University of Damascus

Infobox_University
name = Damascus University
native_name = جامعة دمشق
latin_name =


image_size =
caption = Seal of the University of Damascus
motto = Say, "Oh. God, add me more knowledge" (a verse)
established = 1923
type = Public
endowment =
staff = 2,173
faculty =
president = Dr. Wael Mua'lla
Vice president for scientific research = Dr. Rakan Razouk
Vice president for adminisrative affairs = Dr. Tarek Al Khair
provost =
principal =
rector =
chancellor =
vice_chancellor =
dean =
head_label =
head =
students = 85,837
undergrad =
postgrad =
doctoral =
city = Damascus
state =
country = Syria
campus =
free_label =
free =
colors =
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nickname =
affiliations =
website = http://www.damasuniv.shern.net/ The University of Damascus ( _ar. جامعة دمشق, "Jāmi‘atu Dimashq") is the largest university in Syria, located in the capital Damascus. 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 the country. Until 1958, it was named the Syrian University, but the name changed after the founding of the University of Aleppo. Today there are also universities in the Syrian cities of Homs, Lattakia and Deir ez-Zor.

The University of Damascus consists of several faculties and the Higher Institute of Administrative Development. Also affiliated with the university are seven intermediate institutes and a School of Nursing. There is an institution specialized in teaching the Arabic language to foreigners, which is among the largest such institutions in the Arab world.cite web | url =http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0510/p14s02-legn.html | title =A new 'Mecca of Arabic studies'?| accessdate =2007-03-31 | author= Spender, Tom | publisher =The Christian Science Monitor]

Syrian universities take great pride in the fact that most courses are taught in ArabicFact|date=February 2007, 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. Damascus University is considered by many the best university in SyriaFact|date=February 2007 in spite of the fact there are more than 5 new private universities that opened since 2003 for the first time in decades.

Organization

These are 16 faculties which the university is divided into:
* Faculty of Literature and Humanitarian Sciences
* Faculty of Civil Engineering
* Faculty of Law
* Faculty of Sciences
* Faculty of Education
* Faculty of Shari'a (Islamic: Studies and Jurisprudence)
* Faculty of Economics
* Faculty of Dentistry
* Faculty of Pharmacy
* Faculty of Agriculture
* Faculty of Fine Arts
* Faculty of Architecture
* Faculty of Informatics
* Faculty of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
* Faculty (College) of Political Sciences
* Faculty of Medicine

It also few institutions:

* Higher Institute For Laser Research And Application
* Higher Institute for Administration Development
* Higher Institute of Earthquake Studies and Research

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.

Alumni

*Bushra al-Assad - sister of ruling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
*Giles Clarke - chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board [ [http://www.setsquared.co.uk/pics%5Cembedded_documents%5C071004%20BEN%20Question%20Time%20Poster.pdf Entrepreneurs Question Time] SetSquared - 4 October, 2007]
*Colette Khoury - Syrian novelist
*Assef Shawqat - head of Syrian intelligence services

References