President of Soran University

Dr. Sherwan Sharif Qurtas

Dr. Sherwan Sharif Qurtas, President of Soran University, is a distinguished scholar and academic leader whose career spans more than two decades of research, teaching, and public service in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Born in 1975 in the village of Sherwan Mazn in the Mergasur district, he represents a generation of Kurdish academics whose work has been shaped by deep commitment to rebuilding and advancing higher education in the region.

Dr. Qurtas completed his primary and secondary schooling in the Qushtapa District and his preparatory studies at Rizgary High School in Erbil. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Geology from Salahaddin University in 1998, marking the beginning of a lifelong engagement with earth sciences and water resources. In 2005, he earned his master’s degree in Surface Water Hydrology from the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education (UNESCO-IHE) in the Netherlands one of the world’s leading institutions in water science. He later completed his PhD in Groundwater Science at Salahaddin University in 2014, and in 2018 was awarded the academic title of Assistant Professor.

Before joining academia full-time, Dr. Qurtas worked in several public-sector and international development institutions. From 1999 to 2001, he served with the Shanadar Reconstruction Organization, contributing to essential water and infrastructure projects across the Kurdistan Region. In 2000, he began his service within the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, Between 2001 and 2003, he also collaborated with various United Nations organizations in several technical and administrative roles, gaining important experience in international project management. where he worked until his transfer to Salahaddin University on 2 September 2007.

Dr. Qurtas joined the academic community in Soran in the mid-2000s and soon became one of its most active faculty members. He led the English Department as supervisor (2007–2008) and department head (2008–2009), before serving as Head of the Geography Department from 2011 to 2015. From 2015 to 2018, he chaired the Department of Petroleum Geology, where he contributed to shaping curricula aligned with regional energy and environmental needs. Between 2018 and 2021, he served as Vice Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, guiding initiatives to strengthen research capacity and academic quality.

In 2021, Dr. Sherwan Sharif Qurtas was appointed President of Soran University. Under his leadership, the university has entered a new phase of institutional development-expanding its academic partnerships, enhancing research ecosystems, strengthening governance processes, and advancing the university’s role as a regional center for knowledge, innovation, and community engagement. His presidency has been marked by a strong emphasis on transparency, academic standards, and the establishment of international collaborations rooted in sustainability and long-term impact.

Dr. Qurtas’s research focuses on water resources, hydrogeology, and environmental change, with particular attention to groundwater sustainability, watershed management, and the use of GIS and remote sensing for monitoring urban expansion and ecological transformation. His work also extends into solid-waste management, where he has contributed to understanding the mechanical behaviour and environmental effects of municipal waste in rapidly growing urban areas.

Most of his scientific research is grounded in the landscapes and communities of the Kurdistan Region especially Erbil, Soran, and the broader northern Iraqi highlands. His publications address some of the region’s most pressing environmental and urban challenges, including water scarcity, land degradation, and the environmental impacts of urban growth. His studies, such as Impact of Urban Growth on Groundwater Levels Using Remote Sensing (2015), Using Groundwater Levels and Specific Yield to Estimate Recharge (2018), and more recent geotechnical assessments (2023), have become valuable references for researchers and policy makers working on sustainable development in the region.

As President of Soran University, Dr. Qurtas continues to champion academic integrity, scientific advancement, and international cooperation. His leadership reflects a clear vision: to build a modern and globally connected university that contributes meaningfully to the future of Kurdistan and to the broader academic world.