engineering firms.
For more information on IEEP, contact CRDF’s Robin Copeland at 703-526-4780.
About CRDF
CRDF is a nonprofit organization authorized by the U.S. Congress and established in 1995 by the National Science Foundation. This unique public-private partnership promotes international scientific and technical collaboration through grants, technical resources, and training.