{{Short description|One of the most prestigious universities in Iran}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Infobox university | name = Sharif University of Technology | native_name = {{unbulleted list |{{lang|fa|دانشگاه صنعتی شریف}}}}<br /> ''Dāneshgāh-e San'ati-ye Sharif'' | native_name_lang = fa | former_name = Aryamehr University of Technology | image = Sharif-University-of-Technology.jpg | image_size = | caption = | motto = | mottoeng = The Place of Intellectuals and Elites<br />Transforming National Talents into Global Bests | established = {{start date and age|df=yes|1966}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sharif.ir/web/en/10|title=Sharif University of Technology – Introduction|access-date=3 February 2017|archive-date=25 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225072147/http://www.sharif.ir/web/en/10|url-status=dead}}</ref> | endowment = [[United States dollar|US$]] 0.5 billion (2021)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.farsnews.ir/newstext.php?nn=13930918001247 |title=Financial information|date=10 December 2014 |publisher=FarsNews}}</ref> | academic_staff = 460 (Full-time) (Fall 2022) | administrative_staff = 395 (2021) | president = Abbas Mousavi<ref>{{cite news |title=انتخاب ۷نفر از روسای دانشگاهها تایید شد |agency=Mehr News |date=3 March 2024 |url=https://www.mehrnews.com/news/6045046/%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%A8-%DB%B7%D9%86%D9%81%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B3%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%B4%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%87-%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%AA%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D8%B4%D8%AF |language=fa |access-date=9 March 2024}}</ref> | city = [[Tehran]] | state = Tehran province | country = Iran | students = 10,812 (fall 2022) | undergrad = 5,659 (2021) | postgrad = 3,390 (2021) | doctoral = 989 (2021) | colors = {{color box|#1966AB}} Dark Blue | campus = Urban, {{convert|74|acre|ha|1}} | type = [[public university|Public]] [[Research University]] | affiliations = [[Ministry of Science, Research and Technology (Iran)|MSRT]]<br />[[Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World|FUIW]]<br />[[International Association of Universities|IAU]]<br />[[International Centre for Theoretical Physics|ICTP]]<br />[[Third World Academy of Sciences|TWAS]] | sporting_affiliations = 19 sports<br />IUSF | free_label = Newspaper | free = [https://web.archive.org/web/20100225234141/http://mehr.sharif.edu/~sharifdaily/ Sharif Daily]<br />[[Scientia Iranica]] | website = [https://sharif.ir/ sharif.ir] | coor = {{Coord|35|42|6.47|N|51|21|5.18|E|display=inline,title}} | logo = }}
[[File:Aryamehr-university-logo-monocolor.svg|thumb|Monochrome version of the former university logo]]
'''Sharif University of Technology''' ('''SUT''') ({{langx|fa|دانشگاه صنعتی شریف}}, [[Romanization of Persian|romanized]]: Dāneshgāh-e San'ati-ye Sharif) is a [[public university|public]] [[research university]] in [[Tehran]], Iran. The university is an institution for [[science, technology, engineering, and mathematics]] (STEM) fields.
Established in 1966 under the reign of [[Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi]], it was formerly named in his honor as '''[[Aryamehr]] University of Technology''' ({{langx|fa|دانشگاه صنعتی آریامهر|Dāneŝgāhe Sannatiye Āryāmehr}}) and for a short period after the [[1979 revolution]], the university was called Tehran University of Technology but then it was renamed to Sharif University of Technology after [[Majid Sharif Vaghefi]], a leading dissident member of [[People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran]].
Sharif University of Technology is widely regarded as the leading engineering and STEM-focused university in Iran and one of the most prestigious technical universities in the Middle East. The university is known for its highly selective admissions process through Iran’s national university entrance examination ([[Iranian University Entrance Exam|Konkur]]), and is often referred to as the “MIT of Iran” or the “MIT of the Middle East<ref>{{Cite web |last=Desk |first=India Today Education |date=2026-03-10 |title=Academics call it the MIT of Middle East: The university that built world's top engineers |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/featurephilia/story/academics-call-it-the-mit-of-middle-east-the-university-that-built-irans-engineers-2879839-2026-03-10 |access-date=2026-05-25 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref>” due to its emphasis on science, engineering, and technology education.
