University of Aden

The University of Aden is the first Yemeni university, established in the Republic of Yemen alongside Sana'a University. Its establishment represents an extension and honest continuation of the cultural and educational traditions of the Yemeni people, and the realization of the goals of the September and October Revolutions.

The establishment of the College of Higher Education in 1970 and the Nasser College of Agricultural Sciences in 1972 constituted the cornerstone of the University of Aden's development. These two colleges were under the Ministry of Education, and their founding objectives were linked to the urgent need to meet some of the development requirements represented by preparing specialists for a number of state institutions. In 1973, the College of Economics was established, with each college constituting an administrative unit.

When the need arose to establish a number of additional colleges, a ministerial decision was issued to form a ministerial committee for the university campus, headed by the Prime Minister. The committee drafted the law establishing the university. On September 10, 1975, Law No. 22 of 1975 was issued, establishing the University of Aden as a scientific institution with legal personality. The law defined the university's objectives as follows:

- Preparing and qualifying scientific cadres in various specializations.

- Conducting scientific research that serves social and economic development. Providing specialized technical consultations to various state institutions.

In the year of its establishment, the university included the following colleges:

- Faculty of Education 1970

- Nasser College of Agricultural Sciences 1972

- Faculty of Economics 1973

- College of Higher Education, Mukalla 1974

- Faculty of Medicine 1975

During the period 1975-1990 AD, a number of colleges and branches were established. The College of Law was established in 1978 AD, the College of Engineering in 1978 AD, the College of Education in Zanzibar was established in 1979 AD, and the College of Education in Sabar in 1980 AD.

Although the law defined the academic and organizational activities of the University of Aden, considered the colleges as units supervised by the university's central administration, defined their duties and those of the university council, and proposed the establishment of new councils, committees, and academic departments, the university has suffered greatly since its founding due to:

- General Assembly of the University's Establishment Law.

- The lack of issuance of executive regulations clarifying what was ambiguous in the law.

- Gradual control of political decision as an alternative to legal texts.

In 1981, the First Higher Education Conference was held. At this conference, an attempt was made to rectify the legal and organizational deficiencies in the University of Aden. A new draft of the university law was drafted, along with a large set of regulations and systems governing various aspects of university life. All members of the University of Aden hoped that the regulations presented to the First Higher Education Conference would be issued. However, everything came to a halt because the law never saw the light of day due to the political tensions experienced in the southern governorates.