The RISE Project, stands for “Reinforcing Integration of Skills for Employability and Internationalization in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq,” is a two-year initiative funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Programme under the Capacity Building in Higher Education framework, and started in February 2024 and lasts till January 2027. The project is designed to advance the internationalization of higher education institutions in the Kurdistan Region while simultaneously strengthening entrepreneurship, professional competencies, and graduate employability among university students and young professionals. Through a strategic and collaborative approach, the initiative seeks to enhance institutional capacities and align academic practices with contemporary global educational and labor market standards.

Coordinated by UNIMED, the project brings together seven universities from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, namely Akre University for Applied Sciences, Duhok Polytechnic University, Erbil Polytechnic University, Sulaimani Polytechnic University, the University of Duhok, the University of Garmian, and the University of Zakho. In addition, the consortium includes three European partners: UNIMED, the University of International Studies of Rome (UNINT), and the University of Murcia. The project is further supported by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the Kurdistan Regional Government as an associated partner. Collectively, the RISE Project aspires to contribute to sustainable societal and educational development by empowering universities to prepare future leaders, entrepreneurs, and highly skilled professionals capable of succeeding in both local and international contexts.