Today, the university provides both undergraduate and graduate programs in 15 main departments. The student body consists of about 6,000<ref name="Speech">{{cite web |url=http://eduvp.sharif.ir/speech86.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2009-11-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722015454/http://eduvp.sharif.ir/speech86.pdf |archive-date=22 July 2011}}</ref> undergraduate students and 4,700<ref name="Speech" /> graduate students from all the 31 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 [[Ministry of Science, Research and Technology (Iran)|Iranian Ministry of Science, Research and Technology]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/05/AR2008060503904.html?nav=hcmodule&sid=ST2008060602843|title=Iran Makes the Sciences A Part of Its Revolution|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref>
In 2023, according to ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'', the world ranking of this university reached 598.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aryamehr University of Technology in Iran – US News Best Global Universities |url=https://iranbrands.review/technology/sharif-university-of-technology/ |website=U.S. News |date=27 May 2024 |access-date=28 May 2024 |archive-date=28 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240528083608/https://iranbrands.review/technology/sharif-university-of-technology/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-27 |title=Discover Sharif University: A Leading Institution in Iran |url=https://iranbrands.review/technology/sharif-university-of-technology/ |access-date=2024-05-28 |website=Iran Brands Review |language=en-US |archive-date=28 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240528083608/https://iranbrands.review/technology/sharif-university-of-technology/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==History== [[File:Շարիֆի գիտական խորհուրդ.jpg|thumb|left|[[Mohammad Ali Mojtahedi]] and members of the scientific board of Aryamehr University of Technology in 1967.]] The university was founded in 1966 with the name ''Aryamehr University of Industry'' by [[Mohammad Ali Mojtahedi]]. At that time, there were 54 faculty members and a total of 412 students who were selected by national examination. Four departments were established: Electrical, Metallurgical, Mechanical, and Chemical Engineering.<ref name="SharifBooklet">{{cite book| last = Mirzayi| first = Mohammad| title = Aryamehr University of Technology Booklet| publisher = Aryamehr University Press| year = 2005|language=fa}}</ref>
In 1972, [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi]] appointed [[Hossein 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nasrfoundation.org/bios.html|title=Biography / Dr. Seyyed Hossein Nasr|access-date=28 May 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal| author1= Leslie, Stuart W.|author2=Robert Kargon| title = Exporting MIT: Science, Technology, and Nation-Building in India and Iran| journal= Osiris| year = 2006|pages=123| issue = 1| volume=21| doi = 10.1086/507138| s2cid = 146272994 }}</ref> 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).
Following [[Iranian Revolution|the revolution]], the university was named after [[Majid Sharif Vaghefi]], who was one of the [[People's Mujahedin of Iran]] group's leaders who was killed by the members of a splinter group (later renamed to Peykar Organization) who had recently converted from Islam to Marxism and were adamant to forcefully change the Mujahedin's organization's ideology to Marxism.
