Originally named Aryamehr University of Technology when it was founded in 1974, the university was renamed as the Isfahan University of Technology (IUT) following the Islamic Revolution of Iran in 1978.
IUT is located 20km north-west of the city of Isfahan, the capital of Isfahan Province in central Iran. The self-contained, 2.3km² campus is comprised of accommodation for both staff and students, as well as a shopping centre, sports facilities, research centres and educational institutes, and even primary schools and high schools.
While the campus is situated among the suburban farmland and orchards, it is still within commuting distance of the city of Isfahan. IUT is located next to Isfahan Science and Technology Town (ISTT), a conglomeration of different elements including manufacturers, science parks and research centres that have been brought together to encourage knowledge-based economic and industrial development.
The unique features of the province of Isfahan, such as the high concentration of educational institutions and the variety of industries in the region, mean there are numerous opportunities for IUT to collaborate with industry in the area.
Having started with just five departments, today IUT boasts 12 independent departments in the fields of science, agriculture and engineering. There are also four research centres, including the Information and Communication Technology Institute, the Steel Institute, the Subsea Research and Development Centre, and the Water and Wastewater Research Institute.
Iranian former first vice-president Mohammad Reza Aref was a faculty member of IUT until 1994, while a number of Iranian politicians, including Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei and Hamid Baqai, are among IUT’s alumni.
