President-KAAE
Kurdistan Accrediting Association for Education
The Kurdistan Accrediting Association for Education (KAAE) invites the applications of qualified applicants for the position of its founding President. The KAAE is headquartered in Erbil, the capital and largest city in the secure northern Kurdish Region of Iraq. Noted for its rich cultural heritage, archeological history and, in 2014 was designated as a tourism capital and World Heritage Site.
KAAE was established by Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) legislation enacted in June 2022 and is governed by an international Board of Trustees. The primary mission is to enhance the quality of education in the Kurdistan Region. As an administratively independent association, KAAE enjoys the support of the KRG and collaborates closely with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. The Association’s organisational chart was approved by the Board of Trustees in May 2024, and a number of key hires are in the process of being confirmed.
KAAE is comprised of two commissions, the K-12 Commission and the Higher Education Commission, reporting to the President. The KAAE is responsible for assuring that public and private educational institutions follow national standards and are committed to accountability and continuous improvement. As accreditors, the KAAE’s two commissions support, foster, and maintain educational quality assurance matching international standards.
The shared goals for KAAE and both commissions are to elevate the quality of education in the Kurdistan Region by setting standards for schools’ and institutions’ high-quality education, promoting institutional accountability, facilitating continuous improvement, strengthening global recognition, and making Kurdistan’s educational institutions globally competitive and attractive to international students and faculty.
A five year plan, developed with support from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and Middle States Association – Commission on Elementary and Secondray Schools (MSA-CESS), has identified 6 institutions in Higher Education and 11 institutions in K-12 as pilot institutions that will be supported in preparing for accreditation. Both MSCHE and MSA-CESS are KAAE’s partners in the accreditation process until 2029.
Candidate qualifications include a record of effective organizational and managerial leadership; experience in financial oversight and reporting to a board of trustees; staff supervision; quality assurance, stakeholder engagement, communication, and public relations; deep knowledge of institutional accreditation and policy development. A detailed position description is available upon request. Candidates from countries that tax world-wide income, such as the US, may qualify for favorable tax treatment.
Preferred start date: 1st October 2025
Interested candidates are invited to submit their resume and a cover letter detailing their relevant experience and vision for KAAE to: kaaepresident@kornferry.com before 25th April 2025