Sahand University of Technology

Housing such industries as automotive, food, oil and petrochemical, construction materials, cellulose, and steel, East Azarbaijan province is considered one of the industrial hubs of Iran. The growing need for specialized human resources to serve these industries inspired the establishment of a comprehensive university that would cater to this need. Sahand University of Technology, which is located in Osku County at a distance of 30 km from Tabriz, the capital of the province, is considered one of the important universities of this province.

History and Structure

Targeting the rich potential in the domestic human resources of the country, the idea of establishing a specialized center of higher education with the aim of training the specialized manpower needed in the region and meeting the research and development needs of its industries was proposed in 1989 and after receiving the approval of the decision-making bodies in higher education (and particularly the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution) Sahand University of Technology began admitting students in 1990. Presently, this university consists of the following 11 faculties:

1. Electrical engineering

2. Medical engineering

3. Chemical engineering

4. Material engineering

5. Mining engineering

6. Civil engineering

7. Mechanical engineering

8. Polymer engineering

9. Basic science of engineering

10. Electronic training

11. Oil and gas engineering

Sahand University of Technology conducts two courses at the associate level, 21 courses at the undergraduate level, 55 courses at the postgraduate level, and 60 courses at the doctorate level. The number of students of this university stands at about six thousand, approximately half of which are pursuing their higher education at postgraduate and PH.D. levels.

Varzeghan Technical Institute, an affiliated educational center of Sahand University of Technology was inaugurated in 2003 by admitting 55 students in two majors, namely Mining-Extraction, and Mining-Mineral Processing at the associate level. The Electronic Learning Center of this university also admits students in the fields of chemical engineering, materials engineering, medical engineering, and information technology at the undergraduate level, and in the fields of chemical engineering, material engineering, and medical engineering at the undergraduate level.

Research Activities

This university has the following research centers:

• Research Institute for Polymer Materials
• Research Center for Seismology and Earthquake Engineering
• Research Center for Environmental Engineering
• Research Center for Hydrometeorology
• Reactor and Catalyst Research Center
• Center for Cell Membrane Research
• Research Center for Nano-structures
• Petroleum and Gas Research Center
• ICT Research Center
• Research Center for Advanced Materials and Minerals Processing

Due to their relationship with different industries and providing them with research projects, most of the research centers of the Sahand University of Technology operate autonomously without depending on government budgets. These centers have so far carried out 400 research projects needed by these industries. Increasing the extraction rate of oil fields, building a solar power plant, and producing biotechnology and water purification products are some of the important issues dealt with by these centers.

Sahand University of Technology is the only scientific center active in the field of polymer engineering in the northwest of Iran and is known as the scientific hub of styrene polymers. The presence of a growth center with dozens of knowledge-based companies and technology units is also one of its important advantages. This center provides valuable services in the areas of completing the cycle of idea to product and commercialization.

International Position and Activities of Sahand University of Technology

This university entered the Times Ranking system for the first time in 2022 and was ranked 193 among the world’s young universities. This university was also ranked 501-600 in engineering sciences and 601-800 among all universities in the world.

In the QS Ranking system, too, Sahand University was ranked 1481 among the universities of the world, 487 among Asian universities, and 32 among Iranian universities. It also ranked 939 in the field of chemistry, 787 in the field of engineering, and 534 in the field of material science.

In the academic year 2022-2023, the number of foreign students admitted to Sahand University of Technology stood at 50. According to its officials, the capacity of this university to admit foreign students is soon going to increase to 300-400. This university is also trying to expand its cooperation in research by holding joint scientific meetings and signing MOUs with foreign scientific centers and universities.