Islamic Azad University English Bulletin - No. 11 - 02 April 2016

The president of Islamic Azad University, Dr. Hamid Mirzadeh, has sent a message to all Iranians on the advent of Norooz - the Iranian new year. According to Iran Student Correspondents Association (ISCA), the essence of the message is as follows: In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful, Oh reformer of hearts and minds, director of day and night and transformer of conditions - Change ours to the best in accordance with your will. Amen. As the renowned Iranian poet Sa'di of Shiraz once said: "The pennant of the state of spring has risen over the country, and the army of the cold has retreated with its burdens. The west wind, zephyr, has adorned the brides of grass with pearls delivered by the clouds, from the deep of the sea." I wish to offer my happiest felicitations on the beautiful advent of a new spring to the holy presence of the Promised Savior, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the honorable heads and members of the IAU boards of trustees and directors, and to the great extended family of the Islamic Azad

University, esteemed faculty and colleagues, students and their families. Let us hope that as the spring of nature has arrived, our hearts and souls are refreshed and rejuvenated, and that we answer the invitation of nature by stepping towards a year of happiness and prosperity. The Islamic Azad University has targeted qualitative development and advanced academic standards in the fourth decade of its activity, placing on its agenda the admittance of new faculty, equipping and upgrading workshops and laboratories, completion of infrastructural academic and research projects and prioritizing the university mission for interacting with the industry and services to fulfill the needs of society; these plans are in place so that the IAU can increase its effect and efficiency in economy, society and culture. I am thankful to God for this opportunity to serve - and wish that all members of this great family protect and develop this treasure and honorable heritage throughout the coming year and years, much as they adhere to their national and religious duties. It is my sincere hope that the Islamic Azad University powers forward in developing our great Islamic country, Iran.

Dr. Mirzadeh:

Step Towards a Year of Happiness and Prosperity

IAU & Vietnam to Develop Academic

Cooperation

The president of the Islamic Azad University has inaugurated an IAU office in Synergy University, Russia, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with this university. ISCA (Iran Student Correspondents Association): Dr. Mehdi Sanaee, ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Russian federation presented his speech on the academic position of the Islamic Azad University. Dr. Hamid Mirzadeh, president of the university explained more about its capacities, plans, and range of activities. Dr. Yuri Rubin, head of Synergy University, then took over to remark on Iran's historical and cultural background and express his appreciation of this scientific cooperation. The presidents and administrative teams of the two universities exchanged their views on research, educational, and technological fields. Among the items discussed were implementing IAU programs in Synergy University, running joint online programs and higher educational courses, opening a Synergy University branch in Tehran, organizing mutual international business events, the earliest of which could be the Synergy World Congress in Tehran, creating a collaborative Technology Transfer Center with the Skolkovo Innovation Center in Russia and also cooperation of these universities in Dubai. Both sides were also eager to exchange faculty and students, implement mutual research plans, and transfer technology.

IAU Opens Office in Moscow Synergy

University

Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, head of Islamic Azad University‘s board of founders, has officially inaugurated the class building of the Kish international IAU branch. According to ANA (Azad News Agency), the chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council of Iran stated that a few years ago, IAU was more focused on quantitative development. That focus has now shifted towards qualitative development. He emphasized one of the major highlights of IAU to be the way it equalizes and provides higher education for people in all villages, towns, and especially young women. The chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council emphasized the notable role of education in the scientific, social, and cultural growth of families and the major share that the university plays in the academic development of the country: “President Rouhani recently brought up the matter of equipping national university campus grounds in the high council of the Cultural Revolution following the positive votes of 10 members for relying on IAU to provide at least 50 percent of the state's higher education requirements,” he declared. Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani pointed to the IAU’s scientific, laboratory, and workshop facilities and stated that IAU’s laboratories are serving the whole country and SAHA (System of Azad Cooperative Labs) caters to the academic needs of the nation with its 7500 laboratories and 3500 workshops.

Kish Int'l IAU branch Class

Building Opened

Bardsir IAU Student to Compete in ITF Taekwon-Do World

Championships

IAU Bardsir branch, student, Pouria Abdol-rashidi has succeeded in taking the gold medal in the fourth weight class of the National Taekwondo Competition. He will compete in the ITF Taekwondo World Championships, 26th - 31st July 2016. According to ANA, Pouria Abdol-rashid, who was recognized as combatant with the highest technical competence in this tournament, stated that the National Taekwondo Competition hosted 173 competitors from 27 provinces around Iran on two consecutive days in Dezful, Khuzestan.

IAU Takes Premier League Water Polo

Championship

The 25th Water Polo Premier League ended with Islamic Azad University’s Championship. According to ANA, IAU’s water polo’s team and Naft-e-Omidieh were the finalists of the 25th Waterpolo Premier League. Although IAU’s team, coached by Alireza Shahidipour, almost lost the game, they eventually regrouped and through the effective and brilliant role of Hamed Malek Khanbanan, IAU defeated Naft-e-Omidieh with a 13 – 12 result. In the classification rounds, Nirouy-e-Zamini Artesh (Army Ground Forces) succeeded winning against Foulad-e-Mobarake Sepahan 12-10, and took the 3rd position.

Vietnam’s Minister of Science, Research, and Technology visited the president of Islamic Azad University to discuss the mutual development of academic cooperation. According to an ISCA report, Dr. Hamid Mirzadeh stated that IAU is focused on developing its international affairs and establishing offices in other countries for expanding IAU’s international collaboration including exchanging faculty, students, and sharing research. Vietnam’s Minister of Science, Research, and

Technology first congratulated IAU on the high volume of its achievements since 1982 and mentioned its 400 branches which have made it the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the world, “this is the first time that I have visited Iran and I was truly surprised by the progress of the country. Visiting IAU was even more of a wonder.” He added that the educational cooperation between two countries is limited right now and should be developed based on the existing potentials, “ Iran is the first priority for boosting educational cooperation for us in the Middle East. Academic and cultural cooperation can pave the way for more cooperation in other fields as well.” Both parties also signed a academic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for exchanging faculty members, students, and scientific experiences and planning mutual academic programs.

Jolfa IAU & Aras Free Zone to Coop in

Knowledge-based Fields

The acting head of Islamic Azad University, Jolfa international branch has stated that admitting international students can pave the way towards further international activities. According to an ANA report, Dr. Mohammad Hossein Sadeqi Zali, stated that Jolfa IAU has been established since 2005, and "the branch has good potential to cooperate with the numerous industries in this region; we have set our sights on signing MoUs in knowledge-based activities."

SAMA Schools & Junior Colleges to Open Outside Iran

The education and research deputy of the SAMA Organization of Iran, affiliated with the Islamic Azad University has announced the establishment of SAMA language academies, schools, and junior colleges outside Iran in 2016-17 (1395). According to ANA (Azad News Agency), Ghasem Yazdan Panah stated that the link between SAMA and universities is deeper now and owing to the activities of SAMA in the field of learning languages, English language academies will be added to its working centers alongside its schools and colleges.