Sharif University of Technology
Dāneshgāh-e sana'ti-e sharif | |
Former name | Aryamehr University of Technology |
---|---|
Motto in English | The Place of Intellectuals and Elites Transforming National Talents into Global Bests |
Type | Public Research University |
Established | 1966[1] |
Endowment | US$ 0.5 billion (2021)[2] |
President | Rasoul Jalili |
Academic staff | 460 (Full-time) (Fall 2022) |
Administrative staff | 395 (2021) |
Students | 10,812 (Fall 2022) |
Undergraduates | 5,659 (2021) |
Postgraduates | 3,390 (2021) |
989 (2021) | |
Location | , , 35°42′6.47″N 51°21′5.18″E / 35.7017972°N 51.3514389°E |
Campus | Urban, 74 acres (29.9 ha) |
Newspaper | Sharif Daily Scientia Iranica |
Colors | Dark Blue |
Sporting affiliations | 19 sports IUSF |
Website | en.sharif.edu |
Sharif University of Technology (SUT; Persian: دانشگاه صنعتی شریف) is a public research university in Tehran, Iran. It is widely considered as the nation's most prestigious and leading institution for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
Established in 1966 under the reign of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, it was formerly named the Aryamehr University of Technology (Persian: دانشگاه صنعتی آریامهر, romanized: Dāneŝgāhe Sannatiye Āryāmehr) and for a short period after the 1979 revolution, the university was called Tehran University of Technology. Following the revolution, the university was named after Majid Sharif Vaghefi.
Today, the university provides both undergraduate and graduate programs in 15 main departments. The student body consists of about 6,000[3] undergraduate students and 4,700[3] graduate students from all the 31 provinces of Iran. Funding for Sharif University is provided by the government and through private funding. Undergraduate admission to Sharif is limited to the top 800 of the 500,000 students who pass the national entrance examination administered annually by the Iranian Ministry of Science, Research and Technology.[4]
In the 2013 Academic Ranking of World Universities Engineering/Technology and Computer Sciences rankings, SUT was ranked 5th in the Middle East.[5] It is in the top 251–275 universities in the world and 37th in Asia in the 2014 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.[6][7] In the 2014 Times Higher Education top 100 for newer universities (less than 50 years old), SUT ranked 1st in the Middle East, 6th in Asia, and 27th in the world.[8]
2023 mass purges and resignations report
In September 2023 many academics and lecturers resigned as a continuation of protesting arrests and purges earlier in the year after the anti government uprisings.[9][10]
History
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/%D5%87%D5%A1%D6%80%D5%AB%D6%86%D5%AB_%D5%A3%D5%AB%D5%BF%D5%A1%D5%AF%D5%A1%D5%B6_%D5%AD%D5%B8%D6%80%D5%B0%D5%B8%D6%82%D6%80%D5%A4.jpg/220px-%D5%87%D5%A1%D6%80%D5%AB%D6%86%D5%AB_%D5%A3%D5%AB%D5%BF%D5%A1%D5%AF%D5%A1%D5%B6_%D5%AD%D5%B8%D6%80%D5%B0%D5%B8%D6%82%D6%80%D5%A4.jpg)
The university was founded in 1966 with the name Aryamehr University of Industry by Mohammad Ali Mojtahedi. At that time, there were 54 faculty members and a total of 412 students who were selected by national examination. Also, only four departments were established: Electrical, Metallurgical, Mechanical, and Chemical Engineering.[11] In 1972, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi appointed Sayyed Hosein Nasr as president of the university with the goal of modeling the school based on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, but with roots in Iranian culture.[12][13] In 1974 a new campus of the university was established in Isfahan. But later that campus became an independent university, named Isfahan University of Technology (IUT). The emblem of IUT still closely resembles SUT's emblem [citation needed]. Following the revolution, the university was named after Majid Sharif Vaghefi, who was one of the People's Mujahedin of Iran group's leaders who was killed by the members of a splinter group (later renamed to Peykar Organization) who had recently converted from Islam to Marxism and were adamant to forcefully change the Mujahedin's organization's ideology to Marxism.
