ATU Ranked among the A Level International Universities of Iran

Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) —

Two days ago, Ministry of Science, Research and Technology of Iran (MSRT) published the results of the 2017 Iranian University Rankings, conducted among 120 Iranian state-owned universities, classifying them into four "international", "regional", "national", and "local" levels.

It was since the Spring of 2016 that MSRT's Higher Education Planning Project was approved by the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution. Ranking and levelling the universities and higher-education institutes (HEIs) was one of the main clauses of the project. In this project, more than 350 universities were analysed; then, last year, the pilot phase of the project was conducted among 60 HEIs and the results were broadcast. This year also the project ranked 120 universities, and the results were announced publicly. The UniRank System of the MSRT is doing the ranking according to upstream documents and the sixth development plan.

The four classes are defined as follows: international, since the activities of universities in this category centre around academic and technology development, beyond the borders of the state; national, since they try to develop science and research and eliminate national needs; regional, since they focus on removing regional problems; and local, since they are concentrated on the elimination of local needs. In this ranking, the 120 universities have also been classified into two main groups: comprehensive and specialised universities.

According to the results of this system, in the International Level the following groups of universities were classified:

• Comprehensive Universities: University of Isfahan; University of Tabriz; Tarbiat Modares University; University of Tehran; Shahid Beheshti University; Shiraz University; and Ferdowsi University of Mashhad.
• Specialised Universities: Isfahan University of Technology; Amir Kabir University of Technology; K. N. Toosi University of Technology; Sharif University of Technology; Allameh Tabataba'i University; and Iran University of Science and Technology.

In the National Level, moreover, the following groups of universities were classified:

• Comprehensive Universities: Urmia University; Alzahra University; Bu Ali Sina University; University of Birjand; Kharazmi University; Razi University; University of Zanjan; University of Sistan and Baluchestan; Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz; University of Kashan; University of Guilan; University of Mazandaran; and Yazd University.
• Specialised Universities: Sahand University of Technology; Babol Noshirvani University of Technology; Shahrood University of Technology; Shiraz University of Technology; Zanjan Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences; Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources; and ،Tehran University of Art.

In the Regional Level, also, the following groups of universities were classified:

• Comprehensive Universities: Universities of Arak; Ilam; Bojnourd; Hakim Sabzevari; Persian Gulf; Damghan; Zabol; Shahrekord; Shahid Madani; Qom; Kurdistan; Gulistan; Lorestan; Vali-e Asr of Rafsanjan; Hormozgan; Yasuj; and Imam Khomeini International University.
• Specialised Universities: Graduate University of Advanced Technology; Chabahar Maritime and Marine University; Ramin Agriculture and Natural University; Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University; Khorramshahr University of Marin Science and Technology; Tabriz Vocational School; and Isfahan University of Art.

In the Local Level finally the following groups of universities were classified:

• Comprehensive Universities: Ayatollah Ozma Borujerdi University; University of Torbat-e Heydarieh; Jahrom University; Hazrat-e Masoumeh University; University of Maragheh; and Malayer University.
• Specialised Universities: Arak, Urmia, Birjand, Jundi Shapur, Khatam (behbahan), Qom, and Kermanshah Universities of Technology; Golpayegan College of Engineering; Quchan University of Advanced Technology; and Shiarz Art University.