In 2016 Amal and Heike, together with several colleagues, formed the Rethink Education and Science in Iraq partnership to support Mosul University in its academic rehabilitation and to promote science, dialogue and reconciliation. Various activities and formats for students, teachers and researchers from different academic disciplines promote academic intercultural exchange and learning and aim at contributing to an academic revival, peace and reconciliation in Iraq. Over the last years about 3000 students and more than 400 academics have been part of RESI-activities.
Heike is from Germany and working as Professor for Education Research and head of the Institute of Education Research and Teacher Education at the Faculty of Environmental, Regional and Educational Sciences of Graz University in Austria. Her research interests are in international comparative research and school development with a focus on questions of equity and transitions of education systems. She served for more than 10 years as national research coordinator for Germanys participation in international large scale assessment studies (TIMSS and PIRLS) and is involved in numerous international research projects and partnerships. She has published more than 10 books and 150 articles and book chapters. She is a founding member and scientific head of the Rethink Education and Science in Iraq network since its establishment in 2016.