Al Zawiya University

The University of Zawia (Arabic: جامعة الزاوية, romanized: Jamaa't Azzawia, previously known as Seventh of April University) is a university located in the city of Zawiya, Libya.^[1] It was established as an independent university in 1988.^[2] The campus is six kilometres south of the city centre,^[3] and serves the Zawiya, Jafara and Nuqat al Khams districts.^[3]

History[]

In 1983, University of Tripoli established a branch of their College of Education in Zawia.^[3] In 1988, the institution was established as an independent university, called the Seventh of April University, with separate administration and funding.^[3]^[4] The reference to 7 April was officially described by the university as referring to "the great student event on the seventh of April 1976".^[2]^[3] On 7 April 1976, student protests took place in Tripoli and Benghazi protesting against human rights violations, calling for a civilian government and free and fair elections. Counterdemonstrations took place on the same day and "many students were detained for months". The date of 7 April was used from the first anniversary on 7 April 1977 and annually to the late 1980s as a date for public executions in Libya in reference to the "great student event". The Organizing Committee for the April Demonstration referred to the usage of the 7 April anniversary as a "trademark" of Muammar Gaddafi's government.^[5]