Al-Baath University (Arabic: جامعة البعث‎), founded in 1979, is a public university located in the city of Homs, Syria, 180 km north of Damascus. It is Syria's fourth largest university. Al-Baath University has 22 faculties, 5 intermediate institutes, 40,000 regular students, 20,000 students in open learning, 1310 high studies students and 622 faculty members. Research is a strategic activity of the university. It is administrated in accordance with plans decided by various departments and approved by the sequential academic councils of the university. The aim of research is to contribute to national development in Syria. Research is conducted in basic science and applied science. It is mainly financed by funds from the university itself. Al-Baath University was established in 1979. It started with preexisting colleges and institutes such as the faculty of veterinarian medicine in the city of Hama and the higher institute for chemical and petroleum engineering and the faculty of science in the city of Homs.