The University of Duhok (UoD) is a fast-growing institution in the city of Duhok. It plays a vital role in developing the community by instigating socioeconomic, cultural, scientific as well as educational progress in the northern part of Iraq. Graduates from the University of Duhok currently contribute to the enhancement and capacity building in the public and private sectors of the Duhok Governorate.

The University of Duhok was founded on 31 October 1992, following a resolution by the Parliament of the Kurdistan Regional Government to address the increasing demand for higher education in the region. The first colleges to be established in the university were the College of Medicine and the College of Agriculture. Initially, the Medical College had 48 students while the College of Agriculture had 166. During the first two years, the two embargoes imposed by the UN on Iraq and by the Iraqi Central Government on Kurdistan contributed to the slow-paced growth of the University and the poor economic conditions in Kurdistan. After these hardships had passed, the university found itself in a position to steer towards advancement and fresh growth. Today, the UoD has 18 colleges with 76 Departments, more than 19615 undergraduate students and 655 postgraduate students.