Salahaddin University-Erbil

‘Mother University’ is the nickname locally given to Salahaddin University-Erbil for being the oldest and most comprehensive public university in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq. The name sums up the status of the University for being the main supplier for graduates, scholars and academic staff in the Region.   

The institution which has now become Salahaddin University-Erbil was first founded in 1968 in Sulaimani, and later in 1981 moved to Erbil, capital of the autonomous Kurdistan Region, and the name was changed to Salahaddin University-Erbil.

Now located near the ancient Citadel of Erbil—one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, estimated to be 7000 years old, SUE is the educational home to more than 25200 undergraduates and 676 graduate students. It offers more than 85 undergraduate majors and award degrees at the certificate, bachelors, masters and doctoral levels.

The programs include Engineering, Science, Law & Politics, Agriculture, Business & Administration, Physical Education, Arts and Sociology, Fine Arts, Languages, Religion, and Teaching Methods.

For more than 45 years, SU has been home to talented scholars, artists, writers and others who have been drawn from all over the world to teach, perform, create, and study.

The University also serves statewide, national, and international needs by offering consultancy, educational and research activities in communities throughout the country and through research and training exchanges and world-wide partnership programs. In this way, Salahaddin University-Erbil has enriched the cultural, political, and industrial sectors of Kurdistan for four decades, playing a major role in the advancement of Kurdish society. Last year SUE was ranked the top university in the national rankings.

Salahaddin University-Erbil has more than 2074 academic staff and 3500 employees in administration and professional staff. The instructional, research and service missions of the University reflect the needs of the respective geographic areas.

The next academic year 2019-2020 Bologna process will be applied to the academic programs of first-year students. The academic year at SUE starts in September and ends in July and the credit system at Salahaddin University-Erbil is a unit-based system.

Among the many distinguished figures graduated from SUE are Nawzad Hadi (Governor of Erbil), Dr. Pishtiwan Sadiq (Minister of Education), Nuri Al Maliki, (Prime Minister of Iraq), Dr. Izzadin Mustafa Rasool (Writer), Dr. Aziz Gardi (Writer and Translator), Dr.Idris Hadi Salih (Minister of Higher Education), Nawroz Mawlood (Minister of municipality), and Dilshad Shahab (Minister of Municipalities).

We have achieved recognition in the Middle East in a wide range of areas –in Engineering, Sciences, Liberal and Fine Arts, Agriculture, Business, Law, Education, Social Work, and Public Service. Our talented faculty and staff are committed to excellence in teaching, research and academic support.