Sharif University of Technology

Sharif University of Technology

دانشگاه صنعتی شریف
Sharif University of Technology (SUT) coat of arms
Former name	Aryamehr University
Type	Public
Established	1966[1]
Endowment	US$ 62.92 million (December 10, 2014)[2]
Chancellor	Mahmoud Fotouhi Firouzabad
Vice-Chancellor	Seyed-Ghassem Miremadi
Administrative staff	395
Students	10,502[3]
Undergraduates	5,776
Postgraduates	4,726
Location	Tehran, Iran 35°42′6.47″N 51°21′5.18″E / 35.7017972°N 51.3514389°E / 35.7017972; 51.3514389Coordinates: 35°42′6.47″N 51°21′5.18″E / 35.7017972°N 51.3514389°E / 35.7017972; 51.3514389
Newspaper	Sharif Daily Scientia Iranica
Colours	Light Blue
Athletics	19 sports IUSF
Affiliations	FUIW IAU ICTP TWAS
Website	www.sharif.ir

Sharif University of Technology (SUT, Persian: دانشگاه صنعتی شریف‎‎) is a public research university in Tehran, Iran known traditionally to be the first choice of top ranked Iranian high school and university students in engineering and physical sciences, and it is known as the Iranian MIT. The university is located in the Tarasht neighborhood of Tehran within close proximity of Azadi Square, and also has an international campus in Kish, a resort island in the Persian Gulf.

Established in 1966, it was formerly named the Aryamehr University of Technology and for a short period after the 1979 revolution, the university was called Tehran University of Technology. Following the revolution the university was named after Majid Sharif Vaghefi, a former student who was killed in 1975.^[4]

Today, the university provides both undergraduate and graduate programs in 15 main departments. The student body consists of about 6,000^[5] undergraduate students and 4,700^[5] graduate students from all the 30 provinces of Iran. Funding for Sharif University is provided by the government and through private funding. Undergraduate admission to Sharif is limited to the top 800 of the 500,000 students who pass the national entrance examination administered annually by the Iranian Ministry of Science, Research and Technology.^[6]

In the 2013 Academic Ranking of World Universities Engineering/Technology and Computer Sciences rankings, SUT is ranked 5th in the Middle East.^[7] It is in the top 251-275 universities in the world and 37th in Asia in the 2014 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.^[8][9] In the 2014 Times Higher Education top 100 for newer universities (less than 50 years old), SUT ranked 1st in the Middle East, 6th in Asia, and 27th in the world.^[10]

Founded in 1966, SUT was established in order to train and supply a part of required expert human resources of the country on an equal level to credible universities of the world. Compared with other worldwide universities, it is a young and growing pioneer in both basic and applied sciences. The main aims of SUT are: (1) to create an organization where students can be instructed in both theoretical and applied sciences, with special emphasis on the particular needs of Islamic society; (2) to teach students the advanced knowledge and techniques required to participate in the fields of engineering and technology and to cultivate them into creative engineers, good scientists and innovative technologists; and (3) to educate engineers who are ready to be employed, who contribute significantly to their jobs, and who have a strong sense of public responsibility and a desire to continue to learn. The emphasis is placed on the promotion of multidisciplinary research at the graduate and doctoral levels. Based on that, SUT provides a scientific and dynamic environment for those who are trying to gain knowledge. In other words, SUT is a place for those who are trying to understand and comprehend scientific realities and facts, and are trying to convey those to others.^[11]

History

The university was founded in 1966 with the name Aryamehr University of Industry by Dr. Mohammad Ali Mojtahedi (محمدعلي مجتهدی). At that time, there were 54 faculty members and a total of 412 students who were selected by national examination. Also only four departments were established: Electrical, Metallurgical, Mechanical, and Chemical Engineering.^[12] In 1972, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi appointed Sayyed Hosein Nasr as president of the university with the goal of modeling the school based on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, but with roots in Iranian culture.^[13][14] In 1974 a new campus of the university was established in Isfahan. But later that campus became an independent university, named Isfahan University of Technology (IUT). The emblem of IUT still closely resembles SUT's emblem .

Currently the university has grown to an elite school with over 9000 students, 700 of whom are studying for a doctorate, and over 500 faculty members in 15 main departments.^[15]

Campuses

Main Campus

The main campus of the university is in Tehran, Iran. It is located close to the Azadi Tower, which is the symbol of Tehran and one of the main transportation hubs. The endowment of Sharif University of Technology has been estimated at around $25 million.^[16]

Buildings

Avicenna Tower

• SUT Languages and Linguistics Center
• SUT Avicenna Building (ساختمان ابن سینا), the main classroom building named in honor of 9th century Persian scientist Avicenna
• Student Union (Shahid Rezaee Building)
• Jaber ebne hayyan Building, named in honor of 8th century Persian scientist Jābir ibn Hayyān
• Aboreihan Birooni, named in honor of 11th century Persian scientist Abu Rayhan Biruni (hosting departments of Mathematical Sciences and Industrial Engineering)
• Khodro
• Central library
• SUT Mosque
• The gym (I and II)
• Publication Office
• The Restaurant

International Campus

International Campus'
coat of arms

Sharif University also has an International Campus on Kish Island in Persian Gulf. International Campus of Sharif University of Technology was started in 2005. Today there are two faculties active in this campus: Faculty of Engineering and Science, and Faculty of Management. The campus is currently admitting students for bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degrees in engineering courses and for a master's degree in management.

