The Scientific Research Centre (SRC) is a joint academic initiative between Soran University and the University of Leicester and was founded in April 2013.

Universities and other academic institutions all over the world, particularly in advanced countries, focus on scientific research so that it has become, for decades, the very first mission of their academic existence in the sense of scientific, industrial and economic progress and advancement within a very competitive environment.

This is the necessity and significance of the establishment of a scientific research centre within the Soran University structure. The Scientific Research Centre of Soran University will lead scientific research in Kurdistan in two major but separate fields: Applied and Human Sciences.     

Petroleum Geosciences is chosen to be the core of the applied sciences research program; this is not just because of its high interdisciplinary character which actively, and in-depth, employs the disciplines of geology, biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics but also because it is rightly justified by its enormous scientific and economic necessity in Kurdistan, to fill an existing gap in Kurdistan’s young and growing petroleum industry. To complete the picture, this interdisciplinary research target is not limited to Petroleum Geosciences but extends to include research fields such as environment, ecology, chemistry, molecular biology, paleoclimatology, mathematical modelling and GIS in addition to a new field of research in biometrics. These latter are important current research topics in almost all leading world universities.

GOALS
The Scientific Research Centre at Soran University has a unique role derived from, and set by, its position as a pioneer establishment that has been initiated to perform and lead by example at an internationally recognised level of scientific research in Kurdistan. The goals of this highly resolute ambition will be reflected in:

1. Serving the community
2. Leading scientific research in applied and humanistic sciences in Kurdistan
3. Production of quality, internationally peer-reviewed scientific publications
4. Promotion of scientific research ethics
5. Tangible postgraduate research projects through the Centre
6. Creation of a base of, and for young scientists  
7. Establishment of an international level of scientific collaboration and exchange of expertise
8. Produce and lead industry-wise research projects, particularly in petroleum studies.