Erbil, January 29, 2026 — The Civil Engineering Department at Tishk International University (TIU) took a major step toward safer and more sustainable urban development by serving as the main organizer for the “Technical Symposium on Sustainable, Resilient and Earthquake-Resistant Structures” held on January 28, 2026. This high-level event served as a crucial platform for knowledge exchange, uniting key decision-makers such as Assist. Prof. Dr. Idris Hadi (Chair of the TIU Board of Trustees), Prof. Dr. Sultan Abu-Orabi (President of TIU), and Dr. Agreen Abdullah (Vice Minister of the Ministry of Housing and Construction), who all emphasized the urgent need for academia-government collaboration to update building codes and enhance public safety. Led and coordinated by the Civil Engineering Department, the symposium attracted technical delegations from the Erbil Governorate and prominent structural engineers, successfully bridging the gap between policy and real-world engineering while strongly supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Under the department’s leadership, the event directly advanced SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through its co-organization with UoS, EPU, SU, and UoR alongside technical sponsorship from the ACI Kurdistan Chapter; SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) by disseminating the new ACI 318-25 codes and advanced reinforcement technologies; SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by promoting earthquake-resistant design to reduce disaster risks; and SDG 4 (Quality Education) by providing professional development for practicing engineers. Highlighting the symposium’s technical excellence, the expert sessions delivered deep insights into modern engineering challenges, featuring Prof. Dr. Bayan Salim who introduced the sustainability provisions of ACI 318-25, Prof. Dr. Najmadeen M. Saeed who shared forensic lessons from recent seismic events, Assist. Prof. Dr. Bahman Omar who presented workflows for high-rise analysis, Assist. Prof. Dr. Wrya A. Abdullah who discussed mechanical splices and high-strength bars, and Dr. Saman Abdullah who concluded with Performance-Based Seismic Design methodologies. This landmark event ultimately solidified the Civil Engineering Department’s ongoing leadership in structural safety, innovation, and sustainability, ensuring that the Kurdistan Region’s infrastructure is built to last for generations.