As of 2020, the university has about 12,000 students and over 700 faculty members in 16 main departments.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sharif.ir/web/en/10|title=Sharif University Introduction|access-date=5 December 2020|archive-date=25 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225072147/http://www.sharif.ir/web/en/10|url-status=dead}}</ref>
During the [[Mahsa Amini protests]] in 2022, many students participated, with video footage of the protest and subsequent response by Iranian security forces published first to social media and then by major news organizations. Iranian state news agency [[Islamic Republic News Agency|IRNA]] reported that at least 37 students were arrested and most were released shortly afterwards.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-03 |title=Iran protests: riot police use teargas on students at Aryamehr university |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/03/iran-protests-riot-police-clash-with-students-at-sharif-university |access-date=2022-10-18 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Rebane |first1=Teele |last2=Ritchie |first2=Hannah |last3=Karadsheh |first3=Jomana |last4=Fox |first4=Kara |date=2022-10-03 |title='It was a warzone.' Iranian security forces beat, shot and detained students of elite Tehran university, witnesses say, as crackdown escalates |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/03/middleeast/iran-protests-sharif-university-crackdown-intl/index.html |access-date=2022-10-18 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ershad |first=Alijani |date=2022-10-04 |title='They shot at us': An Sharif University student recounts 'apocalyptic' repression of protests in Iran |url=https://observers.france24.com/en/middle-east/20221004-it-was-apocalyptic-a-sharif-university-student-recounts-violent-repression-of-iran-protests |access-date=2022-10-18 |website=The Observers - France 24 |language=en}}</ref>
On 6 April 2026, in the [[2026 Iran war]], the campus was attacked by the US and Israel.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-04-06 |title=Israel Mounts Wave of Strikes on Iran|url=https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/iran-war-news-2026/card/israel-mounts-wave-of-strikes-on-iran-GclWEeuKp5YxmvJoA6hb |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=WSJ |language=en}}</ref>
==Campuses==
===Main campus=== The main campus of the university is located in the [[Tarasht]] neighborhood, near [[Azadi Square]], [[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 $25 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://kish.sharif.edu/~web/|title=Sharif University International Campus Website|access-date=17 November 2008}}</ref>
===International campus=== {{Infobox university | name = Sharif University of Technology International Campus SUTIC | image_name = | image_size = | caption = | native_name = دانشگاه صنعتی شریف <br /> پردیس بین الملل <br /> Dāneshgāh-e San'ati-ye Sharif | established = 2005 | type = [[Public university|Public]] | city = {{flagicon|IRN}}[[Kish Island]] | state = [[Hormozgan Province|Hormozgan]] | country = [[Iran]] | chancellor = Reza Yousefi | campus = [[Urban area|Urban]], 1.12 ha | enrollment = ~1,000 | colours = {{color box|#1E90FF}} Light Blue | language = [[English language]] | website = [https://www.kish.sharif.edu/ www.kish.sharif.edu]| | coor = {{Coord|26|32|44.65|N|54|00|43.63|E|display=inline}} | affiliations = Sharif University of Technology | logo = }}
Sharif University also has an International Campus on [[Kish Island]] in the [[Persian Gulf]]. The International Campus of Sharif University of Technology was established 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 Ph.D. degrees in engineering courses and a master's degree in management.
== Admissions and selectivity == Undergraduate admission to Sharif University of Technology is conducted primarily through Iran’s highly competitive national university entrance examination, known as the [[Iranian University Entrance Exam|Konkur]]. Admission is generally limited to students achieving the highest national ranks among hundreds of thousands of applicants annually. Only students within the top percentile<ref>{{Cite web |title=Admission & Fee - Sharif University of Technology - پورتال دانشگاه شریف |url=https://en.sharif.ir/admission |access-date=2026-05-25 |website=Sharif University of Technology |language=en-US}}</ref> of the examination are typically admitted to Sharif’s most competitive engineering and computer science programs.