Currently, the university has about 12,000 students and over 700 faculty members in 16 main departments.[14] During the Mahsa Amini protests in 2022, many students participated, with video footage of the protest and subsequent response by Iranian security forces published first to social media and then by major news organizations. Iranian state news agency IRNA reported that at least 37 students were arrested and most were released shortly afterwards.[15][16][17]
Campuses
Main campus
The main campus of the university is located in the Tarasht neighborhood, near Azadi Square, Tehran, Iran. It is located close to the Azadi Tower, which is the symbol of Tehran and one of the main transportation hubs. The endowment of Sharif University of Technology has been estimated at $25 million.[18]
International campus
Sharif University also has an International Campus on Kish Island in Persian Gulf. The International Campus of Sharif University of Technology was established in 2005. Today there are two faculties active in this campus: Faculty of Engineering and Science, and Faculty of Management. The campus is currently admitting students for bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D. degrees in engineering courses and a master's degree in management.
Academic profile
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/Sharif_University_of_Technology.jpg/220px-Sharif_University_of_Technology.jpg)
Profile
Sharif University was established in 1966 as an Engineering university with departments of Electrical, Metallurgical, Mechanical, and Chemical Engineering.[11] Currently, Sharif University has 14 science and engineering departments:
In engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Aerospace engineering.
In science, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematical Science.
Other non-engineering departments include the School of Management and Economics, Languages and Linguistics Department, and the Department of Philosophy of Science which offers exclusively graduate degrees.
Affiliated research centers
The university has supported the establishment of Research Centers. These are usually started with a spin-off funding provided by or through university but will start to accept research and development projects from industry in their first months of establishment. Most of the employees of these centers are Sharif University students, while in some cases recent alumni or students of other universities have been recruited as well.
Following is a list of research centers affiliated with Sharif University.[19]
- Advanced Communications Research Institute
- Advanced Information and Communication Technology Research Center (AICTC)
- Alborz Observatory for high energy cosmic and gamma rays
- Biochemical and Bio-environmental Research Center
- Condition Monitoring Center (CMC)
- Entrepreneurship Center
- Economical and Industrial Studies research Center
- Electronics Research Center
- Energy Technology Research Center
- Biochemical and Bioenvironmental Research Center(B.B.R.C)
- Green University: environmental research center
- Industrial Systems Research Center
- Institute for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
- Institute for Transportation Studies and Research
- Sharif Applied Physics Research Center
- Water, Energy and Ocean Engineering Research Center
- Sharif Accelerator
- Sharif Incubator
World rankings
University rankings | |
---|---|
Sharif University of Technology | |
Global – Overall | |
ARWU World[20] | 501–600 (2021) |
CWTS World[21] | 371 (2021) |
QS World[22] | 334 (2024) |
THE World[23] | 401–500 (2022) |
USNWR Global[24] | 598 (2023) |
In the 2020 Academic Ranking of World Universities[5] (also known as Shanghai Ranking), the university ranked between 501 and 600 in the world and first in Iran. According to the QS Ranking,[25] Sharif University of Technology has stood in the first place of Iran and maintained its international rank 334th. In the 2022-2023 U.S. News & World Report Best Global University Ranking, the university ranked 598th in the world.
Research and endowment
Sharif University is a public university and its funding is provided by the government of Iran. For the top ranks of the national university entrance exam, education is free in all public universities. Those ranking lower are required to pay part or all of the tuition.[citation needed]
Industrial companies have supported Sharif University and provided research funding for the desired programs and projects. For instance, the Petroleum Engineering department was supported by Iran Oil industries [citation needed].
Sharif University was appointed as a Center of Excellence (fa:قطب علمی lit. Scientific Pole) by Iran's Ministry of Science and Technology in the fields of Advanced Materials, Aerospace Systems, Biological Process Engineering, Communication, Design, Robotics and Automation, Energy Conversion, Earthquake Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Power System Management and Control, and Telecommunications, as well as Hydrodynamics and Dynamics of Marine Vehicles.[26] This appointment is based on national standing based on research achievements and invested funding in the mentioned topics.
