RESI conferences are one‐week long extra‐curricular events for university students and academics to strengthen academia, dialogue, democratization and reconciliation and contribute to modernization of teaching at Mosul University. Given the ideological crisis in the present post‐ISIS Iraq, the involvement of students, experts and professionals in exchange and dialogue will meaningfully contribute to the creation of an environment where scientific knowledge and reasoning get their application in finding sustainable solutions for the future. The aim of the conferences is to learn about theories and concepts that are relevant to contributing to a defined umbrella topic and value sciences and scientific dialogue and reasoning as a basis to obtain truth/objectivity (in contrast to ideology).
Furthermore, we wish to reflect on the current challenges in Mosul and the region based on these concepts and to discuss possible applications and policy considerations and emphasize connected thinking and connect problems in society. Conferences are considered and designed to be inclusive and participatory learning environments in which we expect professionalism and (self‐)responsibility of each participant and lecturer. All elements of the conference are carefully designed and reviewed to ensure that every participant feels save to discuss and create knowledge. We expect commitment and trust in each other’s competence. And it is important for us that acceptance of each other is promoted and discrimination and racism are banned. We value the multi perspectivity and the freedom of speech. And therefore, we promote exchange, interaction and discussion.
The conference concept has been developed by a team of professor and successfully implemented in five similar events between 2018 and 2021 on different themes online and (due to security reasons) on Dohuk University campus. Previous conference themes were Reconstruction and Reconciliation (2018), Integration (2019), Reconciliation in Digital Time (2019), The future of learning (2020) and Unemployment in Iraq (2021) with overall more than 1200 participating students.