==World rankings== {{Infobox university rankings | name = Sharif University of Technology | QS_W = =375 | QS_W_year = 2026 | QS_W_ref = <ref name=":QSW2026">{{Cite web|url=https://www.topuniversities.com/world-university-rankings|title=QS World University Rankings}}</ref> | THE_W = 401–500 | THE_W_year = 2022 | THE_W_ref = <ref>{{citation|title=World University Rankings 2021|date=25 August 2020 |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2021/world-ranking#!/page/0/length/25/sort_by/rank/sort_order/asc/cols/stats|publisher=THE Education Ltd|access-date=2 September 2020}}</ref> | ARWU_W = 501–600| ARWU_W_year = 2021 | ARWU_W_ref = <ref>{{citation|title=Academic Ranking of World Universities 2021|url=http://www.shanghairanking.com/ARWU2021.html|publisher=Shanghai Ranking Consultancy|access-date=24 September 2021}}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> | CWTS_W = 371 | CWTS_W_year = 2021 | CWTS_W_ref = <ref>{{citation|title=CWTS Leiden Ranking 2020|url=https://www.leidenranking.com/ranking/2020/list|publisher=Centre for Science and Technology Studies, Leiden University|access-date=24 September 2020}}</ref> | USNWR_W = 598 | USNWR_W_year = 2023 | USNWR_W_ref = <ref>{{citation|title=Best Global Universities in Iran|url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/iran|publisher=U.S. News & World Report|access-date=24 March 2022}}</ref> }}In the 2020 ''[[Academic Ranking of World Universities]]''<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Academic Ranking of World Universities – 2013 |url=http://www.shanghairanking.com/FieldENG2013.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006183128/http://shanghairanking.com/FieldENG2013.html |archive-date=6 October 2020 |access-date=23 August 2013 |publisher=Shanghai Ranking Consultancy}}</ref> (also known as Shanghai Ranking), the university ranked between 501 and 600 in the world and first in Iran. According to the [[QS World University Rankings|QS Ranking]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=QS World University Rankings|url=https://www.topuniversities.com/qs-world-university-rankings|access-date=2020-12-29|website=Top Universities|language=en}}</ref> Sharif University of Technology has stood in the first place of Iran and maintained its international rank 334th. In the 2022-2023 ''[[U.S. News & World Report Best Global University Ranking]]'', the university ranked 598th in the world.[[File:Ibn Sina Tower.JPG|thumb|right|190px|Avicenna Building, the main classroom building]]
==Student life==
===Political activities=== Through the student political movement after the [[Iranian reform movement|2nd of Khordad Movement]], Sharif students were also actively involved. The major groups with political intentions at Sharif, during 1997–2003, were [[Basij]] students 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 opponent of [[Mohammad Khatami]], the president at the time. Whereas Anjoman was a loyal follower. There have 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 silent in most other universities. In 2006, a serious controversy resulting in physical tensions occurred after Basij attempted to bury the bodies of [[Anonymous martyr|unknown martyrs]] of the [[Iran–Iraq War]] at the university's mosque court.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/1066713.html|title= Iran: Students Protest Burials Of War Dead On Tehran Campuses|work=Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty|access-date=28 May 2008|last1= Esfandiari|first1= Golnaz}}</ref>
===Sharif University of Technology Association (SUTA)=== 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.suta.org/bylaws|title=SUTA Vision and Mission|access-date=22 February 2011}}</ref>
==Faculty and alumni== {{See also|List of Aryamehr University of Technology people}}
===Chancellors=== *[[Mohammad Ali Mojtahedi]], 1965–1967 *[[Fazlollah Reza]], 1967–1968 *[[Mohammad Reza Amin]], 1968–1972 *[[Seyyed Hossein Nasr]], 1972–1975 *[[Mehdi Zarghamee]], 1975–1977 *[[Alireza Mehran]], 1977–1978 *[[Hossein Ali Anvari]], 1978–1979 *[[Ali Mohammad Ranjbar]], 1979–1980 *[[Abbas Anvari]], 1980–1982 *[[Ali Akbar Salehi]], 1982–1985 *[[Abbas Anvari]], 1985–1989 *Ali Akbar Salehi, 1989–1993 *[[Mohammad Etemadi]], 1993–1995 *[[Sayed Khatiboleslam Sadrnezhaad]], 1995–1997 *[[Saeed Sohrabpour]], 1997–2010 *[[Reza Roosta Azad]], 2010–2014 *[[Mahmud Fotuhi Firuzabad]], 2014–2021 *[[Rasool Jalili]], 2021–2023 *Abbas Mousavi, 2023–''present''
===Notable alumni=== Alumni in academics include the late [[Maryam Mirzakhani]], professor of mathematics at [[Stanford University]] and the first woman to be awarded a [[Fields Medal]].
