University Of Kurdistan, Sanandaj

The University of Kurdistan (UOK) commenced its activities as the Higher College of Sanandaj, an affiliate of Tarbiat Moallem (Teacher Training Institute), Tehran in the academic year 1974-1975. Its first intake of students was in the field of Mathematics Teacher Training. In the following academic year, the college became an off campus faculty of Kermanshah’s Razi University and was thereafter named the Sanandaj Faculty of Teacher Training. In addition to admitting students in Mathematics Teacher Training, it began to accept students in Chemistry and English. By expanding its pedagogical activities and conducting research in a wide variety of fields, this teacher training unit was granted university status by the Ministry of Higher Education and Culture in 1991. Henceforth it became known as the University of Kurdistan. Since then a great range of courses at various levels have been added to the university’s graduate and postgraduate programe lists including a postdoctoral course offered by the Department of Chemistry. Currently, University of Kurdistan has over 10000 students, of which over 25 percent are postgraduate students. University of Kurdistan has an autonomous college (Pardis), 8 faculties and 45 departments offering 170 undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Moreover, UOK employs approximately 352 full-time academic faculty members with over 71 percent having Assistant Professorship or above grading (16 Full Professors and 83 Associate Professors). UOK has a non-centralized administrative structure managed by the Board of Trustees (which has the highest position in the University and overlooks future educational expansion, financial projections and other major plans of the University), the Chancellor, 5 Vice Chancellors (Vice Chancellors for Educational and Academic Affairs, Research Affairs, Student Affairs, Financial Affairs and Cultural and Social Affairs), Board of Directors and the University Council.