Urmia University (, Daneshgah-e Orumiyeh) (also known as the University of Urmia) is a public university in West Azerbaijan province, Iran. The main campus of Urmia University is in Nazlu (or Nazloo), in the vicinity of Urmia. It has six campuses, seven schools, more than 14,000 students, and research centers including Microelectronic, Antenna and Microwave Laboratory, Nanotechnology, MEMS, and Artemia. Urmia University also has two satellite campuses in Khoy and Miyandoab city. Nazlu campus of Urmia University is the biggest university campus in size in the northwest of Iran. Urmia University is ranked as one of Iran's "Grade A" universities by the Iranian Ministry of Science, Research and Technology.
Urmia University was founded on the site of the New Westminster Medical College (also known for its affiliated Old Westminster Hospital) which was established by Joseph Cochran in 1879. The Westminster Medical College was the first attempt to establish a higher education institution in Urmia. Cochran, an American citizen born in Urmia to Presbyterian missionary parents, spent his entire professional life developing it. The Urmia University website credits Cochran with "lowering the infant mortality rate in the region".https://web.archive.org/web/20070608120732/http://www.urmia.ac.ir/intro.htm Cochran also established the first modern Western hospital in Iran.
The medical faculty Cochran was joined by several other American medical doctors including Dr. Wright, Dr. Homlz, Thomas Langdon van Norden (1802âÂÂ1871), and Emma T. Miller. They lived their entire lives in Urmia. S. Oshana Badal (1853âÂÂ1911) was the first graduate in 1883. After graduating, Badal briefly went to Edinburgh at Cochran's request to further his education. On his return, he became Cochran's first assistant physician. Two princes ofàthe Qajar dynasty, Mozaffar-ad-Din and Naser-ad-Din Shah, visited the Westminster Medical College in the winter of 1890; . Graduation certificates were jointly signed by Cochran and Mozaffar ad-Din Shah. After Cochran's death in 1905, Badal ran the school until his death in 1911. Both died of typhoid fever The school was briefly named Cochran Memorial Hospital after his death.
Harry P. Packard (1874âÂÂ1954) took over the hospital and college in around 1906 until its closure in 1915. American doctors Laura McComb Muller and Wilder P. Ellis joined Packard prior to the closure of the school. In 1909, Emma T. Miller left the college and Urmia.
In 1907, Samuel Clement built the New Westminster Hospital in central Urmia. The office of Joseph Cochran and his medical college within the wooden building are preserved in the city campus of Urmia University .
The foundation of the current Urmia University was laid in 1965 when the Agricultural College of Rezaeiye was established. Shabani was appointed as the first consular of the newly established college. In 1969, Jafar Rassi was appointed as chancellor to continue the expansion of the university. In 1970, the Iranian Ministry of Science assigned further development of the college to the university. An agreement was signed between the Iranian government and the Near East Foundation in the United States to establish a four-year program. Later, Dr. Rassi was appointed as the new consular. Dr. Rassi, the longest-serving consular to date, established the Animal Science and Science Departments. Under his leadership, the college started a four-year bachelors program. He also established an exchange program with European and American schools. He planned the expansion at Nazlu Campus which is now the university's primary location. The complex was renamed the University of Rezaeye in 1977.
After the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the institution was renamed Urmia University. In 1980, the faculty of Medical Science was established. As part of the Iranian Ministry of Health, Urmia University of Medical Sciences detached itself from the main school in 1985. The Faculty of Humanitarian Science was established in 1989 and the Faculty of Engineering in 1990.
Urmia University has six campuses, all of which are located in West Azarbaijan Provence:
Nowadays, most of the major buildings of Urmia University are in the Nazlu campus:
The oldest building in Urmia University is the Wooden Building, formerly the Westminster Medical College building.
Urmia University consists of eleven schools: