Is Mosul University Campus Comfortable for Walking?

Abstract

Universities worldwide are essential institutions to upgrade society. Recently, the University of Mosul underwent certain circumstances after the 2003 and 2016 times of wars that varied among urban expansion, renovation, and rebuild some affected or demolished buildings, roads, walkways, and sidewalks. Hereupon, this research aims at measuring students´ comfort walking. This research contributes by advocating mobility network development on the main Campus. Six components involved with comfort walking were addressed namely: personal preferences, connectivity, accessibility, safety, convenience, and attractiveness. The study focused on the main Campus. Qualitative and quantitative approaches were adopted in data collection and analysis including observation, photography techniques, and questionnaire survey.The sample of the study subjected the students who usually walk on the Campus. The findings reveal that the Campus generally gives the students a comfortable walking experience. Particularly, there is an agreement on connectivity aspects, moderate evaluation for accessibility aspects, agreement to some extent with safety aspects, moderate evaluation for convenience aspects, as well as attractiveness aspects. Besides, the findings indicate a requirement for further improvements especially in providing transportation services in the University for long distances, improving the physical elements, services, and facilities, which need more maintenance.