Damascus University Explained

Damascus University
Native Name:Arabic: جَامِعَةُ دِمَشْقَ
Motto:Arabic: وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا
Mottoeng:And say: My Lord, increase me in knowledge (Quran, 20:114)
Established:1923 (Medical School in 1903)
Type:Public
Administrative Staff:2,697[1]
President:Mohammad Osama Aljabban[2]
Students:182,503[3]
Other Students:9,289 international students
Undergrad:169,067
Postgrad:13,436
Doctoral:1,211
City:Damascus
Country:Syria
Campus:Urban
Former Names:Syrian University (1923–1958)

The Damascus University (Arabic: جامعة دمشق|translit=Jāmiʾa Dimashq) is the largest and oldest university in Syria, located in the capital Damascus, with campuses in other Syrian cities. It was founded in 1923 as the Syrian University (Arabic: الجامعة السورية|translit=al-Jāmiʾa al-Sūriyya) through the merger of the Medical School (established 1903) and the Institute of Law (established 1913). It adopted its current name after the founding of the University of Aleppo in 1958.

Damascus University was one of the most reputable universities in the Arab World before the war in Syria started in 2011.[4]

The University of Damascus consists of several faculties, higher Institutes, intermediate institutes and a school of nursing. One of the institutions specializes in teaching the Arabic language to foreigners, which is the largest institution of its kind in the Arab world.[5]

History

In 1901, the establishment of the Office of the School of Medicine in Damascus was approved and in 1903 this school, which is the nucleus of the university, opened. The school included branches in medicine and pharmacy, and the language of instruction was Turkish.

In 1913, a Law School opened in Beirut, in which most of the teachers were Arabs and the language of instruction was Arabic. Then this school was transferred to Damascus in 1914 just as the School of Medicine moved to Beirut. Then in the last years of the First World War the Law School returned to Beirut.

Following that the Institute of Medicine and the School of Law opened in Damascus, the former at the beginning of January in 1919 and the latter in September of the same year.

In 1923, the School of Law was named the Institute of Law and this institute was linked together with the Institute of Medicine, the Arab Society, and the Center of Arabic Heritage in organization under the name of the Syrian University. Then the Arab Society and the Center of Arabic Heritage separated from the organization in 1926.

In 1928, the School of Higher Literary Studies was established and it immediately connected its administration with the university. In 1929 it became the School of Letters, which closed in 1935–1936.

Then starting in 1946, the university was no longer limited to the Institutes of Medicine and Law, but rather faculties and higher institutions were created in other subjects.

In 1958, a new law was created to regulate the universities in the northern and southern regions of the United Arab Republic. This led to changing the name of “the Syrian University” to “Damascus University” and to the creation of a second northern university called “the University of Aleppo.” [6]

In 1959, The College of Fine Arts was established in Damascus and became part of Damascus University in 1972.[7] [8]

Structure

Degrees Offered

Damascus University awards graduate (Master, Ph.D. Professional Training and Qualification) and undergraduate (Bachelor) degree programs. The period of study for the bachelor's degree ranges from 4 to 6 years, based on the need for each discipline of study. The Master programs combine course work and research, and require a minimum of two years and a maximum of a three. Under certain circumstances, an additional fourth year may be approved by a decision of the university council based on the recommendation of the faculty council. The Ph.D. degree is a fully research program. The period of research is not less than two years and not more than five years by the decision of the university council based on the recommendation of the faculty council.[9] although some faculties -Like Faculty of Arts, English Literature Department- does not award Ph.D. degree.

Faculties

Higher institutes

The Arabic Language Institute at the University of Damascus is 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 an advantage to either Egypt or Jordan where much instruction is conducted in the local dialect.

Technical institutes

The duration of the study is two years, when the graduate students receive a diploma from the institute itself according to the jurisdiction of their choice.

On 13 November 2012, the President Bashar al-Assad issued a decree on establishing a branch for Damascus University in Quneitra, a city in the Syrian Heights.[11]

Open Learning

The Open Learning Center offers degrees in three majors:

Library

The University of Damascus Library began in 1903 (with the establishment of the Medical Bureau). As of 2011 it contains some 169,000 volumes and 3,830 current periodicals.

University hospitals

The university runs eight hospitals in the city of Damascus:

Career guidance and capabilities building centers

Ranking

In the year 2023, the ranking of Damascus University within the QS Ranking has risen to become in the field 1201-1400. Several factors such as sustainable development goals-related research and citations have influenced this.[13] The ranking of Damascus University has also increased within the Webometrics ranking linked to the university's website, to become less than 3150 in the second edition of the year 2023 of this ranking.

Logo

The emblem of Damascus University reflects the importance of science and endless desire of human for knowledge, as well as the privacy of Damascus in development of science and scientists.

The color of raspberry stands for the damascene raspberry which is a fruit found only in Damascus, expressing the uniqueness of the university just like the fruit. The color is adopted for the signature of the president of Damascus University, a property not shared with any president of any university in the world.

The lamp is the symbol of knowledge in different cultures, it radiates the light of knowledge and science, crowned with a verse from the Quran: "say oh my Lord, increase me in knowledge", which is the motto of Damascus University and its non-stop seeking.[14]

Notable alumni

See also

External links

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Damascus University. 2023-08-02 . 2023-08-02.
  2. Web site: President of Damascus University. 5 January 2022 .
  3. Web site: Damascus University. 2023-08-02 . 2023-08-02.
  4. Web site: Top Arab World (Ranking as of 2010) . 15 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100222033251/http://www.webometrics.info/top100_continent.asp?cont=aw . 22 February 2010 . dead.
  5. A new 'Mecca of Arabic studies'?. 31 March 2007. Spender, Tom. The Christian Science Monitor. 10 May 2005.
  6. Web site: Historical Background . Damasuniv.edu.sy . 2015-08-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150825012336/http://damasuniv.edu.sy/english/about-university/historical-background- . 25 August 2015 . dead .
  7. Book: Lloyd. Fran. Contemporary Arab Women's Art: Dialogues of the Present. 1999. Women's Art Library. London. 1-902770-005. 82.
  8. Book: Bloom. Jonathan. Blair. Sheila. The Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture. 2009. Oxford University Press. New York. 978-0-19-530991-1. 261.
  9. Web site: Degrees Structure of Studies . Damasuniv.edu.sy . 2015-08-25 . 10 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160310131157/http://damasuniv.edu.sy/english/about-university/degrees-structure-of-studies . dead .
  10. Web site: FSMB Census of Licensed Physicians in the United States, 2018. 27 April 2021 . FSMB.
  11. News: President Bashar al-Assad decrees on establishing branch for Damascus University in Quneitra . Nassr . M. . Ghossoun . . 13 November 2012 . 13 November 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121116232744/http://sana.sy/eng/21/2012/11/13/452229.htm . 16 November 2012 . dmy-all .
  12. Web site: IUST .
  13. Al-Raeei . Marwan . 2023-05-22 . Analysing of the sustainable development goals in Damascus University during Syrian crisis using the strategy in the university and the bibliometrics data from SciVal . Discover Sustainability . en . 4 . 1 . 24 . 10.1007/s43621-023-00140-y . 37251498. 10201509 . 2023DiSus...4...24A . 2662-9984.
  14. Web site: The logo of Damascus University . Damasuniv.edu.sy . 2015-08-25 . 25 August 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150825012341/http://damasuniv.edu.sy/english/about-university/the-logo-of-damascus-university . dead .
  15. News: Giles Clarke to leave England and Wales Cricket Board in bid to become International Cricket Council chairman. 30 January 2016. Hoult. Nick.

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