The Department of Desert and Arid Zones Management (DAM) started its activities in 2005. The department has a mandate to carry out both teaching and research to address the problems of land degradation, with special emphasis on problems of wind erosion, desertification and proper management of natural resources of desert and arid regions of the country. The department offers high quality education to both undergraduate and postgraduate students with different courses which cover all aspects of arid zone management. The department’s mission is to train experts who have full knowledge about the limitations and potentials of deserts and can play significant roles in management of arid zones. Training these experts, therefore, helps prevent desertification, soil erosion and land degradation, exploit natural resources in arid and desert conditions, and control of people immigration from arid and semi-arid region.

Major Objectives of the Department

• To impart higher education at undergraduate and post-graduate levels in the field of Desert and Arid Zones Management
• To supervise post-graduate students in planning, conducting, and evaluating students’ theses as part of their degree programs
• To develop closer link in line with departments and research organizations for mutual collaboration in research/development activities on natural resource conservation and improvements in deserts and arid zones of Iran

• To promote awareness among students, researchers, policy makers and the society in general about natural resource conservation and management through publishing articles and organizing seminars/workshops on the subjects related to natural resource management.