Iraq's higher education ministry grants universities authority to process graduate admissions

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Abdulhussein al-Musawi, has authorized universities, colleges and institutes to process graduate application results. According to a statement from the government's Information and Communications Department, the authority was granted to governing bodies of universities, faculties and institutes not affiliated with any university. The decision allows additional points of up to five to be awarded to graduate applicants who scored between 40 and 44 on the entrance exam. The additional points will apply only where vacancies remain within the approved admissions plan. Processing and filling of those seats will be carried out according to the highest differentiation rate among candidates. The ministry directed that processing and filling of vacant seats be completed within three days of the notification date. It also instructed all educational institutions to report the details of the process to the ministry and to issue university admissions decisions in line with the established criteria without delay.