We are an independent and international network of Iranian academics and students. Our primary objective is to provide a community and a platform to serve the interests of academics of Iranian heritage around the world.
We strongly believe in and advocate for freedom of information, opinion, and expression.
ICOIA was founded in October 2022 as an entirely volunteer-run organization by a group of Iranian academics in North America, Europe, and Australasia.
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed by ICOIA and its members are solely their own and do not express the views or opinions of their employers.
کانون بین المللی دانشگاهیان ایرانی نهادی مستقل، فراجناحی و دموکراتیک است که بر پایه دفاع از آزادی اندیشه، کرامت انسانی و حقوق بشر بنا شده است. ما به دلیل نقض مستمر حقوق بنیادین ایرانیان توسط جمهوری اسلامی، موضعی صریح در مخالفت با این نظام داریم؛ با این حال، کانون زیرمجموعه یا مبلغ هیچ حزب، سازمان یا جریان سیاسی خاصی نیست. عضویت در کانون مستلزم تفتیش عقاید یا وابستگی حزبی نیست و اعضای ما در فعالیتهای سیاسی شخصی خود کاملاً آزادند. تمامی تصمیمات کلان کانون از طریق فرایندهای انتخاباتی شفاف و با تکیه بر خرد جمعی اتخاذ می شود.
Our Mission
Improve access to reliable news, data, and information about Iranian academics and students, as well as, raising awareness of the various issues that face the Iranian academic community globally.
Offer independent information and advice about various professional aspects affecting Iranian scholars.
Offer consultancy, specific to the needs of Iranian scholars including students, researchers and faculty members.
Offer support and help to all scholars at risks, particularly the Iranian scholars.
Encourage the inclusion of Iranian scholars in professional organisations and activities
Promote professional gatherings and workshops to raise awareness and affect public policies and perceptions in the interests of Iranian academics.
Encourage information exchange across the network of Iranian scholars.
Provide a sense of community in which Iranian scholars can exchange scholarly interests and expertise.
Aid Iranian scholars by collecting, sharing and publicising individual’s experiences.
Meet Some of Our Members
Dr Mona Parizadeh
ICOIA's President
Postdoctoral Associate, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada
Dr negar Parow
ICOIA's Vice President,
Senior Lecturer in Security Studies, School of People, Environment and Planning, Massey University, New Zealand
Dr Encieh Erfani
ICOIA's Governance Board Member
Research Fellow at Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Canada
Assistant Professor (resigned in protest) of the Physics Department at the IASBS, Iran.
Prof Ali Arab
ICOIA's Treasurer
Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Georgetown University, USA.
A/Prof Araz Jabbari
ICOIA's Regional Coordinator (North America)
Associate Professor, Department of Management Information Systems, FSA ULaval, Canada
Prof Ali seyfoddin
ICOIA's Regional Coordinator (Australasia)
Professor of Biopharmaceutics and Deputy Head of the School of Science at Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.
Prof Pejman Sharafi
ICOAI's Governance Board Member
Professor of Civil Engineering, Western University of Sydney, Australia
Dr Elnaz Irannezhad
ICOIA's Governance Board Member,
Senior Lecturer (Civil Eng.), Australian Human Rights Institute Associate, University of New South Wales, Australia
Dr Samira Hoghoughi
ICOIA's Supervisory Board,
Metal Health Professional, Counsellor, Gender Equality Activist, and Life Coach, Canada.
A/Prof Shahin Kamali
ICOIA's Supervisory Board,
Associate Professor of Computer Science at York University, Canada
Dr Raha Sabet Sarvestani
ICOIA's Supervisory Board,
Research Fellow at the University of Turku, Turku Institute for Advanced Studies, Norway
Dr Kian Jenab
ICOIA's Governance Board Member
PhD student, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Austria
Prof Shideh Dashti
Professor of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, USA
Dr Maryam Moridnejad
Principle Academic Staff Member and Programme Coordinator (Civil Eng.), Centre for Engineering and Industrial Design, Waikato Institute of Technology, New Zealand
Dr Mitra Naseh
Assistant Professor and Research Director of Initiative on Social Work and Forced Migration, Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, USA
DR Farshid Norowzi Roshnavand
Research Fellow at Université Paris-Est Créteil
Assistant Professor of English Literature (expelled from Mazandaran University for supporting protesting students)