The University of Sistan and Baluchestan was founded in 1974 in Zahedan. It did not take long for the university to become a higher education hub in the region. Today this university comprising from 16 faculties, an international branch in Chabahar, a higher education university in Iranshahr, 7 research centers, 4 development centers and an educational center teaching students from preschool stage up to pre-university is attended by more than 21 thousand students. Thus, it offers 261 fields of study, in both conventional day students and also as evening courses, of which 103 are master programs and 21 are doctorate programs.

In 2005, the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology has ranked the University of Sistan and Baluchestan as one of Iran's "Developed Universities", based on an index formulated from 26 criteria for evaluation (Rank A – Group G).

So far, the university has several contracts and MOUs with universities and academic institutions worldwide, including Sweden (Uppsala University), Japan (University of Tokyo), Germany (German Academic Exchange Services; and Humboldt University) Canada (McGill University), India (JLN University), Pakistan (Universities of Balochistan, Peshawar, Lahore, and Balochistan University of Information Technology and Managements Sciences) and Australia (University of Wollongong). Recently, there have been excellent progresses in implementation of some of these MOUs. For example, the agreement with Uppsala University (UU), Sweden, is going practical nicely since September 2005. There are regular teaching (at the postgraduate levels) collaborations from UU in Zahedan. The University of Sistan and Baluchestan is planning to establish a Persian Lectureship at Uppsala in 2007. Two joint PhD programs with UU in linguistics and with University of Peshawar in Geology are planned to start in 2008.

University of Sistan and Baluchestan is an active member of IAU (International Association of Universities) and is collaborating with COMSTECH (OIC Standing Committee on Science and Technology) and COMSATS (The Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South Asia) through the Iranian Ministry of Science, Research and Technology.

This university has been identified as one of the country’s focal points for research in the fields of Polymer research, Non-Polymer research, Catalysis research. Publishing 9 scientific journals, 2 scientific and research journals in Geography and Development, and the English Journal of Fuzzy Systems, which has been indexed by the ISI and is being released worldwide, are the other privileges of the university.

     Apart from extensive scientific and research facilities available to the students and academics, the USB campus in Zahedan has one of the finest and greenest landscapes among the Iranian universities, despite being located in a semi-arid region. Recently, the campus has been evolved into a 500 thousand square meter landscape. The ultimate landscape design and architecture allows a 24-hour usage of the campus and is dearly cherished by the students who wish to escape the heat of Zahedan's summer days, and study in an open, enjoyable, and calm environment. All these make the USB a place to prosper and progress toward a successful future.

Introduction and Acknowledgement Time-wise, University of Sistan and Baluchestan (USB) is very young – only 35 years old, but, with approximately 20,000 total enrolments, which makes it the second biggest university in the country, after University of Tehran, it has already moved a long way up. This indicates the potential and capabilities of the young USB to host and educate such a large number of knowledge seekers.
 
We take a big pride on these potentials and achievements, and would like to invite you, as an interested international student and/or scholar, to join USB and share these with all of us.

At the international dimension, the university has collaborations with several distinguished international institutions for joint research and postgraduate degree programs. USB is planning to support several Persian Language Lectureships, some of which at prestigious European and Asian universities. The university is a constant scene for national and international conferences and workshops.