The University of Kurdistan Hewlêr (UKH) opened its doors in 2006 as the First and only Public, English-medium and Independent University in Iraq. The University of Kurdistan Hewlêr is an initiative of and is funded by the Regional Government of Kurdistan.

UKH is an English-speaking public University dedicated to being the region’s leading centre of excellence in research and teaching and in the dissemination and application of knowledge to further the industrial, economic, cultural, environmental and social development of Kurdistan.
The University has a focus to produce graduates with the expertise and intellectual capacity and curiosity required to meet the challenges facing Kurdistan, the wider region and world-wide.
In achieving these regional aims, UKH is open to all who qualify on academic merit and is committed to actively taking part in the development process with a positive inspiring spirit.
Our teaching philosophy is to teach our students how to think and not what to think. Hence, we strive not simply to instill in our students factual knowledge and give them information that is of use only in the classroom, we strive to train our students in critical analytical thinking and provide them with practical skills that will be of benefit in their future professional careers.
Through a cadre of highly motivated and internationally trained and recognised academic and research staff, UKH provides research training (MSc’s and PhD’s) and generates research that will advance knowledge and inform policy and decision makers in the region.
Hence, research at UKH focuses on and engages in promoting and supporting sustainable development and responding to market needs in the region and beyond.
UKH currently offers degrees in Political Science, English Language, Business Management, Economics and Finance, Medicine, Computer Science and Engineering,  Natural Resource Engineering and Management, and Civil and Architectural Engineering based on regional needs and student demands.