Buildings

• Central Building
• Faculty of Engineering and Science Building
• Laboratories and Workshops Building
• Language Centre Building

Academic profile

A General view of the main campus

Profile

Sharif University was established in 1966 as an Engineering university with departments of Electrical, Metallurgical, Mechanical, and Chemical Engineering.^[12] Currently, Sharif University has 14 science and engineering departments:

In engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Aerospace engineering.

In science, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematical Science.

Other non-engineering departments include the School of Management and Economics, Languages and Linguistics Department, and the Department of Philosophy of Science which offer exclusively graduate degrees.

Affiliated research centers

The university has supported establishment of Research Centers. These are usually started with a spin-off funding provided by or through university, but will start to accept research and development projects from industry in their first months of establishment. Most of the employees of these centers are Sharif University students, while in some cases recent alumni or students of other universities have been recruited as well.

Following is a list of research centers affiliated with Sharif University.^[17]

• Advanced Communications Research Institute
• Advanced Information and Communication Technology Research Center (AICTC)
• Alborz Observatory for high energy cosmic and gamma rays
• Biochemical and Bio-environmental Research Center
• Condition Monitoring Center (CMC)
• Entrepreneurship Center
• Economical and Industrial Studies research Center
• Electronics Research Center
• Energy Technology Research Center
• Biochemical and Bioenvironmental Research Center(B.B.R.C)
• Green University: environmental research center
• Industrial Systems Research Center
• Institute for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
• Institute for Transportation Studies and Research
• Sharif Applied Physics Research Center
• Water, Energy and Ocean Engineering Research Center
• Sharif Accelerator
• Sharif Incubator

World Rankings

Academic Ranking of World Universities^[18]
2015: 401-500

Times Higher Education^[19]
2016–2017: 501–600
2015–2016: 401-500
2014–2015: 301-350
2013–2014: 251-275
2012–2013: 301-350
2011–2012: 301-350

U.S. News^[20]
2017: 405
2016: 435
2015: 377

Research and endowment

Sharif University is a public university and its funding is provided by the government of Iran. For the top ranks of the national university entrance exam, education is free in all public universities. Those ranking lower are required to pay part or all of the tuition.

Industrial companies have supported Sharif University, and provided research funding for the desired programs and projects. For instance, the Petroleum Engineering department was supported by Iran Oil industries .

Sharif University was appointed as a Center of Excellence (fa:قطب علمی) by Iran's Ministry of Science and Technology in the fields of Advanced Materials, Aerospace Systems, Biological Process Engineering, Communication, Design, Robotics and Automation, Energy Conversion, Earthquake Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Power System Management and Control, and Telecommunications, as well as Hydrodynamics and Dynamic of Marine Vehicles.^[21] This appointment is based on national standing based on research achievements and invested funding in the mentioned topics.

Student life

Political activities

Prior to the Islamic Revolution many political organizations including but not limited to Fadaian Khalg and People's Mujahedin of Iran active members and supporters were among students of the Sharif University. In the 14 years since its inception many active members and supporters were arrested and killed by SAVAK among those Abdolmajid Pirzadeh Jahromi, Majid Ahmadzadeh (Fedaian Khlaq) can be named.

Through the student political movement after the 2nd of Khordad Movement, Sharif students were also actively involved. The major groups with political intentions at Sharif, during 1997–2003, were student Basij and the Association of Muslim students, briefly called Anjoman (Association). Most other smaller groups were allies of either Basij or Anjoman. Basij was a serious opposer of Mohammad Khatami, the president of the time. Whereas, Anjoman was a loyal follower. There has been several clashes between member students of the two groups. Free speech tribunes, occasionally end in harsh quarrel-like debates. However, the major clash between Anjoman and Basij occurred while the student movement was in silence in most other universities. In 2006, a serious controversy resulting in physical tensions, occurred after Basij attempted to bury bodies of unknown Martyrs of the Iran–Iraq War at the universities' Mosque court.^[22]

Sharif University of Technology Association (SUTA)

Many of Sharif alumni and affiliates are spread all around the world since lots of them continue their graduate studies in Europe or North America and also some of them immigrated to these countries, therefore it is not easy to establish local organization to be contacted by the alumni. Sharif University of Technology Association (SUTA) is a global organization that was formed in 2000 to facilitate communication and collaboration among the graduates, faculty and staff of the Sharif University.

