Introduction

History
Simultaneously with the establishment of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Kurdistan in 1995, the Department of Electrical Engineering began its work by admitting 30 students at the associate degree level in Electronics. This department started its undergraduate activities in Electrical Engineering with a focus on Electronics in 2002, and then on Power in 2008. At the master's level, specializations in Power, Control, Electronics, and Communications were added in 2007, 2011, 2012, and 2013 respectively, and the PhD program in Power was added in 2012. In 2020, the Department of Electrical Engineering was divided into two departments: Power and Control Engineering, and Electronics and Communications Engineering.

Power Specialization
Human need for energy is increasing day by day with the growth of the global population and changes in human lifestyles, to the extent that higher energy consumption can even be considered an indicator of greater social welfare in societies. Meanwhile, electrical energy has received special attention as the cleanest and highest-quality energy carrier. In fact, moving towards the electrification of infrastructure in various industries can be considered a turning point in improving efficiency and economic progress of any country. On the other hand, end-users of electricity also prefer to use equipment based on electrical innovations with modern technology as much as possible, which brings them greater comfort. Among these innovations are electric vehicle technology and various types of smart home and industrial systems. On the other hand, meeting this growing need depends on the efficient conversion of primary energy sources, and excessive use of these sources is incompatible with scientific and environmental approaches. Therefore, the limitation of primary resources on the one hand and the need for electrification in all dimensions on the other hand highlight the necessity of creating a managed electrical energy system. Electrical energy systems in any country are, in fact, the largest man-made systems that, along with complex technical issues, are also closely related to the economy of that society. In these systems, we face thousands of energy generation units of various types and millions of small and large consumers with different and uncertain behaviors, who may be kilometers away from major energy generation centers. Therefore, managing, controlling, and optimally designing such a system requires training efficient personnel. The Power specialization in Electrical Engineering has been formulated and directed for this purpose. In general, mathematical modeling, circuit behavior analysis, system planning, and integrated and coordinated design and protection of components and equipment of an electrical energy system from the beginning of energy generation to low-loss transmission and distribution and to its optimal end-use are among the duties of a power engineer. In recent years, the emergence of the concept of smart grids has doubled the importance of managing and controlling electrical energy systems, as if a new spirit has been breathed into the body of these systems. By creating various research and practical fields and even job creation for power engineers, attention to this specialization has become even more prominent. Technically, the basic areas and technical horizons in the field of electrical energy engineering (Power) include, but are not limited to, the following, and generally encompass anything related to the generation, transmission, distribution, and consumption of electrical energy.

• Energy planning, operation, and management
• Dynamics and stability of electrical energy systems
• Analysis of economic behavior of power system players in electricity markets
• Optimal and adaptive protection of electrical energy transmission and distribution systems
• Monitoring and automation of electrical infrastructure in the context of smart grid
• Empowering end-users to participate in optimal energy consumption
• Modeling, design, and optimal control of basic system components, including generators, motors, transformers, power switches, etc.
• Creating a secure, stable, and reliable platform to increase the penetration of renewable energy sources and smart equipment
• Power quality delivered to customers in the presence of new loads and sources with power electronics interfaces

Undergraduate students in the Electrical Energy Systems specialization, according to the approved curriculum of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, after completing basic and core courses, will take 24 specialized credits related to fundamental areas to familiarize themselves with the foundations of this specialization. Among these courses are:

• Electrical Machines (familiarity with the operation of synchronous generators, three-phase transformers, and induction motors)
• Analysis of Electrical Energy Systems (modeling of all components of electrical energy transmission and distribution systems, especially transmission lines, analysis of power flow to supply demand, analysis of system behavior under abnormal conditions such as short circuits, frequency changes of system operation beyond the safe range, analysis of static and dynamic stability of the system)
• Relays and Protection (familiarity with the concept of protection systems including the structure of electromechanical relays, relay coordination in the system and their optimal coordination, analysis and study of relay behavior under abnormal system conditions)
• Electrical Installations (familiarity with lighting systems and internal energy supply of buildings, calculation and optimal design, etc.)
• Electrical Energy Generation (familiarity with the components and elements of various types of power plants, including steam, gas, combined cycle, nuclear, and renewable energy plants, etc.)
• High Voltage Substation Design (familiarity with the principles and calculations related to the design of various types of high voltage substations, types of structures, insulation and protection equipment, etc.)
• Industrial Electronics (familiarity with various types of power electronic control switches including diodes, thyristors, IGBTs, analysis of the behavior of various types of electrical converters including ac-dc inverters and vice versa, dc-dc converters, analysis of harmonic management methods in converters, etc.)

