Koya University is one of the four institutions in the whole of Iraq with outstanding Petroleum, Chemical and Geotechnical Engineering Departments and hence it was the ideal location for the conference. Koya University is keen to build new academic and industrial links with institutions and organisations from all over the world. The meeting offered the opportunity for academics and practitioners working in industry to meet and interact in an international forum and explore areas for future collaboration. The meeting has been made possible by the support received from the Faculty of Engineering at Koya University, as well as the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Kurdistan region. 

The organisation of the conference was carried out by close consultation between Koya University and the Wessex Institute of Technology.