Tehran, April 22, 2008 - The United Nations agencies United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) on Tuesday 22 April jointly met with Professor Abdollah J. Jassbi, President of Islamic Azad University, for an introductory conversation on opportunities for mutual cooperation between the United Nations and Islamic Azad University in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The parts met on the newly opened university campus for technology and research, well situated on a hillside in western Tehran. The UN agencies were taken on a guided tour around the campus, being introduced to the university research hospital under construction, the Faculty of Technology and Engineering, and the Faculty of Physics. Both faculties presented several of their technical capacities and opportunities, reflected by high interest among the UN agencies.

Professor Jassbi introduced the joint meeting with emphasizing: “With its total of over 500 branches inside and outside Iran, Islamic Azad University is currently the largest university in the world.” He continued: “We have universities all over the country, and also in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, England and Tanzania, with our university in Dubai being the largest with approximately 500 students.”

Mr. Knut Ostby, United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, offered a general introduction to the role and mandate of the UN system in Iran, and invited to a discussion on cooperation opportunities between the UN and Islamic Azad University. Ostby especially emphasized the importance of joint efforts in supporting Iran in meeting the commitments made by Heads of State and Governments, including the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in the Millennium Summit in 2000, formulated into the eight Millennium Development Goals to be met by 2015.

During the meeting, UNDP, UNESCO, UNIC, UNIDO and FAO presented their individual mandates and focus areas, where especially activities regarding environment and education were met with interest by Islamic Azad University. Based on the conversations between Professor Jassbi and the UN agencies, a mutual willingness for future cooperation on development issues was expressed, with the UN agencies especially emphasizing their interest to continue discussions within the areas of environment, university cooperation and human sciences.