University of Aleppo

University of Aleppo
جَامِعَة حَلَب
	General view of the university
Type	Public
Established	1958
Academic affiliation	UNAI; UNIMED;
Rector	Dr. Maher Karman
Undergraduates	55,732
Postgraduates	4,386
Doctoral students	1,525
Location	Aleppo, Syria
Campus	Urban
Website	alepuniv.edu.sy

University of Aleppo (Arabic: جَامِعَة حَلَب, romanized: Jāmiʿat Ḥalab, also called Aleppo University) is a public university located in Aleppo, Syria. It is the second largest university in Syria after the University of Damascus.

During 2005–06, the university had over 61,000 undergraduate students, over 1,500 post graduate students and approximately 2,400 faculty members. The university has 25 faculties and 10 intermediate colleges.

History

What was to become the University of Aleppo consisted of a Faculty of Engineering in Aleppo opened in 1946 and affiliated to what is now the University of Damascus (Syrian University at that time). After the end of French rule in 1946, the newly independent Syria only had one university.

In 1958, the Syrian government passed a law that created the University of Aleppo as the second university in the country. When the new university opened its doors in 1960, it consisted of two faculties (Civil Engineering and Agriculture). The university grew rapidly in the subsequent decades, formed respected programs in engineering, sciences, and literature, as well as a strong emphasis on languages, offering courses on German, Russian, French, and English.

The university is member of the European Permanent University Forum (EPUF), the Mediterranean Universities Union (UNIMED) and the Regional Corporation Confremo.^[2]

The university has joint co-operative programmes with many international institutions of higher educations from the Arab World, United States, Argentina, Venezuela, Australia, Japan, India, Malaysia, Iran, Armenia, Georgia, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Russia, Spain, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Norway, Poland, Ukraine, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary and Moldova.^{[citation needed]}

During 2008, the University of Aleppo marked its golden jubilee.

On 15 January 2013, 82 people were killed during the Aleppo University bombings. The blasts reportedly struck an area between Aleppo University's halls of residence and the architecture faculty. The initial death toll was 52, but Aleppo's governor later revised the number.^[3]

Structure

Faculties

Aleppo University consists of 25 faculties with 152 departments, among which 18 faculties are located in Aleppo and 7 in Idlib. Studying period is 4 years or above:

Civil Engineering founded in 1946 as a faculty affiliated with the Syrian University in Damascus. Later in 1958, it became the first faculty of the newly established University of Aleppo:
Agriculture founded in 1960:
- Basic sciences
- Agricultural economics
- Animal production
- Horticulture
- Renewable natural resources and Environment
- Soil science and Land reclamation
- Food science
- Agronomy
- Rural engineering
- Plant protection
Law founded in 1960:
Arts and Humanities founded in 1966:

- Arabic language and literature
- French language and literature
- English language and literature
- History
- Geography
- Philosophy and Sociology
- Archeology
- Armenian language and literature
- Persian Language and literature
Economics founded in 1966:

- Business administration
- Accounting
- Statistics and Information systems
- Economics
- Marketing
- Banking and Finance
Sciences founded in 1966:
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Biological Sciences
- Geology
- Statistics
Medicine founded in 1967:
- Neurology
- Internal medicine
- General surgery
- Histopathology
- Dermatology
- Anesthesia and recovery
- Obstetrics and gynaecology
- Pediatrics
- Physiology
- Medical laboratory
- Anatomy
- Tumors
- Eye diseases and surgery
- Medical radiography
- Forensic science
- Organ systems
- Pharmacology
- Family medicine
Dentistry founded in 1979:
- Oral and maxillofacial surgery
- Periodontology
- Oral Medicine
- Pediatric dentistry
- Fixed prosthodontics
- Orthodontics and maxillofacial
- Prosthodontics
- Dental restoration
- Biological and Medical sciences
- Histology and Histopathology
- Basic Dental science
Electrical and Electronic Engineering founded in 1982:.
- Electrical engineering
- Telecommunications engineering
- Electrical Power engineering
- Mechatronics
- Electronic engineering
- Computer engineering
- Control engineering and Automation
Architecture founded in 1983:
- Architectural design
- Planning and Environment
- Building science and Implementation
- Architectural theory and history
Mechanical Engineering founded in 1983:
- Basic sciences
- Applied mechanics
- Power engineering
- Production engineering
- Industrial engineering
- Agricultural machinery engineering
- Nuclear engineering
- Aerospace engineering
- Materials science
- Mechanical spinning and weaving
Pharmacy founded in 1991:
- Analytical and Food chemistry
- Pharmaceutical chemistry and Drug controlling
- Biochemistry
- Impact of drugs and toxins
- Pharmacognosy
- Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical technology
Pedagogy founded in 1997:
- School teacher
- Counseling psychology
- Teaching methods
Informatics founded in 2000:
- Artificial intelligence and Natural language processing
- Software engineering and systems
- Network engineering
- Basic sciences
Technological Engineering founded in 2002:
- Environmental engineering
- Food technology
- Biotechnology
- Biomedical engineering
- Water Resources engineering
Fine Arts founded in 2006:
- Drawing and painting
- Sculpture
- Graphics
- Visual communication
- Interior architecture
- Wall painting
- Parietal and ceramic art
- Graphic design and layout
- Textile and fashion design
- Animation
Sharia founded in 2006:
- Islamic theology
- Islamic jurisprudence and principles
Nursing founded in 2007:
- Nursing for adults
- Pediatric nursing
- Obstetrical and gynecological nursing
- Psychiatric and mental health nursing
- Public health nursing
- Nursing management
- Critical care nursing
- Geriatric nursing
Agriculture II in Idlib founded in 2005:
- Agricultural studies
- Olive production
Education II in Idlib founded in 2005.
Arts and Humanities II in Idlib founded in 2005:
- Arabic language and literature
- English Language and literature
- Archeology
Law II in Idlib founded in 2006:
- Commercial law
- International law
- Public law
- Penal law
- Private law
Sciences II in Idlib founded in 2007:
- Mathematics
Veterinary medicine in Idlib founded in 2010.
Administrative sciences in Idlib founded in 2011.

