Academy of Gondishapur

The Academy of Gondishapur or Academy of Jondishapur (Persian: فرهنگستان گندی‌شاپور, Farhangestân-e Gondišâpur), also known as the Gondishapur University, is a Sassanid-era center of education and academy of learning in Khuzestan, Iran. With a history spanning more than 1,700 years, it also included a hospital and a library. Since its activity was interrupted several times throughout history, Gondishapur is considered the oldest known university in terms of historical origin, while Al-Qarawiyyin in Morocco remains as the world’s oldest continuously operating university. Founded by the Sassanid king Shapur I, Gondishapur first offered education and training in medicine, philosophy, theology and science.

The modern concept of a hospital as a center for both treatment and medical training took shape here, giving Gondishapur significant influence over the history of medical science. The academy’s hospital was the most important medical institution in the ancient world during the 6th and 7th centuries AD. The distinguished historian of science George Sarton called Jundishapur “the greatest intellectual center of the time.”

In 1955 under the Pahlavi dynasty, the Academy received a twin with the establishment of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, near the city of Ahvaz. During the Iran–Iraq War in 1980s, Mostafa Chamran used parts of the university as his command base. After his death, in honor of his bravery and sacrifices, the Ahvaz Jundishapur University was renamed to Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, while the main university kept its ancient name Gondishapur. The university's original campus is now an archaeological site, while the it continues to operate under the same name in its modern building. Today, the Gondishapur and Shahid Chamran Universities operate 3 campuses, 9 schools, 15 colleges, and more than 65 hospitals.