Islamic Azad University

The Islamic Azad University is a private university system headquartered in Tehran, Iran. It is one of the largest comprehensive systems of universities in the world.

WWW Official Site

History

Headquartered in Tehran, Iran, the Islamic Azad University is universities by enrollment|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 today thousands of students are enrolling every year. Not relying on government funding, it 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, 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
Three members of the founding board, including at least one member of the clergy
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 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.

Organization and administration

Central Organization :

Vice Presidency for Research, Technology and Innovation
Vice Presidency for Student and Cultural Affairs
Vice Presidency for Development and Resource Management
Vice Presidency for International Affairs and Non-Iranian Students
Vice Presidency for Science, Engineering and Agriculture
Vice Presidency for Medical Sciences
Vice Presidency for Humanities and Arts
Vice Presidency for Parliamentary Affairs and Social Relations
Vice Presidency for General Education and Skills Training
Research Institute and Laboratory Networks
Science and Technology Park
Center of Admissions
Center for Martyrs and Veterans Affairs
Center for Provincial Board of Trustees
Center for Audit of the Board of Trustees
Center of Construction and Real Estate
Center of Monitoring, Inspection and Complaints
Policy Institute of Strategic Studies
Law Office
Cultural Center of Imam Khomeini and the Islamic Revolution
Knowledge Based Economy and Finance Council
Trading Commission
Research and Technology Fund

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.

Branch	Type	Founded	Enrollment
Science and Research	Independent Comprehensive	1984	~ 50,000
Central Tehran	Comprehensive, Head of Tehran state universities	1982	~ 50,000
Najafabad	Independent Comprehensive	1985	~ 20,000
Islamic Azad University South [Tehran Branch\|South Tehran]	Comprehensive	1985	~ 40,000
North Tehran	Comprehensive	1985	~ 40,000
Tehran Medical	Comprehensive	1985	~ 25,000
Karaj	Comprehensive	1984	~ 40,000
Tabriz	Comprehensive	1982	~ 20,000
Qazvin	Comprehensive	1992	~ 15,000
Mashhad	Comprehensive	1982	~ 30,000
Isfahan	Comprehensive	1983	~ 20,000

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

Overseas branches

The Azad University in Oxford 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 located throughout the provinces of Iran. Digits in parentheses indicate the number of branches in the current province.

Islamic Azad University, Alborz Province
Islamic Azad University, Ardabil Province
Islamic Azad University, East Azerbaijan Province
Islamic Azad University, West Azerbaijan Province
Islamic Azad University, Mazandaran Province
Islamic Azad University, Chahar Mahaal and Bakhtiari Province
Islamic Azad University, Fars Province
Islamic Azad University, Gilan Province
Islamic Azad University, Golestan Province
Islamic Azad University, Hamadan Province
Islamic Azad University, Hormozgan Province
Islamic Azad University, Ilam Province
Islamic Azad University, Isfahan Province
Islamic Azad University, Kerman Province
Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah Province
Islamic Azad University, North Khorasan Province
Islamic Azad University, [Mashhad Branch|Islamic Azad University, Razavi Khorasan Province]
Islamic Azad University, South Khorasan Province
Islamic Azad University, Khuzestan Province
Islamic Azad University, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province
Islamic Azad University, Kurdistan Province
Islamic Azad University, Lorestan Province
Islamic Azad University, Markazi Province
Islamic Azad University, Mazandaran Province
Islamic Azad University, Qazvin Province
Islamic Azad University, Qom Province
Islamic Azad University, Semnan Province
Islamic Azad University, Sistan and Baluchestan Province
Islamic Azad University, Tehran Province
Islamic Azad University, Yazd Province
Islamic Azad University, Zanjan 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.