Imprisoned human rights blogger [[Kouhyar Goudarzi]] was an aerospace student at Sharif University until pressure from state security forces allegedly caused his dismissal.<ref name="ICHRI">{{cite web |url=https://www.iranhumanrights.org/2010/04/kouhyar-goudarzi-i-wont-be-released-anytime-soon-trial-date-unknown/ |title=Kouhyar Goudarzi: "I Won't Be Released Any Time Soon," Trial Date Unknown |date=12 April 2010 |publisher=International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran |access-date=1 January 2012}}</ref> [[Omid Kokabee]], an applied physics and mechanics alumnus,<ref>{{cite web |title= Omid Kokabee (personal homepage) |url= http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~kokabee/ |access-date= 12 April 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120919035656/http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~kokabee/ |archive-date = 19 September 2012 |url-status= dead |df= dmy-all}}</ref> was arrested while visiting Iran during his postdoctoral research in University of Texas at Austin.<ref name=NPR>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2011/10/07/141090966/iran-charges-student-who-was-in-the-u-s |title=Iran Charges Student Who Was In the U.S.| first=Mike|last=Shuster|work=[[NPR]]|date= 7 October 2011}}</ref> He was sentenced to 10 years in prison for "communicating with a hostile government" and "illegitimate/illegal earnings."<ref name=DailyTexan>{{cite news|last=Maly|first=David|title=UT student Omid Kokabee gains more international support amid prison sentence|url=http://www.dailytexanonline.com/news/2013/01/08/ut-student-omid-kokabee-gains-more-international-support-amid-prison-sentence|access-date=12 April 2013|newspaper=[[The Daily Texan]]|date=8 January 2013|archive-date=18 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118161747/http://www.dailytexanonline.com/news/2013/01/08/ut-student-omid-kokabee-gains-more-international-support-amid-prison-sentence|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Mohammad-Ali Najafi]] ranked first in the Iranian national university entrance exam, and enrolled in Sharif University.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=13920526001025|title=نجفی رئیس سازمان میراث فرهنگی و|work=Fars News}}</ref> He became a mathematician, [[Iranian Reformists|reformist]] politician, and murderer, as he was the [[Mayor of Tehran]] for eight months, became a professor at the university, and then in May 2019 murdered one of his two wives.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Rise and Fall of Mohammad Ali Najafi |url=https://iranwire.com/en/features/66065/ |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=iranwire.com |language=en}}</ref>.
<gallery class="center"> File:Maryam Mirzakhani in Seoul 2014.jpg|'''[[Maryam Mirzakhani]]''': professor of mathematics at [[Stanford University]] and the first woman to be awarded a [[Fields Medal]] File:GM Elshan Moradiabadi.jpg|'''[[Elshan Moradi]]''': chess grandmaster File:Ali Daei, Saipa vs. Al-Rayyan pre-match conference.jpg|'''[[Ali Daei]]''': former member and later head coach of [[Iranian national football team]] File:Adel Ferdosipour 2019.jpg|'''[[Adel Ferdosipour]]''': football commentator File:Mohammad-Javad Larijani.jpg|'''[[Mohammad-Javad Larijani]]''': Iranian [[Iranian Principlists|conservative]] politician, [[mathematical logician]], and former diplomat File:Eshaq Jahangiri portrait 2018.jpg|'''[[Eshaq Jahangiri]]''': [[Vice President of Iran|Vice president]] of [[Hassan Rouhani]]'s [[Government of Hassan Rouhani (2013–2017)|government]] File:Ali Larijani in meeting with Malian Par. Chairman Issaka Sidibé 02 ().jpg|'''[[Ali Larijani]]''': Iranian [[Iranian Principlists|conservative]] politician, philosopher, former speaker of Iran's [[List of speakers of the Parliament of Iran|Parliament]]. File:Mohammad Ali Najafi at Municipality of Tehran 02 (cropped).jpg|[[Mohammad-Ali Najafi]], mathematician, professor, [[Iranian Reformists|reformist]] politician, Mayor of Tehran, and murderer </gallery>
==See also== *[[List of Islamic educational institutions]] *[[Higher education in Iran]] *[[Pardis Technology Park]] *[[Shahbal]], unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed at SUT *[[Iranian Machine Design Competition]]
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{commons category|Sharif University of Technology}} *[https://en.sharif.ir Sharif University of Technology] *[https://www.sharif.ir/en/web/kish-en Kish International Campus - Sharif University of Technology] *[https://kish.ir Kish Freezone Organization] *[https://direct.mit.edu/books/oa-monograph/5988/Revolutionary-EngineersLearning-Politics-and Revolutionary Engineers: Learning, Politics, and Activism at Sharif University of Technology] {{Sharif University of Technology}} {{Tehran Colleges}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharif University of Technology}} [[Category:Sharif University of Technology| ]] [[Category:1966 establishments in Iran]] [[Category:Educational institutions established in 1966]] [[Category:Engineering universities and colleges in Iran]]