The foundation of the first nucleus of the College of Engineering at Baghdad University began as an annexed course under the Irrigation Directorate in 1921. This was the first step towards higher education in Iraq, as the country had no higher education institutions except for the Faculty of Law, which was established in 1908. Over time, the institution underwent multiple changes before officially establishing the College of Engineering in 1942, initially focused on civil engineering. Later, new scientific departments were opened, and the college was linked to Baghdad University and the Ministry of Higher Education.
Below are the key developments that the College of Engineering has undergone since its establishment:
1921: A course was opened as part of the Irrigation Directorate in the form of an engineering school to accept graduates of elementary schools and train them in basic engineering tasks, particularly irrigation, to graduate them as “Technical Observers” in irrigation, construction, and railways.
1922: The course name was changed to “Irrigation Training College,” and the duration of study was set to two years.
1923: The Irrigation Training College was expanded and renamed “Engineering School.” It was affiliated with the Ministry of Communications and Construction, with a two-year study period after middle school, and an additional year of practical training in state departments before students could join government jobs.
1925: The Engineering School was affiliated with the Ministry of Education.
1935: The Engineering School was re-established by the Ministry of Communications and Construction, with a three-year study program after middle school, focusing purely on engineering culture.
1938: A building was constructed for the Iraqi Engineering School, serving as the administration building for the College of Engineering at Baghdad University, with a four-year study period after middle school.
1942: The Iraqi College of Engineering was officially established by the Ministry of Communications and Construction, and its system was regulated by Decree No. 39 of 1942. It accepted approximately 60 students annually from secondary school graduates with a minimum grade of 70% in mathematics, physics, and chemistry. The study duration was four years, leading to a diploma in civil engineering.
1944: The Ministry of Communications and Construction issued Decree No. 49 of 1944, replacing the previous system, establishing a four-year study period preceded by a preparatory year after high school.
1946: The college was affiliated with the Ministry of Education.
1951: The college began offering courses in electrical and civil engineering.
1958: The College of Engineering joined Baghdad University following the enactment of Law No. 28 of 1958, and bachelor’s degrees were granted to graduates instead of diplomas.
1959: New departments in architectural engineering, petroleum and mining engineering, and chemical engineering were introduced.
1962: Master’s degree studies began in civil engineering.
1966: The first master’s degree graduate from the Civil Engineering Department completed their studies.
1969: Students from Al-Hikma University were admitted after its closure, and the study duration increased to five years.
1970: Agricultural Engineering Department was established, and the Ministry of Higher Education was created to unify the administration of Iraq’s universities.
1974: The study duration was reduced to four years, with students assigned to their departments from the first year.
1975: The Department of Survey Engineering was established.
1976: The last class of the five-year system graduated, alongside a class from the four-year system, after specializations began from the first year.
1980: The Engineering Consultancy Office was established, becoming one of the oldest advisory offices in Iraq and the Arab world.
1982: The Continuing Education Unit was established to provide updated technical training for engineers working in state institutions.
1986: The Nuclear Engineering Department was established, later known as the Energy Engineering Department.
1987/1988: The Department of Computer Engineering began offering studies.
1988: The Environmental Engineering Department was established.
1990: The Aeronautical Engineering branch was added within the Mechanical Engineering Department.
1992: PhD programs were introduced in the Petroleum and Nuclear Engineering departments, and a Master’s program in Survey Engineering began.
1996: Studies in the Nuclear Engineering Department started from scratch, later changing its name to the Energy Engineering Department in 2007/2008.
1997: Three new departments were added: Information Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, and Mechatronics Engineering, and the Environmental Consultancy Office was also established.
1998: A specialized program in Environmental Engineering for graduate studies was introduced.
2000-2010: Several administrative units were established, including Library, Legal Affairs, Follow-up Unit, Internet Unit, Electronic Documentation, Cisco Unit, and Quality Assurance Unit.
College Vision:
To be a leader in providing high-quality education with international standards, competing locally and globally in various engineering fields, and preparing qualified individuals to contribute to building a knowledge-based society while stimulating creativity and scientific excellence.
College Mission:
The College of Engineering strives to provide high levels of education and applied scientific research in various engineering fields, preparing exceptional engineering cadres capable of teamwork, innovation, and contributing to the development of society. This is achieved through the best academic and professional standards, contributing to the development of knowledge, empowering institutions, and meeting community needs.
College Goals:
First: To prepare engineering professionals with high skills and ethics capable of participating in community development and competing locally and regionally in scientific, research, and ethical aspects.
Second: To continuously improve the educational and research systems at the college by collaborating with relevant engineering sectors to solve societal problems and enhance resources while adhering to societal regulations.
Third: To enhance and improve institutional capacity by ensuring that human resources in various roles contribute to the overall quality of engineering services at the College of Engineering.
Improve and develop education systems by creating and maintaining an environment that fosters creativity and enhances the quality and efficiency of the education process.
Improve the efficiency of scientific research and its resources, ensuring that the research strategy addresses the community’s needs and meets the highest academic research standards, while adhering to ethical research principles in accordance with our cultural identity.
Promote community participation and environmental development, and enhance the college’s self-resources by constantly evaluating the community’s needs and optimizing the use of resources to maximize the quality of services.
Develop a continuous evaluation and quality management system to achieve the college’s goals through regular reviews and assessments of its programs and activities.
Strengthen social responsibility for sustainable development, optimizing cooperation both internally and externally.
Work towards meeting the requirements for academic accreditation as one of the college’s strategic goals.
Administrative Units and Sections under the Administrative Assistant Dean
The office of the Assistant Dean for Administrative and Financial Affairs is crucial as it handles the college’s administrative and financial matters. This office covers a wide range of responsibilities, which include various units and sections:
Secretary Office of the Assistant Dean: Handles general administrative duties, including mail delivery, receiving guests, and archiving outgoing and incoming correspondence. It also follows up on recruitment processes.
Financial Accounts Section: Responsible for processing salaries, organizing purchase committees, managing budget allocations, and disbursing additional lecture fees, as well as overseeing the salaries of postgraduate students not employed by the college.
Planning, Studies, and Follow-up Section: Specializes in statistics and data related to the college and its staff. It creates and maintains a database for the college’s structure, student records, and academic results, and tracks students expected to graduate.
Human Resources Management Section: Includes several units:
Staff Unit: Deals with all matters related to employees and faculty members, especially financial issues.
Files Unit: Maintains complete records for all college staff and updates them regularly.
Printing Unit: Responsible for drafting and printing administrative letters.
Outgoing and Incoming Correspondence Unit: Handles the documentation of all outgoing and incoming letters.
Maintenance and Services Section: Includes the following units:
Inquiry Unit
Drivers Unit
Switchboard Unit
Agricultural Unit
Maintenance Unit: Responsible for the upkeep of all college facilities.
Security and Coordination Unit: Handles security-related tasks and ensures the safety of staff and facilities.
Public Relations and Media Unit: Manages the college’s activities, including conferences, seminars, and social events, as well as issuing the “Baghdad Engineering” magazine.