University of Baghdad

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University of Baghdad
جامعة بغداد
Motto	وقل رب زدني علما
Established	1957
Type	Public University
President	Dr. Musa Juwad Aziz Al-Musawi
Students	80,000
Undergraduates	70,000
Postgraduates	10,000
Location	Baghdad, Iraq
Campus	Urban
Website	www.uobaghdad.edu.iq

Site plan developed for the expanded University of Baghdad campus.

The University of Baghdad (UOB) (Arabic: جامعة بغداد, Jami'at Baghdad‎) is the largest university in Iraq and the second largest Arab university following the University of Cairo.

Nomenclature

Both University of Baghdad and Baghdad University are used interchangeably.

History

The College of Islamic Studies in Baghdad claims that it originated in 1067 A.D. However, the College of Law, the earliest of the modern institutions that were to become the first constituent Colleges (i.e. Faculties) of the University of Baghdad, was founded in 1908. The College of Engineering was established in 1921; the Higher Teachers Training College and the Lower College of Education in 1923, the College of Medicine in 1927, and the College of Pharmacy in 1936. In 1942, the first higher institution for girls, Queen Alia College, was established. In 1943, proposals for further new Colleges appeared, leading to the foundation of the College of Arts and the College of Science in 1949, and Abu Ghraib College of Agriculture in 1950.

In 1922, a scheme had been initiated by the King for the organisation of a university at Bab al-Mu’azzam, but there were insufficient students qualified for admission. Nonetheless, a start was made on the creation of the university with the building of the Theological College. In January 1925, however, the Engineering School was transferred to the vacant upper floor of the Theological College building. In 1935, the Monroe Commission had argued that Iraq was not ready for a university, and the next attempt to establish a University did not commence until 1945. Then the ‘Morgan Report’ was prepared for the Iraqi government in 1947 by a senior member of the British Council’s staff. In 1948, however, the British Council’s proposals were rejected in favour of a plan drawn up by the Ministry, but no action followed. In May 1953, the British Council sponsored a further visit to Baghdad by a group of British University Professors to give encouragement, once again, to the establishment of a university.

However, the first university in the country, Al-Hikma University, was founded by the American Roman Catholic Fathers (Jesuits) in 1956. In the same year, the government announced plans to amalgamate the existing state funded Colleges, enacting Royal decree number 60 of 1956 to establish the University of Baghdad. Its first President was appointed by Royal decree in 1957, and it commenced operations in 1958. Following the Ba’athist coup, in Autumn 1968, Al Hikma University was taken over by the state and integrated in Baghdad University.

A new university campus was commissioned by the Royal Government of Iraq in the late 1950s and situated near the Tigris river. Its buildings were designed by Walter Gropius, Louis McMillen and Robert McMillan of The Architects Collaborative, who commenced their master plan in the 1950s for a new university campus for the Colleges of Engineering, Sciences and Liberal Arts for a total of 6,800 students.

The campus was expanded in 1982 to accommodate 20,000 students plus support facilities. Architect Hisham N. Ashkouri and Robert Owen developed the full academic space program for the entire campus.

Baghdad University has suffered greatly as a consequence of the occupation of Iraq, with as many as 90% of students dropping out of some classes. This is down to people moving away due to fear, combined with several kidnappings and hostage takings of students.

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Presidents of Baghdad University

Quad at the university

• Dr. Matti Aqrawi - 5 /10/1957- 1 /8 /1958
• Dr. Abed Al-Jabbar Abed Allah - 19/3 /1959 - 8 /3 /1963
• Dr. Abed Al-Azeez Al-Duri - 10/2 /1963 -27/11/1965 and 10/9 /1966 - 7 /8 /1968
• Dr. Jassem Mohammad Al-Kallaf - 9 /9 /1968 - 8 /8 /1970
• Dr. Abed Allatif Al-Badry - 8 /8 /1970 - 1 /3 /1971
• Dr. Saad Abed Al-Bakki Al-Rawi - 15/6 /1971 - 23/1 /1974
• Dr. Taha Ibraheem Al-Abedalla - 14/3 /1974 - 15/10/1977
• Dr. Sulttan Abed Al-Kader Al-Shawi - 18/10/1977 - 1 /3 /1978
• Dr. Taha Tayh Diab Al-Ne'ami - 30/6 /1980 - 27/12/1990
• Dr. Adil Shakir Al-Tai - 10/7/1990 - 28/2/1991
• Dr. Khidir Jasim Al-Duri - 1/3/1991 - 10/11/1993
• Dr. Abed Al-Iillah Yossif Al-Kashab - 14/11/1993 - 7 /6 /2001
• Dr. Mohammad Abed Allah Falah Al-Rawi - 12/6 /2001 - 30/4 /2003
• Dr. Sammi Abed Al-Mahdi Al-mudaffar - 24/5 /2003 - 28/9 /2003
• Dr. Musa Juwad Aziz Al-Musawi - 2003–present

Campuses and colleges

A screenshot of the University of Baghdad's website

Al-Jadriya campus

• College of Engineering
• Al-Khwarizmi College of Engineering
• College of Science
• College of Political Science
• College of Physical Education
• college of science for women
• College of Education for Women
• Institute of Laser for Postgraduate Studies
• Institute of Urban and Regional Planning
• Institute of Genetic Engineering
• Institute of Accounting & Financial Studies

Bab Al-Muadham campus

• College of Medicine
• College of Dentistry
• College of Pharmacy
• College of Nursing
• College of Education - Ibn Rushd
• College of Arts
• College of Languages
• College of Information
• College of Islamic Studies

Al-Waziriya campus

• College of Physical Education for Women
• College of Law
• College of Administration, Business and Economy
• College of Education - Ibn Al-Haytham
• College of Fine Arts

Abu Ghraib campus

• College of Agriculture
• College of Veterinary

Nahda CrossRoad

• Al-Kindi College of Medicine

Notable alumni

• Abd ar-Rahman al-Bazzaz – Prime Minister of Iraq
• Prof. Dr. Ali Al-Wardi – Sociologist
• Abdurrahman Wahid – former President of Indonesia
• Ghassan Muhsen – Ambassador, Artist
• Donny George Youkhanna – Archaeologist

Notable development consultants

• Cyril Saunders, UNESCO Library Development consultant, 1952–1955
• Harold Bonny, UNESCO Library Development consultant, 1957–58
• Donald Powell (University of Arizona), USAid/ICA Library Development consultant at Abu Ghraib College, 1957
• William S. Dix (Librarian, University of Princeton), Ford Foundation Library Development consultant, 1958
• Des Raj Kalia, UNESCO Library Development consultant, 1959–1960
• Stephen Ford (University of Michigan) and Paul Kebabian (New York Public Library), Ford Foundation Library Development consultants, 1961-1962.
• Rudolph Gjelsness (Professor and Head of the Department of Library Science, University of Michigan), Ford Foundation Library Development consultant, 1962–1963
• David T. Wilder (University Librarian, University of Michigan – Oakland), Ford Foundation Library Development consultant, 1965–66
• Anand P. Srivastava (Head of the Department of Library Science, University of Rajasthan), UNESCO consultant, Graduate School of Library Science, 1968–1973
• Khalil M. H. Al-Shamma' , Former Dean , College of Administration, Business and Economy , Reorganization of the University of Baghdad and The Higher Education sector, 1969

See also

• Iraqi Journal of Physics

References

External links

• Official website (Arabic)
• University of Baghdad Website (English)

Coordinates: 33°16′26″N 44°22′39″E / 33.27389°N 44.3775°E / 33.27389; 44.3775