Dar ul-Funun
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Dar al-Funun (Persian: دار الفنون), established in 1851, was the first modern institution of higher learning in Persia.
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[edit] Introduction
Founded by Amir Kabir, then the royal vizier to Nasereddin Shah, the Shah of Iran, Dar al-Funun originally was conceived as a polytechnic to train upper-class Persian youth in Medicine, Engineering, Military Science, and Geology. It was similar in scope and purpose to American land grant colleges like Purdue University and Texas A&M. Like them, it developed and expanded its mission over the next hundred years, eventually becoming the University of Tehran.
The institute was planned by the British educated Mirza Reza Mohandes, and built by the architect Muhammad Taqi-khan Memar-Bashi under the supervision of the Qajari prince Bahram Mirza. Facilities such as an assembly hall, a theater, library, cafeteria, and a publishing house were built for the institute.
Many parts of the institute were later on absorbed and merged into the newly establishing Tehran University. The "Faculty of Medicine" for example, was particularly the successor to the Dar al-Funun Department of Medicine, established in 1851, which had become the School of Medicine (Madreseh-ye tebb) in 1919.[2]
The elite school was training 287 students by 1889, and had graduated 1100 students by 1891. During this time, the faculty consisted of 16 Iranian, and 26 European professors.
[edit] Dar ol-Fonoon's notable alumni
- Ali Amini, former Prime Minister.
- Ali-Akbar Dāvar, former Minister of Justice and holder of other Cabinet posts.
- Ali-Akbar Deh'khodā, author, linguist, social reformer, Member of Iran's Parliament, Majles
- Bahram Bayzai, writer, scholar, film director, theatre director, screenwriter, playwright and film producer.
- Ebrahim Hakimi, former Deputy, Cabinet Minister and Prime Minister.
- Ehsan Naraghi, Sociologist and writer.
- Fereydoon Moshiri, poet.
- Gholam-Hossein Darvish, aka Darvish Khan, musician.
- Jalal Al-e Ahmad, author and social critic.
- Kamal ol-Molk, painter
- Manouchehr Eqbal, former Prime Minister.
- Mírzá Abu'l-Faḍl-i-Gulpáygání, scholar.
- Mirza Jahangir Khan (aka Mirza Jahangir Khan Shirazi and Mirza Jahangir Khan Sur-e Esrafil), Founder and Editor of the Sur-e Esrafil newspaper.
- Mohammad-Ali Foroughi Zoka-ol-Molk, former Prime Minister and Ambassador.
- Mohammad-Ali Sepanlou, writer.
- Mohsen Hashtroodi, mathematician.
- Mostafa Chamran, scientist, Iranian defense minister, member of Iranian Parliament and paramilitary volunteer during the Iran-Iraq war (killed in action on June 21, 1981).
- Sadeq Hedayat, writer.
[edit] References and Notes
- ^ توانا بود هر که دانا بود - ز دانش دل پیر برنا بود - Ta'vānā Bo'vad Har'ke Dānā Bo'vad - Ze Dānesh De'le Pír Bor'nā Bo'vad. In verse form the couplet may be translated as: Capable is he who is wise - Happiness from wisdom will arise.
- ^ Encyclopedia Iranica: http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v9f2/v9f224.html#v
[edit] See also
- Higher education in Iran
- Alborz highschool
- Academy of Gundishapur
- Nizamiyyah
- List of universities in Iran
- List of Iranian scientists from the pre-modern era.
- Modern Iranian scientists and engineers
- List of Iranian Research Centers
- School of Nisibis
- Sarouyeh
[edit] External links
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