Islamic Azad University

History

Headquartered in Tehran, Iran, the Islamic Azad University is the world's fifth-largest university. It was approved and ratified by the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution in 1982, having been founded and established by Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. The first large-scale private university in the Islamic Republic, Islamic Azad expanded rapidly in the 1990s, overtaking regular state universities in terms of total enrollment by the early 2000s. IAU has an enrollment of over 1.5 million students. IAU has promoted 'higher education for all' as its key objective, growing physically and academically to become one of the largest higher education institutions globally. IAU has two independent and 31 state university branches across Iran, and four branches in other countries: the U.A.E., the United Kingdom, Lebanon and Afghanistan. The university has accumulated assets estimated to be worth $20–25 billion.

The Islamic Azad University's activities quickly expanded throughout the country, so that As of 2016, thousands of new students were enrolled annually. Not relying on government funding, the university receives charitable donations and charges tuition fees.

The certificates issued by this university are recognized by the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology and Ministry of Health and Medical Education for medical education.

Endowment controversy

Iran's supreme leader declared the financial endowment of Islamic Azad University was "religiously illegitimate and unlawful", prompting a change within the administration of the institution.

Governance

The Board of Founders

The Board of Trustees

The President of the university

The University Council

Board of Founders

The board consists of nine people, including Ali Akbar Velayati (Head of Board), Abdollah Jassbi, Ali Akbar Nategh-Nouri, Hassan Khomeini, Mohsen Qomi, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Abdul-Karim Mousavi Ardebili, Hamid Mirzadeh and one vacant position.

Board of trustees

Members include:

Three members of full-time associated or higher rank professor faculty of the universities approved by the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution (Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, Farhad Rahbar, Fereidoun Azizi)

Three members of the founding board, including at least one member of the clergy (Ali Akbar Velayati (Head of Board), Abdollah Jassbi, Hassan Khomeini)

The Ministers of Science, Research and Technology and Health and Medical Education or their representatives

The head of the Supreme Leader's representative in universities or his deputy

The president of the university (Board Secretary)

Board of directors

The administration of the university is under the Rector of the University Board of Trustees, and the proposal of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution and the decision of the President of the board of trustees is appointed for a term of four years.

Branches and campuses

The Islamic Azad University has two independent and 31 state university branches with 367 campuses in Iran, and four branches overseas, as well as a range of research centers, hospitals, laboratories, workshops, sports facilities, recreational areas and ICT facilities. It now welcomes not only local but also international students. There are 1051 Sama schools affiliated to the university, along with 118 skill and entrepreneurship colleges.

Branches are listed below.

Two-year institutions

Vice Presidency for General Education and Skills Training:

118 skill and entrepreneurship colleges

Skills Training Schools

Educational institutions (K–12)

Vice Presidency for General Education and Skills Training:

Sama Schools (1051 pre schools, primary schools, secondary schools, elementary schools, middle schools, high schools and university-preparatory schools)

Overseas branches

The Azad University in Oxford (AUO) at the outskirts of the city of Oxford in the UK was established in 2004 to support IAU's international collaboration activities. Through its links with the UK universities and research centers, the AUO provides services to the students and staff of IAU as well as other students and organisations around the world.

In 1995, a branch was opened in Dubai.

International offices

The Islamic Azad University has international offices in Russia, Italy, Germany, France, the UK, UAE, Lebanon and Afghanistan.

State universities

IAU has 31 state universities (provincial universities) located throughout the provinces of Iran. Digits in parentheses indicate the number of branches in the current province.

Admissions

From the establishment of Islamic Azad University in 1982 to 2013, the admission process of students was through Islamic Azad University's entrance exam which was designed, held, and scored independently by the private university system. Post-2013, its entrance exam was merged with the Public University System. It holds the national entrance exam and some students who get admitted through this process would be exempt from paying any tuitions. However, Islamic Azad University requires tuition which varies by different factors such as program, degree, and location.

The university accepts nearly 320,000 students annually (10,000 PhD, 3,000 Professional Doctorate and Medicine, 57,000 Masters, 200,000 Bachelors and 50,000 Associates).

Distribution of students

In the academic year 2021–2022:

Distribution of graduates

In the academic year 2021–2022:

Medical centers

IAU' medical centers include:

(Not included Veterinary Medicine and Clinical and Health Psychology)

107 branches in medical sciences

1669 faculty members

43,728 medical sciences students

72 majors in different levels

There are 825 active beds in 10 hospitals in Iran, and has 1273 approval beds. Each medical center serves as the primary teaching site for that campus's medical school. Some hospitals are listed below:

Farhikhtegan Hospital in Tehran, Iran

Bou-Ali (Avicenna) Hospital in Tehran, Iran

Amiralmomenin Hospital in Tehran, Iran

Javaheri Hospital in Tehran, Iran

22 Baham Hospital in Mashhad, Iran

Aria Hospital in Mashhad, Iran

Yazd Hospital

Khatamalanbia Hospital

Rhazes Hospital

Katalem Hospital

Main library

The Islamic Azad University Libraries Affairs manages various libraries for over 360 branches of Islamic Azad Universities nationwide. These libraries provide valuable services to more than 1.2 million students, faculty, and researchers.

Journals

The IAU branches are publishing 508 scientific journals, of which 145 are in the English Language. [2]

Rankings

U.S. News & World Report rankings

2025 Best Global Universities Ranking

Global Ranking: 460

Regional (Asia) Ranking:117

Country Ranking: 2

2023 Best Global Universities Ranking

Global Ranking: 394

Regional (Asia) Ranking: 77

Country Ranking: 2

Subject ranking

Agricultural Sciences: 117

Artificial Intelligence: 55

Biology and Biochemistry: 299

Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology: 136

Chemical Engineering: 36

Chemistry: 136

Civil Engineering: 14

Clinical Medicine: 644

Computer Science: 234

Condensed Matter Physics: 124

Electrical and Electronic Engineering: 110

Energy and Fuels: 40

Engineering: 37

Environment/Ecology: 367

Food Science and Technology: 84

The Center for World University Rankings

2021-2022 Ranking:

World Rank: 372

National Rank: 1

Quality of Education Rank: NA

Alumni Employment Rank: NA

Quality of Faculty Rank: NA

Research Performance Rank: 342

Overall Score: 75.7

SciVisions rankings

2017: International rank: 938, National rank: 5, Regional Rank: 24 (Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran; SRBIAU)

SCImago rankings

2013: International rank: 87, National rank: 1, Regional Rank: 1

2012: International rank: 231, National rank: 1, Regional Rank: 2

CWTS Leiden Ranking

2014: World rank: 252, Country rank: 11, Regional rank: 194

URAP – University Ranking by Academic Performance

2013: World rank: 161, Country rank: 1, Regional rank: 25

2012: World rank: 226, Country rank: 2, Regional rank: 34