Higher institutes

Two higher institutes based in Aleppo are operating in the university:

Higher Institute of the History of Arabic Science founded in 1976:
- History of Applied sciences
- History of Medical sciences
- History of Basic sciences
Higher Institute of Languages founded in 2003.

Intermediate technical institutes

The university has 12 intermediate technical institutes with eight of them based in Aleppo and four in Idlib. Studying period is for two years:

Medicine
Dentistry
Informatics
Engineering
Agriculture
Technical College of Banking and Finance
Business administration and Marketing
Mechanical and Electrical
Informatics in Idlib
Banking and Finance in Idlib
Veterinary in Idlib
Agriculture in Idlib

Open Studies

The Open Studies Centre was inaugurated in 2001. The centre offers degrees in three majors:

Legal studies
Computer and informatics
Minor and intermediate projects

Hospitals

The university runs six hospitals in the city of Aleppo:

Aleppo University Hospital (AUH)
Aleppo University Cardiovascular Surgical Centre
OB/GYN Hospital named after Basil al-Assad
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgical Centre
Surgical Ambulance Hospital
Al-Kindi Hospital (currently not operating)

Other structures

The university is home to one of the biggest libraries (Central Library of the University)^[4] in Syria with more than 1.5 million units. In addition, there are 17 academic centres, a publishing and printing house, and 20 units in the campus, designated to host more than 12 thousand students.

The university publishes its scientific journal periodically which is called Aleppo University Researches.

On 7 February 2010, the university announced the opening of its Radio & TV Centre, which is the first of its type among Syrian universities and the third in the Middle East.^[5]

Presidents

Dr. Tawfik Al-Munajed (1960–67)
Dr. Mustafa Ezzat Al-Nassar (1968–69)
Dr. Ahmad Y. al-Hassan (1973–79)
Dr. Mohammad Ali Hourieh (1979–2000)
Dr. Saeed Farhoud (2001–04)
Dr. Mohammad Nizar Akil (2005–10)
Dr. Nidal Shehadeh (2010-2012)
Dr. Abed Yakan (2012)
Dr. Kheder Ourfali (2012-2013)
Dr. Mahmoud Dahhan (2013–14)
Dr. Mustafa Afuni (2015–present)

Notable alumni

Wajih Azaizeh, Jordanian politician
Mohammad Nidal al-Shaar, Syrian politician and economist
Muhammad bin Jamil Zeno, Islamic scholar
Zuhair Masharqa, Syrian politician
Sufian Allaw, Syrian politician
Ibtisam Ibrahim Teresa, award-winning Syrian novelist
Khaled Khalifa, award-winning Syrian novelist
Abdulrazak Eid, Syrian writer and thinker
Muhammed Abu Maatouk, Syrian playwright
Darin Ahmad, Syrian artist, poet and writer
Mustafa Setmariam Nasar, al-Qaeda member
Fathallah Omar, writer
Muhamad Aly Rifai, Syrian American internist and psychiatrist
Mazloum Abdi, Syrian Kurdish PKK and SDF commander^[6]
Waad Al-Kateab Academy Award nominated film director of For Sama (2019)^[7]
Kenan Yaghi, current Finance Minister of Syria

References

^ Students Archived 2022-03-02 at the Wayback Machine daad-akademie.de, 22. February 2021
^ Mediterranean Universities Union Archived 2022-08-24 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 11 June 2022.
^ "Syria crisis: Dozens killed by Aleppo university blasts". BBC News. 15 January 2013. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
^ World Guide to Libraries (25 ed.), De Gruyter Saur, 2011
^ "Aleppo University opens its radio & TV center". Aks al-ser news (Syrian news). 7 February 2010. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
^ Wright, Robin (20 October 2019). "America's Ally in Syria Warns of Ethnic Cleansing by Turkey". New Yorker. Archived from the original on 25 April 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
^ "92nd Academy Awards (Documentary Feature) Nominations". oscar.go.com. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2020-02-17.