Student life
Political activities
Before the Islamic Revolution many political organizations including but not limited to Fadaian Khalg and People's Mujahedin of Iran active members and supporters were among students of the Sharif University. In the 14 years since its inception, many active members and supporters were arrested and killed by SAVAK among those Abdolmajid Pirzadeh Jahromi, Majid Ahmadzadeh (Fedaian Khlaq) can be named.[citation needed]
Through the student political movement after the 2nd of Khordad Movement, Sharif students were also actively involved. The major groups with political intentions at Sharif, during 1997–2003, were students Basij and the Association of Muslim students, briefly called Anjoman (Association). Most other smaller groups were allies of either Basij or Anjoman. Basij was a serious opposer of Mohammad Khatami, the president of the time. Whereas, Anjoman was a loyal follower. There have been several clashes between member students of the two groups. Free speech tribunes, occasionally end in harsh quarrel-like debates. However, the major clash between Anjoman and Basij occurred while the student movement was in silence in most other universities. In 2006, a serious controversy resulting in physical tensions, occurred after Basij attempted to bury bodies of unknown Martyrs of the Iran–Iraq War at the universities' Mosque court.[27]
Sharif University of Technology Association (SUTA)
Sharif alumni and affiliates are spread worldwide since many of them continue their graduate studies in Europe or North America and also some of them immigrated to these countries, therefore it is not easy to establish a local organization to be contacted by the alumni. Sharif University of Technology Association (SUTA) is a global organization that was formed in 2000 to facilitate communication and collaboration among the graduates, faculty, and staff of the Sharif University.[citation needed]
This non-profit organization is registered in the state of California, USA and has many chapters and affiliates around the world. Its mission is to enhance professional, academic, and social contacts among its membership, and to strengthen the ties between the association members living outside of Iran and the university.[28]
Since 2000 SUTA has had a reunion/conference every other year, in the following cities: San Diego (California), Toronto (Canada), Heidelberg (Germany), Santa Clara (California), Vancouver (Canada), Gothenburg (Sweden), Ottawa (Canada) and Milan (Italy).[citation needed]
Faculty and alumni
Chancellors
Notable alumni
The university is known for its large number of alumni who join the academic world, including the late Maryam Mirzakhani, Professor of Mathematics at Stanford University and the first female to be awarded a Fields Medal.
Several SUT alumni have been active in the industry. Niloufar Salehi, computer scientist at University of California, Berkeley,[29] Akbar Torkan, director of Petro-Pars Co. and previous Transportations Minister, Ahmad Ghalebaani, former managing director of SAIPA, Salman A. Avestimehr, an American-Iranian professor and co-director of the Communication Sciences Institute at the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of Southern California, managing director of Iran national petroleum company can be named as some of the more famous alumni.[citation needed]
Many of the SUT alumni have entered in politics, including Mohammad Ali Najafi former minister of higher education and member of Tehran City Council, Es'hagh Jahangiri, former Minister of Industries and Mines, Abbas Mohtaj, former commander of Iranian Navy, Mohammad Atrianfar, former head of Tehran City Council, Morteza Alviri, former mayor of Tehran, Ali Larijani, speaker of Majlis and former presidential candidate and former head of IRIB and Mohsen Sazegara, former government official, political activist. Also, some of the opposition groups outside Iran have members who are SUT alumni. These members include Foad Mostafa Soltani, former leader of Komala political party of Iranian Kurdistan and Maryam Rajavi, president of People's Mujahedin of Iran Organization.[citation needed]
Multiple alumni of SUT also continued their careers as professional athletes. Having been affiliated with SUT's athletic teams, Ali Daei, former member and later head coach of Iranian national football team can be named. Adel Ferdosipour, the prominent football commentator and Elshan Moradi Chess Grandmaster are also SUT alumni.[citation needed]
Other publicly known figures with a Sharif related background include Peyman Yazdanian, music composer and Mohammad-Javad Larijani, director of Institute for Studies in Theoretical Physics and Mathematics.[citation needed]
Imprisoned human rights blogger Kouhyar Goudarzi was an aerospace student at Sharif until pressure from state security forces allegedly caused his dismissal.[30] Omid Kokabee, an Applied Physics and Mechanics alumnus,[31] was arrested while visiting Iran during his Postdoctoral research in University of Texas at Austin.[32] He was sentenced to 10 years in prison for "communicating with a hostile government" and "illegitimate/illegal earnings."[33]
-
Maryam Mirzakhani: Professor of Mathematics at Stanford University and the first female to be awarded a Fields Medal
-
Elshan Moradi: Chess Grandmaster
-
Ali Daei: former member and later head coach of Iranian national football team
-
Adel Ferdosipour: the prominent football commentator
-
Mohammad-Javad Larijani: Iranian conservative politician, mathematical logician, and former diplomat
See also
- Higher education in Iran
- Pardis Technology Park
- Shahbal, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed at SUT
- Iranian Machine Design Competition
References
- ^ "Sharif University of Technology – Introduction". Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
- ^ "Financial information". FarsNews. 10 December 2014.
