In 1962 there were three departments opened at the faculty of Oriental Studies including department of Arabic language, department of the Middle Eastern languages and department of the history of literature of the Middle Eastern nations.
For many years the department of Arabic language was lead by the founder of Arabic studies in Azerbaijan, who was the author of 30 textbooks, prominent scientific worker and a professor - Alesker Mamedov.
Until 1989 the department of Middle Eastern languages was lead by professor Ragim Sultanov, who was a prominent scientific worker, the author of a number of textbooks and teaching manuals, who translated into Azerbaijani language medieval works such as “Kalila and Dimna”, “Kabusname”, “Gulyustan”, “Akhlagi-nasiri”, “Bakharistan” and “Siyaset-name”.
During various periods the department of the history of literature of the Middle Eastern nations was lead by Mubariz Alizadeh – prominent expert on Persian literature, excellent translator of Iranian poetry into Azerbaijani language, prominent scientific worker; Gamid Arasli – world-known literary critic, academician; Malik Makhmudov – first researcher of Arabic-speaking literary critics.
Currently there are four departments at the faculty:
department of Arabic philology
department of Iranian philology
department of Turkish philology
department of Far-Eastern languages and literature
