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The University of Dohuk prides itself on paving the way for dual citizenship Kurds from western countries to move to Kurdistan and work with its locals to develop its institutions of learning. As such, it takes great pride in the contributions of Dr. Dawood Atrushi, Vice president for International relations, for being an active participant in this mission. It is generally agreed that such individuals are packaged with knowledge unparalleled by our standards of learning as of yet. Countries which grant these Kurds citizenship reciprocate the pride when they recognize the efforts and contributions of its own citizens in places such as Iraq trying to make a difference.

When it was discovered that Dr. Atrushi had completed his education in Norway and had come to Iraqi Kurdistan to put his knowledge to use in order to make a difference in public education, international relations, and general social order, he was cordially invited by the Norwegian Centre for Peace and visits were arranged for him to see three Norwegian Universities to talk about his experience.

During his visit to University College of Buskerud (HiB), University of Bergen (UiB) and University College of Lillehammer (HiL) in Norway, on December, 2007, Dr. Atrushi delivered lectures in which he talked about the role of the university in setting up a civil society and cultivating the roots of democracy in the region along with his personal experience in the process.

Not only did these visits benefit the institutions which invited Dr Atrushi to talk about his experience and activities in the Iraqi Kurdistan region, but he also took the opportunity to forge joint communication with the above mentioned universities (HiB, UiB and HiL) and the Norwegian Centre for Peace, in Norway.

Through these relations, Dr. Atrushi stated that HiB University offered the UoD two scholarships for an MA in political science. Dr. Atrushi also had the opportunity to discuss, on behalf of UoD, with the UiB in Norway possibilities for mutual work in a joint effort to start a college at UoD which would deal with the human sciences and democratic studies. He discussed approaches that need to be taken to develop the relationship between the two universities. These discussions also covered strategies our university can implement to develop relations between the university and other academic institutions including the three aforementioned universities. With help from the centre, a delegation from the UiB is due to visit the UoD on April 2008 to deliver some lectures on pertinent social and political issues facing our society today. Finally, an agreement was reached on establishing social studies at UoD related to the Kurdish society with HiL University.

In addition, Dr. Atrushi delivered a lecture to the Kurdish students in the Norwegian universities concerning their role in building the new Kurdistan. The representatives of the Norwegian universities referred to the subject of cooperation with Kurdish students as something in the benefit of our society for these students can come to Kurdistan and take on leadership roles making a difference using their new public ideas and concepts of democracy. Much of these relations established between UoD and other international European universities can be attributed to UoD's partnership in the Erasmus Mundus Program.