Islamic Azad University-Rasht branch, was established at the suggestion of Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani. Dr. Kamali was the first chancellor of the Islamic Azad University-Rasht branch. The first discipline approved for the branch was Mathematics, which became operational on Sep23, 2016, admitting 100 students. The university was first established in a two-story building located behind the Guilan Broadcasting Organization. The first story had been dwelled by war- stricken families. The second story, hosted the branch, including 4 rooms, 2 for the chancellor and his vice with the other 2 rooms for classrooms. The third chancellor was Dr. Saeed Farzaneh Kazerooni, who was appointed by Dr. Jasbi on Jan 20, 1990. The first year of Dr. Farzaneh’s presidency coincided with the earthquake in the north of the country, destroyed one of the buildings leased by the branch. It left the students with no place to go on with their studies. The mishap made the university to purchase 2 lands in Pol-e-Taleshan and Salkisar Village on Lakan road. The construction operations were initiated by the late Ayatollag Ehsanbakhsh, the Iran leader’s representative and imam of congregational prayer. This opened a new chapter of development and construction of new buildings in Rasht branch. The university, by itself, contributed largely to economic and civil projects of the city. on PoleTaleshan operated in 1996, and the buildings were used one by one with any kind of limitation. Rasht Branch having a complex over 550,000 square meters, more than 19,000 square meters educational land and a beyond advanced equipped laboratory, has the honors to educate the youngsters. Islamic Azad University Rasht-Branch admitting 15000 students in 141 disciplines on Bachelor, Masters, Doctorate and Doctor of philosophy has 60,000 graduate students which are serving the Islamic Republic of Iran.