Distribution of students

In the academic year 2021–2022:

Field of study	Percent
Humanities and Social Sciences	50.11%
Engineering and Technology	32.32%
Arts and Architecture	8.72%
Medical Science and Veterinary Medicine	4.46%
Basic Sciences	2.97%
Agriculture and Natural Resources	1.42%
Total	100%

Level of study	Percent
Associate	12.97%
Bachelor's	64.23%
Master's	16.52%
Professional Doctorate	1.67%
Residency (medicine)	0.01%
Ph.D.	4.58%
Total	100%

Distribution of graduates

In the academic year 2021–2022:

Field of study	Percent
Humanities	50.71%
Engineering	30.54%
Arts and Architecture	8.99%
Basic Sciences	2.47%
Agriculture and Natural Resources	1.66%
Medical Sciences	1.33%
Veterinary	1.01%
Applied Sciences, Training and General Majors	3.30%
Total	100%

Level of study	Percent
Associate	28.02%
Bachelor's	56.30%
Master's	14.87%
Professional Doctorate	0.44%
Ph.D.	0.35%
Total	100%

Medical centers

IAU' medical centers include:

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 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.

Rankings

''[U.S. News & World Report]'' rankings

Global Ranking: 394
Regional Ranking: 77
Country Ranking: 2
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
Geosciences: 385
Materials Science: 267
Mathematics: 29
Mechanical Engineering: 4
Optics: 83
Pharmacology and Toxicology: 181
Physical Chemistry: 90
Physics: 200
Plant and Animal Science: 356
Polymer Science: 9
Water Resources: 30
Global Ranking: 434
Regional Ranking: 75
Country Ranking: 2
Agricultural Sciences: 114
Biology and Biochemistry: 379
Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology: 152
Chemical Engineering: 36
Chemistry: 145
Civil Engineering: 15
Clinical Medicine: 694
Computer Science: 160
Condensed Matter Physics: 116
Electrical and Electronic Engineering: 115
Energy and Fuels: 36
Engineering: 44
Environment/Ecology: 378
Food Science and Technology: 77
Geosciences: 346
Materials Science: 244
Mathematics: 45
Mechanical Engineering: 3
Nanoscience and Nanotechnology: 247
Optics: 118
Pharmacology and Toxicology: 229
Physical Chemistry: 98
Physics: 205
Plant and Animal Science: 389
Polymer Science: 27
Global Ranking: 445
Regional Ranking: 72
Country Ranking: 2
Agricultural Sciences: 117
Biology and Biochemistry: 441
Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology: 176
Chemical Engineering: 29
Chemistry: 110
Civil Engineering: 23
Clinical Medicine: 725
Computer Science: 193
Electrical and Electronic Engineering: 105
Energy and Fuels: 39
Engineering: 47
Environment/Ecology: 373
Materials Science: 232
Mathematics: 31
Mechanical Engineering: 1
Nanoscience and Nanotechnology: 204
Physics: 228
Plant and Animal Science: 397
Global Ranking: 454
Regional Ranking: 69
Country Ranking: 2
Agricultural Sciences: 84
Biology and Biochemistry: 466
Chemistry: 121
Civil Engineering: 35
Computer Science: 110
Electrical and Electronic Engineering: 93
Engineering: 44
Materials Science: 225
Mathematics: 29
Mechanical Engineering: 5
Physics: 235
Plant and Animal Science: 432

2018 Best Global Universities Ranking

Global Ranking: 497
Regional Ranking: 76
Country Ranking: 2
Agricultural Sciences: 132
Chemistry: 136
Computer Science: 119
Engineering: 38
Materials Science: 104
Mathematics: 21
Physics: 369

CWUR - 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

[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

ISC">Islamic World Science Citation Database">ISC rankings

Rank	Branch	Score
1	Tabriz	4.27
2	Mashhad	3.51
3	Central Tehran	3.06
4	Karaj	2.61
5	North Tehran	2.48
6	Najafabad	1.37
7	Isfahan (Khorasgan)	1.35
8	Shahrekord	1.30
9	Quchan	1.26
10	Ardabil	1.19

Rank	Branch	Score
1	Science and Research	100
2	Mashhad	23.75
3	Karaj	18.53
4	South Tehran	18.21
5	Isfahan (Khorasgan)	13.5
6	North Tehran	NA
7	Najafabad	NA
8	Qazvin	NA
9	Central Tehran	NA
10	Yazd	NA

Rank	Branch	Score
1	Science and Research	100
2	Karaj	99.85
3	Mashhad	99.58
4	Tabriz	99.33
5	Isfahan (Khorasgan)	98.58
6	Arak	96.82
7	North Tehran	95.51
8	Saveh	95.10
9	Shahreza	94.58
10	South Tehran	94.06