Today was the graduation ceremony of the 2nd cohort of Baghdad Business School, and I was humbled to be selected to address the graduates on their big day.
It's remarkable how Christine van den Toorn, her team, and the network of professionals around them challenged the status quo. The story began when they met corporates across the nation to investigate the gaps between the job market and the education system — the frustrating reality that our current education system isn't yet fulfilling, and that big entities need longer internship programs to bridge the gap to employment.
The ecosystem BBS created — combining academia with market professionals sharing real experience — is extraordinary, one of the best learning environments around. Looking into the eyes of BBS's graduates, their enthusiasm and the knowledge they carry gives me real hope for the future. These graduates will be BBS's ambassadors for the rest of their careers, carrying the torch for our young fellow Iraqis. And the story doesn't end here — BBS is expanding into its own premises and hosting an even larger 3rd cohort.