The University of Duhok – College of City and Regional Planning, through the Department of City Planning, is pleased to strengthen its academic cooperation with Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin) through the Summer School 2026 in Berlin, Germany.

This Summer School, taking place from 21–30 August 2026, is one of the activities carried out within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the University of Duhok and TU Berlin, coordinated by Dr. Hassan Elmouelhi, Habitat Unit, TU-Berlin and Prof. Dr. Layla Mohamed Raswol , supporting continued academic exchange, collaboration, and knowledge sharing between the two universities.

TU Berlin maintains a strong position in the QS World University Rankings 2027, ranking 8th in Germany and 4th among Germany’s major technical universities, with particular strengths in academic reputation, employer reputation, and international outlook.

Supervised by Dr. Shareen Younus Ismail, the head of department, and Mr. Vajin Kawa Mahmood, the department coordinator, within this academic context, the Summer School, “Public Spaces of Everyday Urban Life,” will provide students with an opportunity to explore how public spaces shape the social, cultural, environmental, and economic life of cities. Through lectures, discussions, field visits, observations, and design activities, students will examine different types of public spaces and their role in urban development, governance, community interaction, and everyday urban life.

Students will also learn from Berlin’s urban environment, analyse real examples of public spaces, and exchange perspectives between Germany and Iraq. A key objective is to reflect on how relevant knowledge and experiences can be adapted to the context of Duhok and other cities across Kurdistan, contributing to more inclusive, vibrant, and meaningful public spaces for local communities.

Our students arrived in Berlin on Friday, 21 August 2026, and on Saturday had the opportunity to explore Berlin city centre, experiencing its streets, landmarks, public spaces, and urban life firsthand. On Monday, 24 August, the lectures will start.