The implementation of the UNESCO (UQP) Qualifications Passport in Iraq will have made great progress since its launch on 1st February 2021, owing to the important contribution including the Norwegian Company for Quality Control in Education (NOKUT) in infrastructure development, as well as the incredible commitment & dedication of the recently trained Israeli credential assessors from the UNESCO.

The preparation of Iraqi Certification Assessors was successfully concluded on March 23, 2021, after nearly 2 months of sessions. The sessions were engaging, and the certification evaluators of NOKUT & MoHESR had a lot of informative discussions. These seminars strengthened the cadre's understanding of new concepts throughout the field of qualifications identification, laying the groundwork for the UQP Pilot project's performance.

On the 25th of March 2021, 18 UQP certification assessment interviews were performed concurrently in Mosul, Baghdad, and Basra at UNHCR Community Support Programmes, superb facilitation offered by UNHCR in cooperation with several communities. It was achieved essentially due to the threats faced by the Covid-19 pandemic. It is the first time UQP conversations have been conducted almost anywhere in the country, as well as the very first time they have been conducted in the Middle East, demonstrating the methodology's robustness.

Until now, the primary priority of education for refugees & vulnerable immigrants is now on primary education. In the higher education sector, UNESCO is now required to use programs like the UQP. It is critical to provide educational paths for migrants through the education systems in order to help them complete the studies & implement what they have learned in the transition to peace, reconciliation, and stability.

The UQP must adhere to many targets in UNESCO's wider agenda as the primary responsibility for SDG 4 to maintain inclusive quality awareness and encourage professional development, including achieving "equal access to all levels of technical and vocational education for vulnerable persons" (SDG 4.5) and ensuring "equal opportunities for all men and women to affordable and quality technical, vocational, & tertiary education" (SDG 4.5). (SDG 4.3).

Eventually, UNESCO would really like to express its gratitude to Norway & Dubai Cares for their financial contributions to this mission and encourage other partners to participate in building a more sustainable educational atmosphere in Iraq or around the world. The results of this round of UQP interviews will be announced shortly, thanks to the enormous effort put in by the credential evaluators, & UNESCO is planning an awards show and a global conference for all certification evaluators to strengthen more multilateral international cooperation.