- ^ a b "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2009.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Iran Makes the Sciences A Part of Its Revolution". The Washington Post.
- ^ a b "Academic Ranking of World Universities – 2013". Shanghai Ranking Consultancy. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
- ^ "Sharif University of Technology". Retrieved 3 February 2017.
- ^ "World University Rankings". 13 April 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
- ^ "150 Under 50 Rankings". 13 April 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
- ^ https://www.etemadonline.com/%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B4-%D8%A7%D8%AC%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B9%DB%8C-23/634156-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%81%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%87-%D8%AC%D9%85%D8%B9%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%B4%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%87-%D8%B5%D9%86%D8%B9%D8%AA%DB%8C-%D8%B4%D8%B1%DB%8C%D9%81-%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B6%D8%A7%D8%AA
- ^ "استعفای دستهجمعی اعضای شورای صنفی استادان دانشگاه شریف".
- ^ a b Mirzayi, Mohammad (2005). Sharif University of Technology Booklet (in Persian). Sharif University Press.
- ^ "Biography / Dr. Seyyed Hossein Nasr". Retrieved 28 May 2008.
- ^ Leslie, Stuart W.; Robert Kargon (2006). "Exporting MIT: Science, Technology, and Nation-Building in India and Iran". Osiris. 21 (1): 123. doi:10.1086/507138. S2CID 146272994.
- ^ "Sharif University Introduction". Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
- ^ "Iran protests: riot police use teargas on students at Sharif university". the Guardian. 3 October 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
- ^ Rebane, Teele; Ritchie, Hannah; Karadsheh, Jomana; Fox, Kara (3 October 2022). "'It was a warzone.' Iranian security forces beat, shot and detained students of elite Tehran university, witnesses say, as crackdown escalates". CNN. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
- ^ Ershad, Alijani (4 October 2022). "'They shot at us': A Sharif University student recounts 'apocalyptic' repression of protests in Iran". The Observers - France 24. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
- ^ "Sharif University International Campus Website". Retrieved 17 November 2008.
- ^ "Research Centers". Sharif University Website. Archived from the original on 25 February 2004.
- ^ Academic Ranking of World Universities 2021, Shanghai Ranking Consultancy, retrieved 24 September 2021[permanent dead link]
- ^ CWTS Leiden Ranking 2020, Centre for Science and Technology Studies, Leiden University, retrieved 24 September 2020
- ^ QS World University Rankings® 2022, Quacquarelli Symonds Limited, retrieved 24 September 2021
- ^ World University Rankings 2021, THE Education Ltd, 25 August 2020, retrieved 2 September 2020
- ^ Best Global Universities in Iran, U.S. News & World Report, retrieved 24 March 2022
- ^ "QS World University Rankings". Top Universities. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
- ^ "Sharif University of Technology – Centers of Excellence". Retrieved 3 February 2017.
- ^ Esfandiari, Golnaz. "Iran: Students Protest Burials Of War Dead On Tehran Campuses". Radiofreeeurope/Radioliberty. Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty (RFEL). Retrieved 28 May 2008.
- ^ "SUTA Vision and Mission". Retrieved 22 February 2011.
- ^ "Human-Computer Interaction and Real World Impact: An Interview with Niloufar Salehi". www.berkeleysciencereview.com. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
- ^ "Kouhyar Goudarzi: "I Won't Be Released Any Time Soon," Trial Date Unknown". International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. 12 April 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ "Omid Kokabee (personal homepage)". Archived from the original on 19 September 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
- ^ Shuster, Mike (7 October 2011). "Iran Charges Student Who Was In the U.S." NPR.
- ^ Maly, David (8 January 2013). "UT student Omid Kokabee gains more international support amid prison sentence". The Daily Texan. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Sharif University of Technology's home page Archived 2 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine