Maysoon Saleem, a Curtin University PhD student on a scholarship program from Iraq, is helping to bridge Iraq\u2019s information gap in research and knowledge sharing.<\/p>\n
In ancient times, the region of Mesopotamia was the \u201ccradle of civilisation\u201d, and is credited by archaeologists as the birthplace of writing, urbanisation, agriculture, irrigation and learning.<\/p>\n
Fast-forward six thousand years and, since the 1980s, the country of Iraq \u2013 the modern site of Mesopotamia \u2013 has been affected by a constant series of wars, conflicts and sanctions.<\/p>\n
Largely unknown is Iraq\u2019s 30-year information gap in research, teaching and knowledge sharing in the higher education sector, which arose from the destruction of universities and libraries; loss of key Iraqi scholars and academics; and lack of access to digital technologies.<\/p>\n
To obtain the latest developments in different fields of knowledge, including in library and information science, the Iraqi Government has sent academics on scholarship programs to universities all over the world. One such academic is Maysoon Saleem, a Curtin PhD student and a former associate director of the Department of Library and Information Techniques, Al-Mansoor Technical Institute, and lecturer at Al-Rusafa Administration Institute.<\/p>\n
\u201cIraq has been isolated and we don\u2019t have a lot of communication with other parts of the world, even with other Arab countries. My research is qualitative and collects perspectives from Iraqi and Australian librarians and researchers,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I communicated with Australian librarians, I found that a lot of things were different. The perspectives are different. The systems, facilities, infrastructure, transportation, alarms and timetables are different and they are all really very good.\u201d<\/p>\n
Perhaps the greatest challenge for Maysoon was when she travelled to Baghdad International Airport and imagined the adjustments she would have to make to her new life in Australia.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just want to let people know that despite the tension, the traditional values in Iraq have not been affected too much. People are still welcome as guests. They are kind and there is a strong sense of hospitality,\u201d says Maysoon.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore I came to Australia, my friends joked and were telling me: \u2018Be careful. You will be far away \u2013 over the Indian Ocean \u2013 at the end of the world. Australia is a very hot country. We heard there are snakes everywhere and they might come through your window\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, she found there was nothing to be concerned about.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause there are a lot of nationalities here, Australians don\u2019t make people feel embarrassed and they try to help. At Curtin, I\u2019m especially happy because it\u2019s quite a multicultural campus and it\u2019s easy to find halal food,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n