The Conference
28 September, Hall B. A one-day policy programme for ministries, missions, university leadership and official delegations, with simultaneous interpretation in every session.
Who attends
The conference is invitation-led and seats around 220 delegates. It is a working day for people who set or implement higher-education policy in the region, not a ceremonial opening — the opening ceremony is a separate item on the morning agenda.
- Ministries and government bodies of the Kurdistan Regional Government and federal Iraq
- University presidents, deans and admissions leadership
- Diplomatic missions, cultural institutes and international education agencies
- Accredited media, seated in a dedicated press area beside Hall B
Themes
Access and placement at scale, accreditation and the cross-border recognition of Kurdistan Region qualifications, and the skills the region needs by 2030. The afternoon roundtable is closed to invited delegations; its output is a short recommendations note published with the edition impact report.
- Access and placement: moving 14,000 school leavers into the right programme each year
- Accreditation and recognition of Kurdistan Region qualifications abroad
- The skills gap to 2030: what employers need and what the sector currently produces
- Financing study: scholarships, student finance and the cost of studying abroad
How the day runs
Registration and coffee from 08:30, opening ceremony at 10:00, two plenary panels before lunch, and the closed roundtable in the afternoon. Delegates who also want to walk the exhibition floor should keep the last hour of the day free — the fair is open until 20:00.
Interpretation and access
Every plenary session carries simultaneous interpretation between Kurdish, Arabic and English; headsets are issued against your badge at the Hall B door and returned at the end of the day. Hall B is step-free, and a quiet room is available beside the press area.
Invitations and badges
RSVP with your institutional email address and your badge is issued immediately, by email, with the PDF attached. An RSVP from a personal address goes to the protocol team for confirmation first — a delegate badge is an access credential, so we check before issuing one.
- Invitation letters for travel authorisation: request at RSVP, allow ten working days
- Delegations: one RSVP per person, so every badge carries the right name at the gate
- Media accreditation is requested on the same form and confirmed separately
Day 1 programme
Registration & Welcome
Guests, universities, and student delegations arrive; seating and protocol order confirmed.
Keynote Speech
Opening remarks welcoming guests to Next Step 2026.
Next Step: Achievements and Roadmap to 2030
Presentation of what Next Foundation has achieved so far, its three-year vision, this year's scale, and what students and partners can expect from Next Step going forward.
Kurdistan Students Association
Address by the Kurdistan Students Association on its agenda for students in 2026–2027.
The Digital Platform: Future of Data in KRG
Official presentation of the Digital Platform, bringing data into practical use across the education sector.
Panel: Pathways to Purpose — One Conversation, Three Voices
One conversation, three voices, each anchored to one force reshaping this generation's choices: Artificial Intelligence — Staying Essential in the Age of AI; People & Purpose — Multiple Pathways to Success; Planet — Sustainability Starts With Students.
Closing Remarks
Closing address and transition to the exhibition floor and ZankoLine consultations.
Conference speakers
