Hawzah News Agency - The presence of Imam Reza shrine and the prominence of Astan Quds Razavi (AQR) have made Mashhad (northeast Iran) a preferred destination for Muslim students, especially from neighboring countries.
This has prompted Imam Reza International University (IRIU) to begin its international activities officially in 2012, following a decade of successful involvement in higher education.
The university established the International Affairs Office to develop international collaborations, sign cooperation agreements, invite academic delegations, organize joint scientific events, and attract international students.
The higher education facility in Mashhad now admits international students based on its mission, values, and criteria, including academic, educational, cultural, and religious assessments.
Students from various nationalities, including Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, are currently studying at IRIU.
The university aims to be a leading, inspirational international university contributing to the new Islamic civilization. To achieve this vision, the university has developed various strategies, programs, and actions. Over 2000 international students have graduated from the university, a distinctive feature among other non-profit universities.
Most non-Iranian students and graduates come from Islamic countries like Iraq and Afghanistan. Currently, over 500 non-Iranian students from eight nationalities, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Lebanon, and Nigeria, are enrolled in undergraduate and master's programs. Popular fields of study for international students include accounting, computer engineering, biomedical engineering, management, and sports sciences.
Recognizing the need for non-Persian speaking students to achieve proficiency in Persian language at the start of their studies, the Persian Language Teaching Center for non-Persian Speakers was established in 2017. The center provides a six-month (420-hour) theoretical and practical program. Students take a proficiency test at the end and, upon passing, are prepared for academic success in their chosen fields. Over 1000 students have participated in these Persian language courses.
IRIU is among the few non-governmental universities with a Consular Affairs Office authorized by the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology's Student Affairs Organization. The office handles all consular matters for non-Iranian students, including visa issuance, registration permits, residency issuance and extension, and other related issues, in Persian, Arabic, and English.