This non-profit organization is registered in the state of California, USA and has many chapters and affiliates around the world. Its mission is to enhance professional, academic, and social contacts among its membership, and to strengthen the ties between the association members living outside of Iran and the University.^[23]

Since 2000 SUTA has had a reunion/conference every other year, in the following cities: San Diego (California), Toronto (Canada), Heidelberg (Germany), Santa Clara (California), Vancouver (Canada), Gothenburg (Sweden), Ottawa (Canada) and Milan (Italy).

Faculty and alumni

Chancellors

Chancellor	Tenure	Alma mater	Speciality
Mohammad Ali Mojtahedi	1965–1967	Université Lille Nord de France	Mechanical Engineering
Fazlollah Reza	1967	New York University	Network and Information Theory
Mohammad Reza Amin	1968–1972	UC Berkeley	Physics
Hossein Nasr	1972–1975	MIT	Physics
Mehdi Zarghamee	1975–1977	UIUC	Structural Engineering
Alireza Mehran	1977–1978	University of Geneva	Biophysics
Hossein Ali Anvari	1978–1979	ENSEEIHT	Electrical Engineering
Ali Mohammad Ranjbar	1979–1980	Imperial College London	Electrical Engineering
Abbas Anvari	1980–1982	Chalmers University of Technology	Physics
Ali Akbar Salehi	1982–1985	MIT	Nuclear Engineering
Abbas Anvari	1985–1989	Chalmers University of Technology	Physics
Ali Akbar Salehi	1989–1993	MIT	Nuclear Engineering
Mohammad Etemadi	1993–1995	University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)	Electronics
Sayed Khatiboleslam Sadrnezhaad	1995–1997	MIT	Metallurgical Engineering
Saeed Sohrabpour	1997–2010	UC Berkeley	Mechanical Engineering
Reza Roosta Azad	2010–2014	University of Waterloo	Chemical Engineering
Mahmud Fotuhi Firuzabad	2014–current	University of Saskatchewan	Electrical Engineering

Notable alumni

The university is known for its large number of alumni who join the academic world. For example, Rahmat Shoureshi, researcher, professor, and provost of New York Institute of Technology (NYIT), Behzad Razavi, Professor of electronics at UCLA, Mohammad Shahidehpour, Director of electrical engineering department and Associate VP for Research at Illinois Institute of Technology, Mojtaba Ammari-Allahyari, Senior Teaching Fellow in Centre for Professional Education of University of Warwick, Maryam Mirzakhani, Professor of Mathematics in Stanford University and the first female winner of Fields Medal.

A number of SUT alumni have been active in industry. Akbar Torkan, director of Petro-Pars Co. and previous Transportations Minister, Mehdi Setareh, professor of Architecture at Virginia Tech, Manoochehr Manteghi, managing director of Iran Khodro, Ahmad Ghalebaani, former managing director of SAIPA, and Mehdi Mir Moezzi, managing director of Iran national petroleum company can be named as some of the more famous alumni.

Many of the SUT alumni have entered in politics, including Mohammad Ali Najafi former minister of higher education and member of Tehran City Council, Es'hagh Jahangiri, former Minister of Industries and Mines, Abbas Mohtaj, former commander of Iranian Navy, Mohammad Atrianfar, former head of Tehran City Council, Morteza Alviri, former Mayor of Tehran, Ali Larijani, speaker of Majlis and former presidential candidate and former head of IRIB and Mohsen Sazegara, former government official, political activist.

Also, some of the opposition groups outside Iran have members who are SUT alumni. These members include Foad Mostafa Soltani, former leader of Komala political party of Iranian Kurdistan and Maryam Rajavi, president of People's Mujahedin of Iran Organization.

Multiple alumni of SUT also continued their career as professional athletes. Having been affiliated with SUT's athletic teams, Ali Daei, former member and later head coach of Iranian national football team and Iraj Mozzafari, former captain of Iranian national Volleyball team can be named. Adel Ferdosipour, prominent football commentator and Elshan Moradi Chess Grandmaster are also SUT alumni.

Other publicly known figures with a Sharif related background include Peyman Yazdanian, music composer and Mohammad-Javad Larijani, director of Institute for Studies in Theoretical Physics and Mathematics.

Imprisoned human rights blogger Kouhyar Goudarzi was an aerospace student at Sharif until pressure from state security forces allegedly caused his dismissal.^[24] Omid Kokabee, an Applied Physics and Mechanics alumni,^[25] was arrested while visiting Iran during his Postdoctoral research in University of Texas at Austin.^[26] He was sentenced to 10 years in prison for “communicating with a hostile government” and “illegitimate/illegal earnings.”^[27]

See also

• Higher education in Iran
• Pardis Technology Park
• Shahbal, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed at SUT
• Iranian Machine Design Competition

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sharif University of Technology.

• Sharif University of Technology's home page
• Sharif University of Technology Group on Linkedin
• Sharif University of Technology's Daily روزنامه شريف
• Sharif University of Technology Association
• Sharif University of Technology – PressTV documentary on YouTube
• Sharif Free Software Users Group