{{short description|Public university in Sfax, Tunisia}} {{Infobox university| name=University of Sfax| native_name=| image=<!-- Commented out because image was deleted: [[Image:sfax.jpg|125px|Logo of the University of Sfax]] -->| latin_name=| established=1986| type=[[Public university|Public]] | administrative_staff=2,495| rector=[[Abdelwaheed Mokni]]| faculty=8| students=48,514| city=[[Sfax]]| country=[[Tunisia]]| campus=| affiliations=[[Mediterranean Universities Union|UNIMED]] | website=[http://www.uss.rnu.tn/ www.uss.rnu.tn/] | }}
The '''University of Sfax''' (Arabic: جامعة صفاقس French: Université de Sfax) is a university located in [[Sfax]], [[Tunisia]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2021-10-19|title=University of Sfax|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/university-sfax|access-date=2021-10-31|website=Times Higher Education (THE)|language=en}}</ref> It was founded in 1986 under the name '''University of the South'''<ref name=":0" /> with the purpose of covering all academic institutions in Southern Tunisia. It is divided into three universities, including the current University of Sfax, with the creation of the [[University of Gabes]] in 2003 and the [[University of Gafsa]] in 2004.<ref name=":0" />
== Organization == {{Infobox university rankings | ARWU_W = 901–1000 |ARWU_W_year = 2023| ARWU_W_ref =<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shanghairanking.com/rankings/arwu/2023|title=Academic Ranking of World Universities 2023|website=shanghairanking.com|access-date=24 February 2023}}</ref> | QS_W = 1001–1200 | QS_W_year = 2024| QS_W_ref = <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.topuniversities.com/universities/university-sfax|title=QS World University Rankings: University of Sfax|date=29 June 2023|website=Top Universities|access-date=29 June 2023}}</ref> | THE_W = 1001–1200 |THE_W_year = 2024| THE_W_ref = <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/university-sfax|title=University of Sfax|date=28 September 2023|website=Times Higher Education (THE)|access-date=28 September 2023}}</ref> | USNWR_W = =1017 | USNWR_W_year = 2023 | USNWR_W_ref =<ref name="USNWR">{{cite web|url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/universite-de-sfax-529029|title=University of Sfax|author=U.S. News|access-date=27 February 2024}}</ref> }} The University of Sfax had 43,473 students in 2008–2009. The students were distributed among 21 higher education institutions, five research faculties, three colleges, twelve institutes, and a research center. They are the: *Faculty of Medicine of Sfax *Faculty of Economics and Management *Faculty of Law *Faculty of Arts and Humanities *Faculty of Science *[[National Engineering School of Sfax|National Engineering School]] *Graduate School of Business *Graduate School of Science and Technology in Health *Higher Institute of Arts and Crafts *Institute of Music *Higher Institute of Computer Science and Multimedia *Higher Institute of Business Administration *Higher Institute of Sport and Physical Education *[[Sfax Preparatory Engineering Institute|Preparatory Institute for Engineering Studies]] *Institute of High Business Studies *Higher Institute of Industrial Management *Higher Institute of Electronics and Communication *Higher Institute of Biotechnology *Higher Institute of Technological Studies *Institute of the Olive Tree *Biotechnology Center
The University of Sfax maintains partnerships with large corporations and academic cooperation in research and exchange programs with foreign universities in several countries like France, Canada, Belgium, Morocco, etc.
== Faculty of Medicine of Sfax == {{Infobox university | image = Jardin entrée faculté médecine sfax.jpg | name = Faculty of Medicine of Sfax (FMS) | caption = FMS entrance. | native_name = {{lang|ar|كلية الطب بصفاقس}} | other_name = {{lang|fr|Faculté de Médecine de Sfax}} | established = {{start date|1974}}<ref name="cite1"/> | founder = | type = [[Public university|Public]] | language = [[Arabic]], [[French language|French]], [[English language|English]] | budget = | city = [[Sfax]] | country = [[Tunisia]] | coordinates = {{coord|34|44|26|N|10|45|24|E|display=}} | pushpin_map_caption = | pushpin_map = Tunisia | campus = | director = | website = {{URL|https://www.medecinesfax.org/}} }} ==Overview== The '''Faculty of Medicine of Sfax''' ({{langx|ar|كلية الطب بصفاقس}}) or ''FMS'', is a [[Tunisia]]n university establishment created according to the law N°74-83 of December 11, 1974.<ref name="cite1">{{cite web |title=Historique |url=https://www.medecinesfax.org/fra/pages/36/Historique |website=medecinesfax.org |access-date=17 January 2020 |language=fr}}</ref> ==History==
==Flat Earth controversy== In April 2017, it was revealed that an anonymous PhD student at the university had submitted a thesis defending a [[Modern flat Earth beliefs|flat Earth]], and that it had passed the initial review stage, although its thesis defense was unsuccessful.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/sections/generalnews/2017/04/11/flat-earth-thesis-rejected-says-tunisian-education-ministry_a765df5f-70f6-4777-8c41-c9f75a525d62.html | title=Flat Earth thesis rejected says Tunisian Education Ministry - General news | date=11 April 2017 }}</ref> It also defended [[geocentrism]] and [[young-Earth creationism]], and denied [[Newtonian mechanics]] and the [[Big Bang]], largely based upon a literal and widely rejected interpretation of the [[Quran]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://gulfnews.com/opinion/op-eds/phd-thesis-the-earth-is-flat-1.2009202 | title=PhD thesis: The earth is flat }}</ref> The incident sparked discussion of the academic standards in Tunisia and the Arab World. Faouzia Charfi, a professor at the nearby [[University of Tunis]], asked, "How can we accept that the University is not the space of knowledge, of scientific rigor, but that of the negation of science? That where science is refused because it is not in conformity with Islam?"<ref>{{cite web | url=https://worldcrunch.com/culture-society/is-the-world-flat-again-how-an-old-debate-was-revived-in-tunisia | title=Is the World Flat Again? How an Old Debate Was Revived in Tunisia | date=6 April 2017 }}</ref> Although the Quran doesn't actually support [[Flat Earth|flat-Earth]], [[Geocentrism|geocentrism]] and [[Young Earth creationism|young Earth]] beliefs. And such interpretations have been widely rejected and rebutted by most Islamic scholars throughout history as well as such views are extremely rare among Muslims.
Belgian astronomer [[Yaël Nazé]] also wrote an article on the subject.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://pocketmags.com/us/skeptical-inquirer-magazine/may-june-2018/articles/343080/a-doctoral-dissertation-on-a-geocentric-flat-earth | title=A Doctoral Dissertation on a Geocentric Flat Earth }}</ref> She commented that even though the thesis was first publicly announced on April 1, "it was not an April Fool’s joke."
== See also ==
* [[List of colleges and universities]]
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == *[http://www.uss.rnu.tn/ University of Sfax Website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060613060747/http://www.uss.rnu.tn/ |date=2006-06-13 }} {{in lang|ar|fr|en}} *{{Commons-inline|Category:Universities and colleges in Sfax|Universities and colleges in Sfax}}
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{{UNIMED}} {{Téthys Consortium}}
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[[Category:University of Sfax| ]] [[Category:Universities and colleges established in 1986]] [[Category:1986 establishments in Tunisia]]
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