The liaison member of the Women's Empowerment Unit in the Department of Computer Science, along with the Head of the Media Unit, Senior Researcher Raghad Kamel, participated with the liaison members of the Women's Empowerment Unit at the University of Technology in visiting the Iraq International Book Fair on Tuesday, 2024/2/20. The fair, held at the Baghdad International Fairgrounds from 2024/2/14 to 2024/2/24, featured participation from 360 Iraqi, Arab, and international publishing houses showcasing their literary works, artistic creations, and stories. This visit was part of the activities of the Women's Empowerment Unit at the University of Technology for the second semester.

The Department of Computer Science, under the supervision of the Head of the Department, Professor Dr. Alaa Kazem Farhan, organized a workshop titled "The Role of Community Awareness in Protecting University Students from Deviant Behaviors and the Dangers of Drugs". The workshop was conducted by the lecturer, the Head of the Psychological Counseling and Educational Guidance Division at the University of Technology, Assistant Professor Dr. Firas Abbas Fadhel, on Monday, 2024/2/19, in the late Dr. Imad Kazem hall. The event was attended by the Scientific Assistant, Professor Dr. Abeer Tariq Mawlood, the Head of the Educational Guidance Unit, Dr. Mohammed Ghani, faculty members, and students. The workshop discussed the concept of self-centeredness, leading to isolation, introversion, excessive self-love, which harms the personality and deteriorates mental health, potentially leading to addiction and deviant behaviors. The lecturer emphasized the importance of focusing on mental health, which signifies the quality of psychological and social life, not merely the absence of disease. Mental health improves when an individual is surrounded by appreciation from their environment and receives support from their community. A supportive family environment produces individuals with stable mental health, free from addiction and deviations. The workshop also highlighted that when individuals help others, the body releases the "happiness hormone," which is more pronounced in those who initiate help than in the recipients themselves. Additionally, the concept and definition of addiction were clarified, described as a chronic disease that individuals should avoid. Addiction means physical and psychological surrender to a drug or activity to the extent that life becomes dependent on it, making it difficult to quit and affecting the body and brain's functioning. At the end of the workshop, the Scientific Assistant, Professor Dr. Abeer Tariq Mawlood, presented a certificate of appreciation to the lecturer in recognition of his efforts in delivering the lecture, and a commemorative photo was taken for the occasion.

Referencing the letter from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research / Scientific Supervision and Evaluation Authority on the standards of scholarly publishing aimed at enhancing scientific research, and as part of the second semester activities of the Department of Computer Science under the direct supervision of the Head of the Department, Professor Dr. Alaa Kazem Farhan, the Department of Computer Science organized a workshop titled "Scholarly Publishing". The workshop was delivered by the department head, Professor Dr. Alaa Kazem Farhan, and Assistant Professor Dr. Khalil Ibrahim Ghithwan in the late Dr. Imad Kazem hall on Sunday, 2024/2/18, attended by a large number of faculty members and students. The workshop covered the essential criteria that must be considered in scientific research to meet the publication requirements in prestigious international repositories. This includes following specific procedures to ensure the research quality, documentation, and dissemination within the scientific community. Among these mechanisms are choosing an appropriate scientific journal in their research field, scrutinizing the selected journals for their integrity, ensuring research documentation, and focusing on copyright issues, which researchers must be knowledgeable about. Some research should not be published, including those that do not receive scientific interest, contain outdated content, or are repetitive. The workshop also discussed the publication timelines that a published research might undergo, including an acceptance period from 5 to 25 weeks, an electronic publication period from 8 to 31 weeks, and actual publication from 13 to 50 weeks. At the end of the workshop, the Head of the Department, Professor Dr. Alaa Kazem Farhan, awarded a certificate of appreciation to the lecturer, Assistant Professor Dr. Khalil Ibrahim, in recognition of his efforts in delivering this workshop, and a commemorative photo was taken for the occasion.

The President of the University of Technology, Professor Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Hassan Al-Ghabban, expresses gratitude and appreciation to the editorial board member of the Journal of Engineering and Technology and faculty member, Professor Dr. Rana Ghani Farid from the Department of Computer Science. This acknowledgment is in recognition and appreciation of her dedicated efforts in completing the tasks assigned to her in the journal at our university, reflecting a high sense of responsibility. Wishing her continuous success and achievements.