The Hague, Netherlands, September 2, 2024 – Nayereh Tohidi, Professor of Gender and Women’s Studies, and Kazem Alamdari, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, both from California State University, Northridge, have made a significant donation to the Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities, also known as Iran Academia. The couple has pledged $1.5 million to support the recently established endowment of the university.
The donation was announced during a special event titled “Shaping Tomorrow: Unveiling Our Future Initiatives” at the 3rd International Conference on Contemporary Iranian Studies, held at Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany, on August 22-23, 2024, by Iran Academia.
This conference brought together prominent Iranian and international professors and young researchers to present their latest findings on topics related to Iran and the region. The event featured over 120 speakers in more than 50 panels, five plenary sessions, art exhibitions, a book fair, and historical collection displays.
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Professor Roja Fazaeli, representing the Board of Trustees of Iran Academia, expressed gratitude for the generous support from these esteemed professors, who have also taught at Iran Academia for many years. As a token of appreciation, the couple was presented with a valuable painting titled “Butterfly” by renowned artist Parastou Forouhar, who personally took the stage to share her artistic vision and the story behind the artwork.
Iran Academia University aims to ensure the sustainability of its free educational programs, research projects, and cultural initiatives through expansion of this endowment. As a non-profit institution committed to providing uncensored, high-quality knowledge, they hope to inspire support from both Iranian and non-Iranian philanthropists who value academic freedom and believe in the power of education to foster critical thinking and societal progress. The university has been providing free higher education and many innovative not-for-profit educational initiatives for 12 years.
The Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities (ISSH), also known as Iran Academia, is a citizen-led alternative university, that defends academic freedom, university autonomy, and the right to free education. It is a pioneering online university dedicated to providing free, high-quality education in social sciences. Since its inception in 2012, the institution has been at the forefront of innovative educational initiatives, serving thousands of students worldwide. ISSH is a registered and recognized charitable nonprofit organization in both the Netherlands and the United States. The university offers various educational platforms, including:
- Academia: A graduate school with a qualified master’s degree program admitting up to 150 students annually
- AcademiX: A Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) Platform with over 12,000 unique users and growing
- Agora: A multimedia knowledge exchange platform, with thousands of daily visitors
- IA University Press: A publishing house for academic journals and books with an open access approach
- ICCI: A biannual, bilingual International Conference on Contemporary Iranian Studies
- Innovation and Research Center: A newly launched initiative poised to drive cutting-edge innovations and interdisciplinary research collaborations
This generous donation marks a significant milestone for Iran Academia, enabling the institution to enhance its programs and extend its reach. The university plans to use these funds to expand its free educational offerings and strengthen its research capabilities and make significant contribution in digital humanities for further democratization of education.
