Terms of Service

Introduction and Acceptance

Welcome to International University of Erbil ("IUE", "University", "we", "us", or "our"). These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of our website, online systems, educational platforms, and services (collectively, the "Services").

By accessing or using our Services, you agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not access or use the Services.

Effective Date: November 9, 2025

Eligibility and Account Registration

Eligibility

To use our Services, you must:

• Be at least 13 years of age (or have parental/guardian consent if under 13)
• Be a current or prospective student, faculty member, staff member, or authorized visitor
• Have the legal capacity to enter into these Terms
• Comply with all applicable laws and regulations

Account Registration

Some Services require account registration. When creating an account, you agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information
• Maintain and update your information to keep it accurate
• Maintain the confidentiality of your password and account credentials
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized access or security breach
• Accept responsibility for all activities under your account

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms or engage in fraudulent, abusive, or illegal activity.

Educational Services

Enrollment and Academic Policies

Students enrolling in courses or programs are subject to the University's academic catalog, student handbook, and specific program requirements. These documents are incorporated by reference into these Terms.

Key academic policies include:

• Admission requirements and application procedures
• Course registration, add/drop deadlines, and withdrawal policies
• Grading systems, academic integrity, and disciplinary procedures
• Degree requirements, graduation criteria, and certification
• Tuition, fees, refund policies, and financial aid

Course Content and Materials

Course content, lectures, materials, and assessments are provided for educational purposes only. Unless otherwise specified, you may:

• Access and download materials for personal educational use
• Not redistribute, sell, or commercially exploit course materials
• Not record or share lectures without instructor permission
• Comply with copyright and intellectual property laws

Acceptable Use Policy

When using our Services, you agree NOT to:

Prohibited Activities

• Academic Misconduct: Plagiarize, cheat, or engage in any form of academic dishonesty
• Harassment: Harass, bully, threaten, or discriminate against others
• Illegal Activities: Use Services for any unlawful purpose or violate any applicable laws
• Security Violations: Attempt to gain unauthorized access, breach security measures, or interfere with system operations
• Malicious Code: Upload viruses, malware, or other harmful code
• Spam and Abuse: Send unsolicited messages, spam, or engage in abusive communication
• Impersonation: Impersonate others or misrepresent your identity or affiliation
• Data Mining: Scrape, harvest, or collect user data without authorization
• Resource Abuse: Overload or disrupt system resources or networks
• Inappropriate Content: Post obscene, defamatory, hateful, or otherwise offensive content

Consequences of Violations

Violations may result in:

• Warning or probation
• Suspension or termination of account and Services access
• Academic disciplinary action (for students)
• Employment disciplinary action (for faculty/staff)
• Legal action and cooperation with law enforcement

Intellectual Property Rights

University Content

All content on our Services, including text, graphics, logos, images, videos, software, and design elements, is owned by IUE or its licensors and protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, or create derivative works without our prior written consent, except as permitted for personal educational use.

User-Generated Content

When you submit content (assignments, posts, comments, feedback), you:

• Retain ownership of your original work
• Grant IUE a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, and display your content for educational, administrative, and institutional purposes
• Represent that you have the right to submit the content and it does not violate third-party rights
• Agree that IUE may use aggregated or anonymized content for research and improvement purposes

Academic Work

Student theses, dissertations, and research projects may have separate intellectual property agreements. Consult your program policies and research agreements for details.

Privacy and Data Protection

Your privacy is important to us. Our collection, use, and protection of personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms.

Key privacy commitments:

• We comply with FERPA, COPPA, GDPR, and applicable privacy laws
• We protect student educational records and limit disclosure
• We implement security measures to safeguard your data
• We do not sell or rent your personal information
• You have rights to access, correct, and delete your data (subject to legal retention requirements)

Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability

Service Availability

We strive to provide reliable Services but do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free access. Services may be temporarily unavailable due to maintenance, updates, or technical issues.

Services are provided "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" without warranties of any kind, express or implied.

Educational Content

While we strive for accuracy, we do not guarantee that educational content is error-free, complete, or current. Faculty and instructors are responsible for course content.

Third-Party Links and Services

Our Services may contain links to third-party websites or integrate with third-party services. We are not responsible for the content, policies, or practices of third parties.

Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, IUE and its officers, employees, and agents shall not be liable for:

• Indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages
• Loss of data, profits, or opportunities
• Service interruptions or technical failures
• Actions of third parties or other users
• Damages exceeding the fees paid (if any) for the Services in the past 12 months

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless IUE and its officers, employees, agents, and affiliates from any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any laws or third-party rights
• Your use or misuse of the Services
• Your content or submissions

Dispute Resolution and Governing Law

Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the Republic of Iraq, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Dispute Resolution

For disputes related to academic matters, students should follow the University's grievance and appeals procedures outlined in the student handbook.

For other disputes, you agree to first attempt to resolve the matter informally by contacting us at support@iue.edu.krd.iq.

Jurisdiction

Any legal action arising from these Terms shall be brought exclusively in the courts of Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and you consent to personal jurisdiction in those courts.

Modifications to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will notify you of material changes by:

• Posting the updated Terms with a new "Effective Date"
• Sending email notifications to registered users
• Displaying prominent notices on our Services

Your continued use of the Services after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the modified Terms. If you do not agree to the changes, you must stop using the Services.

Termination

We may suspend or terminate your access to the Services at any time, with or without notice, for:

• Violation of these Terms or other University policies
• Fraudulent, abusive, or illegal activity
• Non-payment of tuition or fees (for students)
• Termination of employment or enrollment
• Any reason at our sole discretion

Upon termination:

• Your right to access the Services immediately ceases
• We may delete your account and associated data (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Provisions that by their nature should survive (privacy, indemnification, liability limitations) remain in effect

General Provisions

Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and referenced policies, constitute the entire agreement between you and IUE regarding the Services.

Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.

Waiver

Our failure to enforce any provision does not constitute a waiver of that provision or our right to enforce it in the future.

Assignment

You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms. We may assign these Terms to any successor or affiliate.

Language

These Terms are provided in English. Translations may be provided for convenience, but the English version governs in case of conflicts.

Special Provisions for Specific Users

Students

• Subject to the Student Handbook and Academic Catalog
• Must comply with the Student Code of Conduct
• Educational records protected under FERPA

Faculty and Staff

• Subject to employment agreements and faculty handbook
• Must comply with professional codes of conduct
• Additional responsibilities for handling student data

Minors (Under 18)

• Parental/guardian consent may be required
• Additional COPPA protections apply for children under 13
• Parents may access and manage their child's information