Damascus University

Damascus University (https://damascusuniversity.edu.sy/) is a public University, it was founded in 1923 through the merger of the School of Medicine (established 1903) and the Institute of Law (established 1913). It is the largest and oldest university in Syria, located in the capital Damascus and has campuses in three Syrian governorates (Daraa, Sweida, and Quneitra)

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. Damascus University awards graduate (Master, Ph.D. Professional Training and Qualification) and undergraduate (Bachelor) degree programs.

Damascus University (https://damascusuniversity.edu.sy/index.php?lang=2) is the oldest and the most important university among the other five public Syrian universities. It is thought of as the mother university which was established around the beginning of the twentieth century. Neither hesitant nor timid, it has raised the banner of knowledge, science and thought for over nine decades and has been keen on enlightening Arab generations and foreign students. Damascus University, lofty and towering as it is now, had taken careful and deliberate steps in the beginning, then pace accelerated and the university has expanded and become more advanced. The history of any university and that of its homeland are inseparable, for the events and developments in Syria have had a great impact on that history. Hence, modern history has left its marks on Damascus University. Therefore, it is important to have a brief account of the history of this lofty academic edifice summarized as follows: In 1901, the School of Medicine was founded in Damascus. This nucleus of Damascus University was opened in 1903 and consisted of the faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy. The Turkish language was the language of instruction. In 1913, the school of Law was opened in Beirut. Most of the instructors were Arabs and they used Arabicas the language of instruction. The school was moved to Damascus in 1914 and returned to Beirut in 1915. The School of Law returned to Beirut once more by the end of the World War I. In 1919, the Medical Institute and the School of Law were founded on January 1stand September 2nd respectively. In 1923, the School of Law was renamed the Institute of Law. Also, the Institute of Law and that of Medicine, the Arab Academy and the House of Antiquity were united under the name of the Syrian University. Since then and until 1958, the year of the unity between Syria and Egypt and the establishment of the United Arab Republic, the institutions of higher education became as follows: The Institute of Medicine, the Institute of Law, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Arts, Higher Institute for Teachers, Faculty of Engineering in Aleppo, Faculty of Sharia and the Institute of Business. In 1958, a new law was issued to organize universities in the Northern and Southern regions of the United Arab Republic, under which the "Syrian University" was renamed "Damascus University" and,consequently, a second university was established in the Northern Region under the name of "Aleppo University".  A number of professors were loaned or seconded to other universities in the Arab world. Hundreds of university books were authored in Arabic by university professors, and students were provided with these books to facilitate their study and research. This is a quick overview of the history of Damascus University. We, at Damascus University, find that though our accomplishments were below our ambition, we are still looking forward to a brighter and more brilliant future, and to a day in which we can be proud of the great achievements of the scientific research held within the walls of our university.