What Makes a University Professor

Written in Arabic. Below is an English summary — read the full article in Arabic ←.

Asked by a friend who teaches at an Iraqi university what standards a university professor should meet, the chairman answers in six criteria: deep academic competence; experience in teaching and research; the ability to communicate and to listen; commitment to continuous learning; dedication and passion that can motivate students; and — dwelt on at greatest length — integrity.

Professional ethics, he argues, is not one criterion among many but the keystone: the honest professor is a living example of values, builds the trust of students and colleagues, underwrites credible research, and carries the reputation of the whole institution. These standards, taken together, are what turn universities into engines of critical thinking, innovation and national development.