In our country, which is rich in energy resources, the best way to consume or exchange energy is to convert it into electrical energy. This specialization plays a special role in the development and progress of our beloved Iran, and given the rapid growth of this industry in the country (with a growth rate exceeding 10% per year), many employment opportunities have been created for graduates of this specialization in the public, cooperative, and private sectors.

Control Specialization
Control engineering is a field with widespread applications in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, chemical engineering, and even economics and biology. The most important goals of the Control specialization are familiarization with the methods of analysis and modeling of dynamic systems and introducing the methods of designing and using automatic control systems to achieve the desired behavior of such systems. Therefore, the application of various control systems in factories and industrial centers, service units, power plants, aerospace systems, biomedical engineering, and even economics and industrial management is part of the diverse applications of control in various industries. The undergraduate courses of the Control specialization, in addition to familiarizing students with the principles of control, are designed to properly prepare students for further studies at higher levels. The compulsory specialized program of this specialization consists of 24 credit hours. Of course, students who are interested in learning more about the topics of this specialization can voluntarily enroll in master's level courses in the Control specialization as well.

Currently, the Department of Electrical Power and Control Engineering has:
13 faculty members
63 undergraduate students (in Electrical Engineering - Power)
57 undergraduate students (in Electrical Engineering - Control)
210 undergraduate students without specialization
122 master's students (in the fields of Electrical Engineering, Power Systems, Electrical Engineering-Control, Electrical Engineering-Power Electronics and Electric Machines)
40 PhD students

Mission of the Department:
• Training specialized, creative, and thoughtful professionals in various fields of electrical engineering to meet the country's human resource needs
• Advancing and expanding electrical engineering with an emphasis on regional and national needs
• Entering new areas of knowledge in the field of electrical engineering
• Increasing the volume of high-quality scientific productions
• Maintaining and enhancing the scientific level of faculty and students through quantitative and qualitative development of scientific productions and increasing scientific and research collaborations at national and international levels

Special programs of the department for students' scientific advancement:

Sending more than 10 students from different educational levels to Austria, Spain, etc., as part of the student exchange program

Holding training classes for various software

Holding preparation classes for student Olympiads

Organizing various scientific visits in coordination with the Industry Liaison Center

Holding workshops related to entrepreneurship and job opportunities by industry professionals

Job Market:
Electrical engineers, according to their fields of study, can work in institutions such as the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology, the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, power plants, various factories (cement, automotive, steel, etc.), telecommunications organizations, military and defense industries, etc. Of course, according to experts, there are many opportunities for entrepreneurship in the electrical engineering profession and starting an independent business, and a capable and skilled electrical engineer can identify the country's needs in the field of electricity and telecommunications industry and take action to address them.

Some of the general skills and abilities required for an electrical engineer include:
• Good aptitude in mathematics, physics, and computer science – because the foundation of the electrical engineering profession is based on these sciences
• Ability to analyze problems and evaluate solutions – an electrical engineer is constantly faced with various events and problems in different projects and must be able to properly identify, analyze, and solve them
• Good decision-making skills – an electrical engineer is usually responsible for a unit or project in their work, and for its different parts, they must make the best decision at the right time to keep things on track
• Excellent communication skills – for proper communication and collaboration with managers and technicians of the company and projects
• Ability to plan and prioritize effectively – due to the sensitive and important nature of the electrical engineering profession, tasks and duties must be properly planned according to their sensitivity and priority
• Teamwork skills – to work with all people involved in a project and to advance it
• Full awareness of safety and health regulations in this field – the field of electricity and electronics poses many risks to people. Therefore, an electrical engineer must be familiar with all safety and protection rules and guidelines and apply them to protect their own health and that of others