Rida Said

Dr Rida Said (Arabic: رضا سعيد‎‎) (1876-1945) was a Syrian eye surgeon and businessman, who in 1922, founded the Syrian University, the first university in Syria.

He trained as an eye surgeon at Hotel Dieu in Paris, France. As Minister of Education, Said played a major role in reforming the education system in Syria under the French Mandate.

Said is best known as the father of Syrian University, today known as Damascus University that taught Medicine, Law and Sciences in Arabic. Said was the president of the university until 1936.

His son is the prominent businessman Wafic Said.