University of Libya
The University of Libya was a public university based in Tripoli and Benghazi, Libya. The university was established in 1955 and disestablished in 1973, when its colleges were split into two new universities: the University of Tripoli in Tripoli, and the University of Benghazi in Benghazi.
History
Origins
Despite its difficult economic situation at the time, in the 1950s the Libyan government decided to found a university. Towards that goal it sent a delegation to Egypt in 1955 to meet the then-prime minister Gamal Abdul Nasser, and request him to lend some lecturers working in Egypt. The Egyptian government agreed, and promised to pay the salaries of the four borrowed lecturers for four years. The U.S. nominated Professor Majid Khadduri to be the dean of Faculty of Literature, and committed to pay his salary.A royal decree was issued on 15 December 1955 for the founding of the university. The first faculty to be formed was the Faculty of Literature in Benghazi, and the royal palace "Al Manar", from which King Idris I of Libya declared the country's independence on 24 December 1951, was assigned to be the campus.
Expansion
The next step was of course to extend the university and establish new faculties:- Faculty of Science, Tripoli, 1956.
- Faculty of Economics, Benghazi, 1957.
- Faculty of Law, Benghazi, 1962.
- Faculty of Agriculture, Tripoli, 1966.
- Faculty of Medicine, Benghazi, 1970.
Split
In August 1973 the university split to form two new universities:- the Tripoli Campus formed the University of Tripoli; and
- the University of Tripoli became Al Fateh University; and
- the University of Benghazi became Garyounis University.
Presidents
A list of presidents of the University of Libya:- Mahmud El Bishti
- Abdel Jawad el Freitees
- Bakry Gaddura
- Mutapha Bayo
- Abdel Moula Dughman
- Omar et Tumi esh Sheibani