Entrance gate

Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST) (Persian: دانشگاه علم و صنعت ایران, Dâneshgâh-e 'elm va San'at-e Irân) is a research institution and university of engineering and science in Iran. The university is home to 13 faculties offering undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in a wide range of engineering-based subjects as well as maths, physics, and department of foreign languages. In 1995 IUST awarded Iran’s first PhDs in materials, metallurgical and traffic engineering. IUST is the only university in the Middle East which has a school of railway engineering and a school of progress engineering. It is also the only university in Iran which has a school of automotive engineering. There are also 12 research centres, nine centres of excellence and 19 specialised libraries as well as four satellite campuses in other parts of the country. IUST is located on Hengam Street in the Narmak neighborhood in northeast Tehran.

The 20,000 capacity IUST Stadium, which is used mostly for association football, is their main sports venue.

On 28 March 2026, it was bombed by Israeli forces during the 2026 Iran war, with a building of the university being reduced to rubble.

History

Iran University of Science and Technology was founded in 1929 as the first Iranian Institution to train engineers, named the Governmental Technical Institute. Soon it was named "Honarsarā-ye Ālī" (Persian: Persian: هنرسرای عالی; Advanced Art College in English). In 1932, the first Iranian graduated in Machine Engineering and in 1935 the first Iranian graduated in Chemical Engineering. In 1958, the Institute started to enroll students for Masters programs under the name of Tehran Institute of Technology (TIT). In 1963, the Institute transferred to its current location in Narmak in northeast Tehran. In 1972, the title of the college upgraded to the Iran Faculty of Science and Technology due to the growth of the institute by the Ministry of Sciences. The faculty offered four-year bachelor's degrees in most areas of engineering and it is the first and for many years the only engineering university that consist of School of Architecture in the country.

In 1978, it was granted University Status by the Ministry of Sciences. Since then the institute was named Iran University of Science and Technology.

In 1990 it admitted students to Ph.D. programs in Civil Engineering and Materials Engineering fields. In 1995, IUST awarded the first Ph.D. degrees in Iran in the fields of Materials Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering and Traffic Engineering.

The main campus has 15 faculties and three other departments with 380 members of the academic board. On the main campus, 9,000 students are studying in 90 fields of engineering and sciences, out of which 2,000 are M.Sc. and 546 are Ph.D. students. Over 50,000 students have graduated since 1932.

On 28 March 2026, it was bombed by Israeli forces during the 2026 Iran war. A building of the University within the complex was reduced to rubble.

Campus

Northeast of Tehran is where the main campus is situated, expanded in 104 acres (42 ha). Four further campuses of IUST are located in the cities of Arak, Behshahr, Damavand, and Noor; the latter two are still under construction.

Academics

School of Computer Engineering
School of Civil Engineering
School of Automotive Engineering
School of Mechanical Engineering
Outside view of the school of railway engineering

IUST has 15 schools, 44 instruction groups, and 83 fields of study. Over 5,500 students study in the B.Sc program, over 5,400 students are studying in M.Sc. and over 940 are doing Ph.D. disciplines.

School of Electrical Engineering

  • Departments: Electronic Bioelectrical Engineering Communication Power Control

School of Mechanical Engineering

  • Departments: Solid Mechanics Fluid Mechanics Production and Manufacturing Aerospace Engineering Biomechanics

School of materials science

  • Departments: Casting Industrial Metallurgy Extractive Metallurgy Ceramic Extraction of Metals Biomaterial Ceramic

School of Civil Engineering

  • Departments: Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Geotechnical and Geo-environmental Engineering Highway Engineering Structural Engineering Transportation Engineering and Planning Geomatics Engineering

School of Industrial Engineering

  • Departments: Industrial Engineering Systems Engineering Productivity Management

Other schools:

  • School of Progress Engineering
  • School of Automotive Engineering
  • School of Railway Engineering
  • School of Mathematics
  • School of Chemistry
  • School of Chemical, Petroleum, and Gas Engineering
  • School of New Technologies
  • School of Physics
  • School of Computer Engineering
  • School of Architecture and Environmental Design

Departments:

  • Department of Physical Education & Sport Sciences
  • Department of Foreign Languages

Extracurricular activities and association

Iran University of Science and Technology's most significant associations are:

  • Student's Theater association
  • Student's Music association
  • Student's Literature association
  • Student's Film association

Research

Advanced and High-Tech Research Activities at IUST include:

  • Hydrostructures at the Department of Civil Engineering
  • Electronics at the Department of Electrical Engineering
  • Field of Advanced Materials at the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering
  • Nano Technology as interdepartmental research
  • Bio-technology in the Department of Medical Engineering
  • Hydrodynamics, experimental and numerical fluid dynamics research laboratory at the Department of Mechanical Engineering

The University Research Centers include:

