Hawler Medical University

Hawler Medical University is located in the city of Erbil (Hawler), the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan Region. Hawler Medical University was founded by the Council of Ministers of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government in July 2005 and was endorsed by the Council of Ministers of the Iraqi Federal Government in March 2006.[2]

The university was established to include in itself the four colleges that were belonging to Salahaddin University in Erbil; College of Medicine, College of Dentistry, College of Pharmacy and College of Nursing. The separation has come after a suggestion made by a number of academics from these colleges supported by the presidency of Salahaddin University as well as the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

The university was expanded later to include the College of Health Sciences and the Medical Research Center. A Center for Research and Education in Women's Health has also been established in the university.

The overall aim of establishment of Hawler Medical University is to improve the medical education in the Kurdistan region as well as to have a better management of the mentioned colleges. This did not mean that the colleges were newly founded, but a new management structure was adopted while the oldest college, the College of Medicine, was founded in 1977.[3]

Establishment of a university for medical group colleges was by itself the first experience in Iraq.

Hawler Medical University provides undergraduate and graduate studies in different medical and health sciences. All the study programs in the university are in the English language.