The University recently welcomed representatives from the American University of Iraq — Baghdad (AUIB) as well as members from the Iraqi Cultural Office in Washington, D.C. to the McNichols Campus as part of a series of academic visits to Michigan universities.
In July, UDM hosted a delegation that included Dr. Zouhair K. Atieh, vice president for Academic Affairs at AUIB; Mr. Michael McClellan, consultant; and Dr. Hussein Al-Shaikh, cultural attaché with the Iraqi Cultural Office in Washington, D.C.
During their visit to the University, the delegation met with leaders at UDM, including Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Pamela Zarkowski, Dean of the College of Engineering & Science Katy Snyder, Dean of the College of Health Professions Ahmed Radwan, and Director of Student Life Stephanie Wheeler, among others.
Conversations focused on potential joint academic programs, student and faculty exchanges, collaborative research, visiting scholar opportunities and participation in the upcoming Iraq Higher Education Conference 2026.
“We were honored to welcome our distinguished colleagues from Iraq and to explore meaningful opportunities for collaboration,” Radwan said. “These discussions reflect Detroit Mercy’s commitment to global engagement and to building academic partnerships that benefit students, faculty and the communities our institutions serve.”
