Alumni Spotlight: Bryar Qadir Ahmed, Iraq

An alumnus from 2019, Bryar Qadir Ahmed has been committed to the improvement of road safety in the Kurdistan region of Northern Iraq. There he is a member of the engineering college of the University of Raparin, where he lectures on Civil Engineering, with a specific emphasis on road safety and sustainable mobility. He has also developed a wealth of professional experience since founding Bakesh Company Ltd in 2019. 

Recently, he has taken a bold step in creating safer, more sustainable mobility in the region by developing a framework for the improvement of road safety in the Kurdistan region. He presented this at a University of Raparin workshop during this year’s UN Global Road Safety Week – on which the theme was safe walking and cycling. Bryar provided insights grounded in his professional and academic experience, to develop practical steps in improving road safety in the region.  

With multiple representatives of local government, civil engineers and university staff and students, this was a crucial space in which to advocate for a concrete, realisable framework. The emphasis on practicality made a great impression, initiating a useful discussion on the steps that can be made toward creating safer roads in Kurdistan and how the stakeholders present could be involved.  

In his presentation, Bryar focused on the fine balance that must be made between international best practices and the local context – a core aspect of our Delft Road Safety Courses. He stressed the need for a structured policy that involves road safety awareness, institutional cooperation and effective crash data analysis to implement a Safe System Approach. He continually affirmed the need to align with the UN Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 and the importance of collaboration with local stakeholders to tailor the safe system approach to the local context.  

As an experienced engineer when joining the Delft Road Safety Course, Bryar was well positioned to benefit from the world-class teaching and practical training. He has used his new expertise to develop road safety principles in his practice and to promote their adoption across university staff and students. Now he is now using his position to advocate for the safe system to government officials and practising engineers.