Damascus University

Damascus University
جامعة الحرية
Seal of the University of Damascus
Motto	"وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا" And say: My Lord, increase me in knowledge (Quran, 20:114).
Established	1923
Type	Public
President	Dr. Wael Mua'lla
Admin. staff	2,173
Students	around 190`000 [1]
Location	Damascus, Syria
Website	http://www.damascusuniversity.edu.sy/en/index.php [English]

The University of Damascus (Arabic: جامعة دمشق‎, Jāmi‘atu Dimashq) is the largest and oldest university in Syria, located in the capital Damascus and has campuses in other Syrian cities. It was founded in 1923 through the merger of the School of Medicine (established 1903) and the Institute of Law (established 1913), also making it the oldest university in modern-day Syria. Until 1958 it was named the Syrian University, but the name changed after the founding of the University of Aleppo. Today, there are six other public universities and more than 10 private ones in Syria.

The University of Damascus consists of several faculties, Higher Institutes, intermediate institutes and a School of Nursing. There is an institution specialized in teaching the Arabic language to foreigners, which is the largest institution of its kind in the Arab world.^[1]

Syrian universities take great pride in the fact that most courses are taught in Arabic^{[citation needed]}, which is something unique in the Arab World. For most courses in the first years, there are text books written in Arabic and authored by the university professors.

History

Damascus University is the oldest Higher Education institution in Syria, and is considered the mother university of Syria's universities. It has its origin in the medical Institute (founded in 1901) named the "Syrian University" in 1923. The present title was adopted in 1953 after founding of new faculties. The further development of Damascus University was given the highest priority. This fact made it the leading university in Syria. At present, Damascus University, as is the case with the other Syrian Universities, is going through crucial development at all levels. This is being done to improve its position on the level of research and scientific development, so that it can play a key role in backing up the process of building and modernization led by President Dr. Bashar AL-ASSAD. Damascus University is a pioneer of publication and instruction in Arabic, emphasizing the importance of mastering the sciences, and also linking between the past, the present, and the envisioned future of Syria.^[2]

Strategic Plan

The website of School gives the Strategic Plan:

The strategic plan of Damascus University is the product of the comprehensive self-evaluation begun in 2006 and the extensive consultation with key representatives of faculties and administrative departments and directorates in the University. The primary purpose of the plan is to improve the quality of the full range of University activities. A secondary purpose is to provide clarity and focus for all staff members and employees of the University to share the mission, vision and priorities for improvement. The plan incorporates the mission statement into a set of objectives, each detailed into a number of measures, a time-table for implementation spanning from the 4th quarter of 2007 till the 4th quarter of 2010, and assigned responsibilities. The strategic plan also identifies key areas for early consideration in the University, adopts a phased approach moving in stages to more advanced and challenging objectives and locates potential financial resources and technical support required to achieve its objectives. In principle, the plan provides a flexible framework that enables all University faculties and departments to formulate their own operational plans, and estimate necessary human and material resources. The strategic plan was formally adopted by the University Council in October 2007. The University is already beginning to implement some of its elements. The plan is presented in the following pages in a tabular form headed by each of its twelve strategic objectives.

The full PDF of Strategic Plan with Objectives and Solutions.

Organization

These are 16 faculties which the university is divided into:

• Faculty of Agriculture
• Faculty of Architecture
• Faculty of Civil Engineering
• Faculty of Dentistry
• Faculty of Economics

It offers Bachelor's of Science in Economics in one of the following specializations: Banking and Insurance, Business Administration, Statistics, Accounting, and Pure Economics. The Faculty also has some international post-graduate programs with University of Marburg (Germany) and University of Bordeaux IV

• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Fine Arts
• Faculty of Informatics
• Faculty of Law
• Faculty of Arts and Humanities
• Faculty of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
• [School of Medicine in Damascus|Faculty of Medicine]
• Faculty of Pharmacy
• Faculty (College) of Political Sciences
• Faculty of Sciences
• Faculty of Shari'a (Islamic Studies and Jurisprudence)

and the new faculties that had created are:

• 3rd Faculty of Education
• 2nd Faculty of Economics
• 3rd Faculty of Arts and Humanities
• 2nd Faculty of Education
• 2nd Faculty of Agriculture
• 2nd Faculty of Fine Arts
• 3rd Faculty of Arts and Humanities
• 4th Faculty of Education

It also includes these institutions:

• Higher Institute for Administration Development

Established in the 70s, It offers the following degrees (PG Diplomas, Master and PhD)

• Higher Institute of Earthquake Studies and Research
• Higher Institute for Laser Research And Application
• Institutes of the University of Damascus:

Damascus University, said the institutes are institutes of the University of Damascus and the duration of the study and the two of them when they graduate students receive a Diploma from the Institute itself according to the jurisdiction of their choice, and institutes of the University of Damascus:

• • Technological Institute of Business Administration and Marketing

, And where the following disciplines: Business Administration - Marketing - Public Relations

• • Technological Institute of Accounting and Finance (formerly

known as the Commercial institute) , And where the following disciplines: Accounting - financial markets - bank

• • Technological Institute of Medicine
  • Technological Institute of Dentistry
  • Technological Institute of Engineering
  • Technological Institute of Mechanical Engineering and electricity
  • Technological Institute of Computer Science
  • Technological Institute of Agricultural

The Arabic Language Institute at the University of Damascus is regularly recognized as the best center to study Arabic for non-native speakers in the world. The Center for Arabic Study abroad, the premier U.S. organization for Arabic study, is now opening a second branch at the University. The Arabic Language Institute at the University of Damascus is known for immersion instruction in Arabic, allowing more rapid, natural and comprehensive language acquisition. The Arabic Language Institute’s faculty is committed to classical Arabic instruction, offering a comparative advantage to either Egypt or Jordan where much instruction is conducted in the local dialect. See official web Site of Damascus University

Alumni

• Bushra al-Assad - sister of ruling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
• Giles Clarke - chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board^[3]
• Colette Khoury - Syrian novelist
• Assef Shawqat - head of Syrian intelligence services
• Riad Ismat - Syrian diplomat, writer and theatrical director
• Najeeb Alshak- Chief of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center
• Salem Daboul - writer and journalist

References

1. ^ Spender, Tom. "A new 'Mecca of Arabic studies'?". The Christian Science Monitor. http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0510/p14s02-legn.html. Retrieved 2007-03-31. 
2. ^ http://www.damascusuniversity.edu.sy/en/index.php/home/historical-background Damascus University Historical Background
3. ^ Entrepreneurs Question Time SetSquared - 4 October 2007

External links

• University of Damascus official site

Coordinates: 33°30′41″N 36°17′29″E / 33.51139°N 36.29139°E / 33.51139; 36.29139