AL-Turath University was established in January 1988 as the first private university in the Middle East and Iraq.

It was established by the Arts and Heritage Association, which is considered one of the first active associations since 1946. After Mr. Ali Al-Ogaily assumed the duties of Chairman of the Board of Trustees, its name was changed to the Arts and Heritage Foundation, which is the founding body of AL-Turath University in 2018. Since then, the university has witnessed a qualitative leap in infrastructure and academic expansion, represented by the opening of many colleges and departments, which have now reached 14 colleges comprising 35 departments in various scientific, engineering, medical, and humanities specializations.

This is to meet the changing needs of the Iraqi community in terms of including students who wish to study within certain specialties based on personal desire and ambition, as well as their future vision, which cannot be met by government universities. Al-Turath University today has modern classrooms and laboratories equipped with all modern supplies and equipment. The university focuses on aspects of scientific research by utilizing the energies of teachers and students in theoretical and applied scientific research and studies, as well as training, awareness, and scientific development based on future foundations that align with modern developments through acquiring high technical and professional expertise and harnessing it scientifically and academically according to a developed methodological perspective. The university organizes and adopts a number of various scientific and cultural activities to occupy its distinguished position among its peers at the local and global levels by supporting and organizing a number of international conferences, seminars, and training courses.