According to Jensen, the IAU program Officer, UMA is now the 21^st University in Iran and the 611^th in the world that joins the association.

 Founded in 1950, under the auspices of UNESCO, the International Association of Universities (IAU) is the leading global association of higher education institutions and organisations from around the world. IAU brings together its universities, other higher education institutions (HEIs) and their associations, from more than 130 countries for reflection and action on common priorities.

 IAU upholds the values of academic freedom and institutional autonomy, while promoting greater accountability. It promotes institutional effectiveness, and the ideal of knowledge made accessible to all through collaboration and improved access to higher education (HE). At the same time, IAU aims to give expression to the obligation of universities, as social institutions, to promote, through teaching and research, the principles of freedom and justice, of human dignity and solidarity. IAU contributes to these principles by strengthening international cooperation between universities and through partnerships between key HE organizations and other stakeholders.

 IAU pledges to

 • Contribute to the development of knowledge, higher education and research in the public interest;

 • Strengthen academic solidarity among higher education institutions and promote cooperation rather than competition;

 • Uphold the fundamental principles for which every university should stand: (i) the right to pursue knowledge for its own sake; (ii) to promote and uphold the tolerance of divergent opinion and freedom from political inference;

 • Promote equitable access, success and equal opportunities for students, researchers, faculty and staff;

 • Encourage the pursuit of diversity and quality while respecting cultural differences.

 Associate Professor Dr. Reza Abdi, head of International Relations Office in UMA, believes that UMA and IAU would mutually benefit each other in their mission.