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This paper aims to examine the secessionist orientation of Kurdistan Region’s paradiplomacy in the context of two main variables: the internal structural variables in Iraq after 2003 and the nationalism variable.

This study relies on the theory of neoliberalism to explain the transformation of Kurdistan’s paradiplomacy to protodiplomacy. It also relies on legal approach through using the Iraqi constitution and the draft constitution for the Kurdistan Region.

The internal structural variables are one of the main variables to motivate the region with advanced nationalism to pursue a protodiplomacy. Secession or forming an independent state of Kurds is a historic requirement supported by the advanced nationalism of Iraqi Kurds.

This study encourages focusing on the crucial role of the internal structural variables that drive the regions, especially with the advanced nationalism to pursue a protodiplomacy. Also, this study recommends giving more focus on the external variables and Kurdistan’s secession.

This paper reveals the reality of Kurdistan’s protodiplomacy.

This study aims to indicate the most significant entrepreneurial environmental challenges that motivate universities of Kurdistan to become more entrepreneurial.

This qualitative study of 24 in-depth semi-structured interviews with deans and heads of department in the universities of Kurdistan Region deals with what is meant by being an entrepreneurial university and what challenges motivate universities toward adopting the entrepreneurial university model. Interviews were organized, coded and grouped using template analysis approach.

The results showed that most significant entrepreneurial environmental challenges that push universities in Kurdistan Region to becoming more entrepreneurial are university funding, having collaborations, contributing to the regional development, developing entrepreneurial competencies, globalization challenges, the need for innovation and the emergence of the opposition forces.

This study examines only the entrepreneurial environmental challenges that have been identified by Gibb et al. (2013). Also, it does not consider the role of leadership in dealing with these challenges.

This study extends the framework of Gibb et al. (2013) of the entrepreneurial environmental challenges that push universities to become more entrepreneurial by considering the challenges that universities in developing countries face. Then, this study adds greater clarity to the challenges that motivate universities to become more entrepreneurial in developing countries.

This chapter provides an in-depth examination of the quality assurance process in the higher education system of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) in terms of standards, processes, and procedures. More specifically, the chapter aims to examine the impact of the quality assurance process on the quality development of education in Iraq and Kurdistan Region, as well as identify the challenges that staff (top management and faculty members) face at various higher education institutions therein. For this purpose, a qualitative/quantitative analysis was conducted, which involved reviewing existing official policies, reports, and forms; interviewing top officials (presidents, vice-presidents, quality assurance directors) at a few higher education institutions (public and private); and developing a survey questionnaire that detected the perspective of top officials and faculty members regarding the level of impact quality assurance has had on the development of higher education. A total of 284 university staff members were surveyed from different universities in Iraq and Kurdistan. A total of 29 universities from Iraq and Kurdistan were represented in the survey. The respondents came from a variety of colleges and departments at public and private universities, with 79% of respondents coming from public universities. Study results demonstrate that quality assurance has contributed significantly to the improvement of university staff performance. There are a number of recommendations made within this chapter for educational leaders, which could lead to the further development of quality practices and the upgrading of the higher education system.

The construction industry is a primary contributor to the development of emerging economies such as the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. However, the sector is underperforming, and products are not meeting expectations. A lack of collaboration is considered a significant contributor to these issues. Various researchers have identified factors to improve collaborative approaches. However, there is still a lack of clear frameworks to help implement collaboration in the construction industry, especially in emerging economies. Therefore, this study aims to develop a framework to implement collaboration in the construction industry.

This article utilises a review of literature, questionnaire and interviews with experts in the construction industry in order to develop a framework to achieve collaboration in construction projects.

The research presents a framework that distributes the factors of collaboration over the project lifecycle stages in accordance with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Plan of Work 2007. Each factor is divided into a set of enabling conditions which must be satisfied to ensure that the given specific factors are delivered. Additionally, the framework suggests appointing a collaboration champion at the beginning of the project to manage the process.

The research contributes to scarce literature about collaboration practices in the Kurdistan Region and in emerging economies in general.

Health is one of the most basic human rights. This study aims to examine the pattern of unmet health services needs and barriers to use health services among people with disabilities.

This cross-sectional study was conducted among people with disabilities in Sanandaj, the capital of a less economically developed province in western Iran in 2020. In total, 548 samples were selected using random sampling, and data were collected using a questionnaire. Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test were used to examine the relationship between independent variables including demographic variables and dependent variables. Statistical tests were performed using STATA software package.

About 64% and 23% of participants needed outpatient and inpatient services, respectively. The gap between the perceived need and using health services for outpatient and inpatient services was reported to be 55% and 30%, respectively. The main reasons for not seeking the required health care were “insufficient coverage of costs by insurance” and “lack of physical access.” Having supplementary insurance and better economic status were significantly correlated with using outpatient care and having supplementary insurance and type of disability had a significant relationship with using inpatient care.

There was a big gap between the perceived need, seeking for and receiving health services in people with disabilities. Designing and implementing appropriate interventions to reduce barriers on the way of transforming, the need for health services into demand in the population of people with disabilities should be on the agenda of policymakers and relevant managers in the country.

The aim of this study is to investigate the gender inequalities in perceived stress and the influencing factors in infertile couples in Iranian society.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on infertile couples who were referring to Kurdistan Infertility Diagnosis and Treatment Medical Center in 2019. Demographic and clinical information questionnaire, Newton's Infertility perceived stress questionnaire, Rosenberg's standard self-confidence questionnaire and the multidimensional scale of social support were used. Multiple linear logistic models were also used.

A total of 560 couples (1,120 people) participated in the study. The average perceived infertility-related stress, self-esteem scores and social support and social-emotional loneliness were 173.95 ± 41.87, 13.99 ± 2.29 and 27.81 ± 7.33, respectively, which were significantly different scores across infertility cause and sex (P < 0.05). Males compared to females had lower perceived infertility-related stress (169.93 ± 42.51 vs 177.97 ± 40.86, P = 0.001) and self-esteem scores (14.33 ± 2.29 vs 13.66 ± 2.24, P < 0.001) and social support and social-emotional loneliness (32.92 ± 9.31 vs 30.94 ± 9.04, P < 0.001). The partners who reported themselves as infertile, compared significantly higher in perceived infertility-related stress than those who reported their spouse being infertile (194.24 ± 35.33 vs 141.90 ± 39.28), lower self-esteem scores (12.77 ± 2.21 vs 13.94 ± 1.56) and social support and social-emotional loneliness score (27.81 ± 7.33 vs 30.11 ± 7.70). Also, after taking potential confounders into account with increase in each score of self-esteem, 12.19 units of stress decreases (P < 0.001, 95% CI: 11.40–12.99) and with increase in each score of social support and social-emotional loneliness, 3.45 units of stress decreases (P < 0.001, 95% CI: 3.28–3.63).

There is perceived stress among infertile couples, and this rate is higher among infertile people and women. Therefore, it seems that specific intervention programs for infertile couples should be implemented based on the results of this study, and their stress levels in a way that self-esteem and support for both partners be increased and the perceived stress among women and infertile individuals be decreased.