  • Architecture Research Center
  • Automotive Research Center
  • Cement Research Center
  • Center of Excellence in Experimental Solid Mechanics and Dynamics
  • Center of Excellence in Islamic Architecture
  • Electronic Research Center
  • Green Research Center
  • Information Technology Research Center
  • Iran Composites Institute
  • Materials Research Center
  • Research Center for ICT Strategic and International Studies

World rankings

Times Higher Education

  • 2024–2025: National Rank: 3, Rank in Asia: 79
  • 2020–2021: National Rank: 1, Rank in Asia: 11
  • 2016–2017: National Rank: 1
  • 2015–2016: National Rank: 1, Rank in Asia: 4, International Rank: 9
  • 2014–2015: National Rank: 3, Rank in Asia: 69

According to QS World University Rankings 2016–2017 Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST) ranked as the second university of Iran after Sharif University of Technology and 491–500 among world universities.

Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST) ranked 436th among World universities and 78th in Mathematics and computer science according to 2011–2014 CWTS Leiden Ranking.

In 2017, the U.S. News & World Report ranked IUST Engineering Sciences 113th among world universities. Also, Materials Science of IUST ranked 169 among World Universities.

According to ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2017, IUST has been ranked 101–150 among world universities in Metallurgical Engineering and also 151–200 in Mechanical Engineering and Civil Engineering.

U.S. News & World Report

  • 2020 Best Global Universities Ranking Global Ranking: 870 Engineering : 180 Chemistry: 624 Civil Engineering : 88 Materials Science : 280 Mechanical Engineering : 98

Notable people

Presidents

ChancellorTenureAlma materSpeciality
Jalil Shahi1979-1980United Kingdom University of BradfordCivil Engineering
Ebrahim Esrafilian1980-1981United Kingdom University of SouthamptonMathematics
Ebrahim Sanaei1981France Pierre and Marie Curie UniversityCivil Engineering
Ahad Kazemi1981-1983United States University of OklahomaElectrical Engineering
Ebrahim Sanaei1983-1985France Pierre and Marie Curie UniversityCivil Engineering
Mohammad Zahabioun1985–1986United States Wisconsin UniversityIndustrial Engineering
Abbas Shoulaei1986-1987France University of MontpellierElectrical Engineering
Ahad Kazemi1987-1989United States University of OklahomaElectrical Engineering
Abbas Taeb1989-1993Austria University of GrazChemical Engineering
Mahmoud Mollabashi1993-1997Canada University of New BrunswickPhysics
Mahammad Soleimani1997France Pierre and Marie Curie UniversityTelecommunications Engineering
Seyed Javad Azhari1997-2001United Kingdom University of ManchesterElectrical Engineering
Seyed Mohammad Shahrtash2001-2004Iran Sharif University of TechnologyElectrical Engineering
Seyed Mohammad Taghi Salehi2004-2005United Kingdom University of ManchesterMetallurgical Engineering
Mahdi Bidabadi2005-2006Canada McGill UniversityMechanical Engineering
Mohammad Jabalameli2006-2013Iran Tarbiat Modares UniversityIndustrial Engineering
Mohammad Ali Barkhordari2013-2018United States Michigan State UniversityCivil Engineering
Jabbar-Ali Zakeri2018–2021China Beijing Jiaotong UniversityCivil Engineering
Mansour Anbia2021–2025Iran Tehran University of Teacher TrainingChemistry
Mahmood M. Shokrieh2025–PresentCanada McGill UniversityMechanical Engineering

Notable faculty members

NameAlma materSpecialityProfile
Ali KavehUnited Kingdom Imperial College LondonCivil Engineering
Jalal HedjaziUnited Kingdom University of BirminghamMetallurgy & Materials Engineering
Farrokh Hojjat KashaniUnited States UCLAElectrical Engineering
Toraj MohammadiAustralia University of New South WalesChemical Engineering
Ali MalekiIran Shahid Beheshti UniversityChemistry
Majid R. AyatollahiUnited Kingdom University of BristolMechanical Engineering
Mahmood M. ShokriehCanada McGill UniversityMechanical Engineering
Shahrokh Hosseini HashemiUnited Kingdom City, University of LondonMechanical Engineering
Vahak Kaspari MarghussianUnited Kingdom Victoria University of ManchesterMetallurgy & Materials Engineering
Moharam Habibnejad KorayemAustralia University of WollongongMechanical Engineering
Hamid AhmadianCanada University of WaterlooMechanical Engineering
Aliakbar JalaliUnited States West Virginia UniversityElectrical Engineering
Behrouz Minaei-BidgoliUnited States Michigan State UniversityComputer Engineering

Notable alumni

Politics and government

Business

Academia

Film, television, radio, popular culture

  • Tahmineh Milani (B.S. 1986) - Iranian film director
  • Homayoun Khorram (B.S.) - Iranian musician, composer, violinist, and a member of the high council of Iran's House of Music

Writing and journalism

See also

External links