About Iran Academia

The first Persian online university for Social Sciences and Humanities

Introduction

The Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities (ISSH), also known as Iran Academia, founded in 2012, is an alternative university that aims to provide accessible and uncensored knowledge in social sciences and humanities. Established in response to violations of the right to education, academic freedom, and university autonomy in Iran, this Netherlands-based institution seeks to overcome censorship and other barriers to impart impartial, high-quality education to Iran’s youth.

As an alternative university, Iran Academia connects its faculty and staff across an extensive global network, fostering a diverse and inclusive academic environment that encourages critical thinking and intellectual exchange. The institution offers a variety of educational programs and courses through four distinct platforms: Academia (graduate school), AcademiX (Massive Open Online Courses), Agora (educational multimedia platform), and Publications (publishing house for academic journals and books). These platforms cater to the general public, private organizations, and individuals such as journalists, trainers, and activists.

Iran Academia’s alternative approach to education enables the institution to provide valuable learning opportunities for those deprived of impartial education, empowering future generations with the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute positively to society.

Services

We aim to surpass censorship and offer educational services, especially to those who have been deprived of impartial and quality education. We do this by providing excellent learning opportunities, free of charge, through four different platforms:

Academia

(The graduate school)

Academix

(Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs))

Agora

(Educational Multimedia Platform)

University Press

(Publishing House for Academic Journals and Books)

International Honorary Board

We are greatly supported and advised by a distinguished group of international scholars.

Seyla Benhabib

Eugene Meyer Professor of Political Science and Philosophy, Department of Political Science, Yale University.

Ariel Dorfman

Argentine-Chilean-American novelist, playwright, essayist, academic, and human rights activist and member of the International Honorary Board of Iran Academia

❤ Nawal El Saadawi (Remembering)

Egyptian feminist writer, activist, physician, and psychiatrist, and the Iran Academia’s Deceased Member of the International Honorary Board.

Edgar Morin

Sociologist and Philosopher, Emeritus Director of Research at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS).

Sari Nusseibeh

Professor of Political Philosophy and former President of al-Quds University in Jerusalem.

Peter Singer

Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics, University Center for Human Values, Princeton University.

Awards

The EU’s Active Citizens of Europe Award in 2015 for contributions to sustainable development and global justice.

Selected project to be presented at the UNHCR and UNSCO Mobile Learning Week for Education in Emergencies and Crisis, 2017

Nominated by Scholars at Risk for the 2018 and 2021 UNESCO ICT in Education Prize.

Selected project to hold a roundtable session in RightsCon Summit 2023