University of Kurdistan

University of Kurdistan (Persian: دانشگاه كردستان; Dâneshgâh-e Kordestân) is the largest university in Iranian Kurdistan Province, located in the south of Sanandaj. The University of Kurdistan was ranked as the eighth top university in Iran (categorized by quantity and quality of research activities) in academic year 2007-2008 and was ranked as the first top developing university in Iran in academic year 2006–2007.

Overview of UOK

The University of Kurdistan (UOK) commenced its activities as the Higher College of Sanandaj, an affiliate of Tarbiat Moallem (Teacher Training Institute), Tehran in the academic year 1974–1975. Its first intake of students was in the field of Mathematics Teacher Training. In the following academic year, the college became an off campus faculty of Kermanshah's Razi University and was thereafter named the Sanandaj Faculty of Teacher Training. In addition to admitting students in Mathematics Teacher Training, it began to accept students in Chemistry and English. By expanding its pedagogical activities and conducting research in a wide variety of fields, this teacher training unit was granted university status by the Ministry of Higher Education and Culture in 1991. Henceforth it became known as the University of Kurdistan. Since then a great range of courses at various levels have been added to the university's graduate and postgraduate programme lists including a postdoctoral course offered by the Department of Chemistry. Currently, University of Kurdistan has over 9000 students, of which over 25 per cent are postgraduate students. University of Kurdistan has an autonomous college (Pardis), 8 faculties and 45 departments offering 170 undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Moreover, UOK employs approximately 339 full-time academic faculty members with over 95 per cent having Assistant Professorship or above grading (16 Full Professors and 68 Associate Professors). In addition, many part-time teaching staff are employed and the number of administrative staff totals 385.

Currently, the university has 8 research institutes and 7 academic journals and has its own publishing press with many yearly publications. Moreover, UOK has plentiful research and teaching laboratories to aid students and staff at all faculties.

UOK has a non-centralized administrative structure managed by the Board of Trustees (which has the highest position in the University and overlooks future educational expansion, financial projections and other major plans of the University), the Chancellor, 5 Vice Chancellors (Vice Chancellors for Educational and Academic Affairs, Research Affairs, Student Affairs, Financial Affairs and Cultural and Social Affairs), Board of Directors and the University Council.

Faculties

University of Kurdistan has the following faculties:

• Faculty of Agriculture
• Faculty of Art and Architecture
• Faculty of Engineering
• Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Faculty of Language and Literature
• Faculty of Natural Resources
• Faculty of Science
• Bijar Faculty of Science and Engineering

Faculty of Agriculture

The Faculty of Agriculture was founded jointly with the Faculty of Natural Resources in 1991. In 2007, the Faculty of Agriculture separated from the Faculty of Natural Resources and commenced its academic teaching and research activities on an independent basis. It is currently one of the major providers of research in agricultural fields in the region. Both training and research are undertaken at the highest professional level and a wide range of agriculture based scientific courses are offered to graduate and postgraduate students. The faculty's mission is to develop resources and technology to provide contemporary and future needs of the agricultural sector of Kurdistan province, to advance and disseminate knowledge and to provide advice and guidance in the field of agriculture for sustainable economic development. The faculty has 8 departments, offering 12 undergraduate degree programmes and 24 postgraduate degree programmes (including 7 PhD degree programmes):

• Plant Production and Genetics
• Animal Science
• Soil Science
• Horticultural Science & Engineering
• Biosystems Engineering
• Water Sciences and Engineering
• Agricultural Economics
• Plant Protection

At present, the Faculty of Agriculture has over 1000 students and 69 full-time academic members of staff. The faculty has 28 laboratories including Soil Chemistry Laboratory, Soil Physics Laboratory, Plant Breeding Laboratory, Plant Pathology, Genetics Laboratory, Entomology Laboratory, Poultry Production Unit, Quail Production Unit, Dairy Cattle Production Unit. In addition, this faculty has four greenhouses and 50 hectares of agricultural research fields.

Faculty of Art and Architecture

Because of the importance of Art, architecture and planning at national and international levels and the rich history of the arts in western Iran, especially in Kurdistan, the University of Kurdistan launched programs in the aforementioned fields in the early years of its establishment as a university. The University of Kurdistan commenced offering degree programs in Architecture, Planning and Music in 1999, 2006 and 2016, respectively. These two departments were initially part of the Faculty of Engineering but in 2012 became part of the newly established Faculty of Art and Architecture. In light of its expansion and development plans, the Faculty of Art and Architecture is in the process of establishing degree programs in Handicraft as well as aiming to offer its existing degree programs at PhD level in near future.

Research Institutes

Nanotechnology Research Institute

The Nanotechnology Research Institute of the University of Kurdistan conducts research and provides guidance on synthesis and applications of nanomaterials. This research institute is supported by the Iranian Nanotechnology Initiative and the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology. More than 40 academic staff and postgraduate students collaborate on research projects at the institute and since its establishment in 2011, have published more than 60 academic papers in internationally renowned journals. It has three research groups: Nano Chemistry, Nano-Materials and Theoretical Studies and Simulation.

Smart/Micro Grids Research Center

The Smart/Micro Grids Research Center (SMGRC) is an international research center officially established in October 2016. The SMGRC provides a rich source of training, testing, and experimental laboratorial facilities for various smart grid and microgrid (MG) academic/industrial projects, specifically in the area of advanced robust and intelligent control synthesis and analysis methodologies. In addition to the modeling and simulation environment for training and educational purposes, a wide range of distributed generators (e.g., PV panel, wind turbine, diesel generator), energy capacitor systems, grid components, modules, and sub-systems are available for different classes of testing and validation capabilities. The SMGRC flexibility allows working on multiple configurations in MG types (DC, AC, and hybrid), operating modes (grid-connected and islanded) and multiple MGs clusters. The central core of the existing platform is a real-time simulator that can be connected to hardware equipment through power amplifiers. The University of Kurdistan and West Regional Electric Co. (WREC) are the main domestic supporters of the SMGRC. The SMGRC team comprises a continuously increasing number of post-graduate students, and visiting researchers covers various aspects of research in smart grid and microgrids.

Center of computer emergency response team (CERT)

The center of computer emergency response team (CERT) at the University of Kurdistan is concerned with handling computer and network security system incidents. Considering cyber security challenges, CERT center focuses on response to security vulnerabilities in web applications, networked systems and software products. This center's mission is to enhance the security of cyberspace products through traffic monitoring, malware analysis, penetration testing, and intrusion detection.

Moreover, CERT as a research center contributes in implementing information security tools through research and development programs. It also conducts workshops and short educational programs in the field of ICT security for students and IT professionals.

Эх сурвалж: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)