University of Kufa

University of Kufa

جامعة الكوفة
Type	Public
Established	1987
President	Yasir Lafta Hassoun
Undergraduates	27,614 from 1993 to 2018
Postgraduates	3,050 from 1993 to 2018
Address	P.O Box 21, Kufa, Najaf Governorate, Iraq , Kufa , Najaf , 540011 , Iraq
Website	www.uokufa.edu.iq

The University of Kufa is a public university located in Najaf, 100 miles south of Baghdad. Najaf is considered sacred by Shi'a Muslims and is also known as the "City of Books". It was formed in 1987 on the basis of previously existing academic institutions.

Najaf has had a faculty of jurisprudence since 1958 and the medical school had been launched as part of the University of Mustansiriya in 1977.

It has grown incrementally since, starting with the faculty for the education of women in 1989 and a faculty of arts two years later, to become one of the largest universities in Iraq with around 30,000 students spread across 20 faculties.

With the slogan of "Education for a Better World", there has been a focus on sustainability, religious dialogue and high quality medical education.

Since 2015, it has hosted the only UNESCO chair in Religious Dialogue, and the UN agency’s office on campus supports a significant seminar programme. The Islamic Law faculty has introduced classes on the Talmud, Judaism’s holy book, as part of its inter-faith programmes.

The UN’s sustainable development goals have been incorporated into the university’s mission and given a number of practical expressions. The faculty of agriculture has since 2016 taken an active role in the "Million Tree project" which is aimed to protect and develop rare varieties, while engineering researchers in 2018 developed a solar-powered car.

Since 2011 the college of medicine has been in partnership with the University of Leicester to build an effective medical education programme and also has a well-established relationship with Al-Sadr Hospital.

Faculties

• Faculty of Jurisprudence

This school was reopened in 2003–2004 after being closed by Saddam Hussein's regime in 1991, the Faculty of Jurisprudence is the first established in Al-Najaf, in 1958. The Faculty of Islamic Studies grants bachelor's degrees in both Islamic jurisprudence and its disciplines and the Quran and Hadith in undergraduate study, and master and doctorate degrees in Sharia (Islamic jurisprudence) and Islamic Studies.

• Faculty of Medicine

This school was established in 1977, and attached to Al-Mustansiriya University in Baghdad; under graduate studies were started in the academic year of 1979–1980, then the Faculty was transferred to the city of Kufa, to its current building. The first class graduated from this school in 1984. It offers degrees in medicine, at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

• Faculty of Dentistry

It was founded in 2006 and temporarily located within the same building as the medical school, although it is now located in its own facility. The school offers training in dentistry and other aspects of oral health and surgery.

• Faculty of Pharmacy

It was founded in 1999, and offers a bachelor's degree in pharmacology sciences. It is located in the province of Najaf – the district of Kufa on the right bank of the Euphrates River.

• Faculty of Nursing

Faculty of Nursing was founded in 2006, in the compound of university buildings. It grants a bachelor's degree in nursing.

• Faculty of Engineering

The Engineering department was established in 1993, with what is now the department of Civil Engineering, but now includes:

1. Architectural Engineering
2. Civil Engineering
3. Electrical Engineering
4. Material Engineering,
5. Mechanical Engineering
6. Electronic and Communications Engineering
7. Chemical Engineering
8. Water Resources Engineering

• Faculty of Science

This department was founded in 1993 with Biology and Chemistry, then Physics in 1996 and Mathematics in 2002. The Disease Analyses Department and Environment and Pollution Departments opened later, and finally now in January 2013 Geology Department was opened.

• Faculty of Agriculture

Faculty of Agriculture was founded in 1997, which has now the following departments: the Plant Protection, Horticulture, Garden Engineering and Animal Resources. The Faculty is located in the province of Najaf - the district of Kufa – Al-Abbasiyah area – Al-Qizwiniya region, Faculty graduates are granted a bachelor's degree in agricultural sciences the branches of Plant Protection, Horticulture, Garden Engineering and Animal Resources. Postgraduate Studies in both departments of Protection& Horticulture were opened in master's degree in 2001, then the next academic year of 2008–2009 witnessed the opening of the post-graduate in both Master and Doctorate degrees, two seats allocated for Doctorate degree and other two ones for master's degree in the fields of Plant Protection, Horticulture.

• Faculty of Law

The Law School has only one department, Public Law; the Political Science Department has opened in 2007. It was founded in response to a need for experts in the field of law as Iraq makes the transition into a constitutional law based political system.

• Faculty of Administration and Economy

This school was founded in 1993, and includes economy, business administration, accounting, banking and finance sciences courses. At the moment, it is primarily an undergraduate program, but is expanding into offering higher degrees.

• Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

This faculty was established in 19-8-2008, after complete the requirements of undergraduate studies. the first academic year was 2008–2009. This faculty has six departments that are: Clinical sciences dept, Anatomy and Histology dept, Microbiology dept, Pathology and Poultry diseases, Physiology dept and Public health department.

Presidents who presided over the University of Kufa

Years of Service	Names	Scientific title	Specialization
1987–1991	Prof. Dr. Yahiya Tawfeeq Al-Rawi	Professor	Geology
1991–1995	Prof. Asst. Dhafir Dawood Suleiman Al-Taee	Assistant Professor	Medicine & General Surgery
1995–1995	Prof. Dr. Yahiya Tawfeeq Al-Rawi	Professor	Geology
1995–2001	Prof. Dr. Khalil Ibrahim Al-Taif	Professor	Veterinary Medicine
2001–2003	Prof. Dr. Nabeel Al-Rawi	Professor	Electrical Engineering
2003–2006	Prof. Dr. Sayyid Hassan Issa Al-Hakim	Professor	History
2011–2006	Prof. Dr. AbdulRazzaq Abdul Jaleel Al-Issa	Professor	Biochemistry
2011–2017	Prof. Dr. Aqeel Abd Yassin Al-Kufi	Professor	Medical Genetics
2017–2019	Prof. Dr. Muhsin AlDhalimi	Professor	Dermatology
2019–Present	Prof. Dr. Yasir Lafta Hassoun	Professor	Otolaryngologist

Future plans

The University of Kufa is expanding, both physically and in terms of its course and degree offerings. It is building more classroom and laboratory space, and increasing the number of schools within the larger university.

Postgraduate Studies

The University of Kufa seeks to provide postgraduate studies in various specializations which are currently available in the university in addition to the opening of new specializations needed in the Iraqi work market. The total studies at the university for the academic year 2014–2015 equals to 587, where the number of Doctorates was 126, the number of Masters was 378 and the number of High diploma studies was 83.

Centers and units of the University

1. Information Technology Research and Development Center
2. Kufa Studying Center
3. Faculty of Education for Girls
4. the Central Library Building
5. TOEFL Center
6. Alumni Career Center
7. Academic Teaching and Training Development Center
8. Remote Sensing Center
9. Learn Arabic at the University of Kufa
10. Middle Euphrates Center for Cancer Research

External links

• Official Website (in Arabic)
• Official Website (in English)
• University of kufa , TimesHigherEducation