Membership

List of IAU Members

IAU gathers almost 600 Members (Institutions, Organisations, Affiliates and Associates) from over 120 countries.

For the list of member institutions, use the map below.

Is your institution not on the list? Find out how to join the IAU as a full Member and contact us. We are here to help you!

Find below the lists of the other membership categories:
Organizations
Affiliates
Associates

Join IAU

INSTITUTIONS

ADMISSION CRITERIA AND ANNUAL FEES

Apply here

IAU institutional membership is open to institutions whose main objective is higher education and the development of knowledge. Applying Universities and other higher education institutions must:

be public or private not-for-profit;
be degree-conferring institutions;
be recognized by their own national competent body/bodies or its equivalent;
have undergone, at the national or regional level, a process of quality assurance or accreditation, or, if such a process does not exist, be a member of a national or regional association of universities;
be dedicated to the study of several branches of knowledge;
grant at least a three-year, first cycle or undergraduate degree;
have graduated at least three cohorts of students*;
Conduct research activities implying an active participation of the staff in scientific or scholarly research as well as necessary equipment at their disposal.

*In order to allow newly established higher education institutions to become actively engaged in the work of IAU, and benefit from the services offered, universities and other HEIs having graduated at least one cohort of students may be granted Observer status until they fulfill the criterion of having graduated three cohorts, at which time they become full Member.

IAU is funded primarily through its membership fees and depends on these funds to effectively carry out its activities, including its online webinar series and thematic debates, events and conferences, publications, projects and other initiatives.

The Members’ strong engagement, commitment, and financial contributions are vital for the association. It is thanks to its Members’ commitment that the IAU exists and continues to act as the global voice of higher education.

Member Institutions Fees in Euros
Institutions	Low Income Countries	Middle Income Countries	High Income Countries
Less than 1,000 Students	1,050 €	1,500 €	1,600 €
Between 1,000-5,000 students	1,500 €	1,900 €	2,000 €
Between 5,000-10,000 students	2,000 €	2,700 €	2,850 €
More than 10,000 students	2,600 €	3,450 €	3,600 €

>> You may refer to the list of countries by income category

The financial year at IAU runs from 1 October to 30 September.

APPLICATION PROCESS

IAU Membership application process steps are:

1. Please read carefully the admission criteria to check if your institution is eligible for Membership.

2. Fill in and return the application form duly completed to [email protected]

3. The applications are reviewed at least once a month. If retained for Membership, you will receive an acceptance letter from the IAU Secretary-General explaining the formalities to finalize Membership:

Payment of the annual membership fees

Signing of IAU letter of commitment on official institutional letterhead.

Apply here

Support the Membership Solidarity Fund

Show your solidarity with universities that are struggling financially to become or retain their IAU Membership. Enable them to avail of the international network the IAU provides and make their voice be heard. Your contribution would support the way towards more inclusive and equitable higher education.

Contribute Here

ORGANIZATIONS

ADMISSION CRITERIA AND ANNUAL FEES

All associations or networks of universities and higher education institutions that bring together the leaders and other representatives of institutions or higher learning and/or research are eligible to apply of membership. Associations of universities and other higher education institutions at national, sub-national, regional or international level may be admitted as Member Organizations.

Fees for Organizations are based on a combination of the Gross National Product (GNP) of the country where the Organization’s headquarters are situated and student enrollment of its largest institutional member (list of countries per category). The financial year at IAU runs from 1 October to 30 September.

Member Organizations Fees in Euros
Largest Member counts	Low Income Countries	Middle Income Countries	High Income Countries
Less than 1,000 Students	1050 €	1,500 €	1,600 €
Between 1,000-5,000 students	1,500 €	1,900 €	2,000 €
Between 5,000-10,000 students	2,000 €	2,700 €	2,850 €
More than 10,000 students	2,600 €	3,450 €	3,600 €

>> You may refer to the list of countries by income category

APPLICATION PROCESS

IAU Membership application process steps are:

1. Please read carefully the admission criteria to check if your organization is eligible for Membership.

2. Fill in and return the application form duly completed to [email protected]

Payment of the annual membership fees

Signing of IAU letter of commitment on official institutional letterhead.

Apply here

AFFILIATES

ADMISSION CRITERIA AND ANNUAL FEES

The IAU Affiliate status is open to all non-governmental organizations and networks, national or international in nature, whose primary mandate is directly related to the mission and work of the IAU but which are not eligible to join the Association as a full Member. Applications eligible for Institutional or Organizational Membership cannot be considered for Affiliate Status.

Annual Membership Fees
800 euros per year. The financial year runs from 1 October to 30 September.

APPLICATION PROCESS

IAU Membership application process steps are:

1. Please read carefully the admission criteria to check if you or your organization is eligible for Membership.

2. Fill in and return the application form duly completed to [email protected]

Payment of the annual membership fees

Signing of IAU letter of commitment on official institutional letterhead.

Apply here

ASSOCIATES

ADMISSION CRITERIA AND ANNUAL FEES

IAU Associates are well-known and respected leaders and experts in higher education who share IAU’s goals and values, and wish to enhance their personal collaboration with the Association. Connected to the information dissemination programme, Associates attend conferences and participate in IAU projects.

Annual Associate Fees
150 euros per year. The financial year runs from 1 October to 30 September.

APPLICATION PROCESS

The associate status is only open to individuals who have been personally invited to apply by IAU.

SOLIDARITY FUND

Support the Membership Solidarity Fund
Show your solidarity with universities that are struggling financially to become or retain their IAU Membership. Enable them to avail of the international network the IAU provides and make their voice be heard. Your contribution would support the way towards more inclusive and equitable higher education.

You may contribute to the general Solidarity Fund here.

Contribute Here

Sponsor a Member

You may also wish to pay the membership fees of a specific university or higher education association or organisation. To do so, please write to [email protected].

Benefits & commitments

Join the growing global Higher Education community today!

Created under the auspices of UNESCO in 1950, IAU is a membership-driven organisation serving the global higher education community.
IAU Secretariat is based at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France.

WHAT ARE THE KEY REASONS TO JOIN IAU?

The most representative association of higher education institutions and their associations with over 600 members in more than 130 countries;
A UNESCO partner, uniquely positioned to collaborate with many international organizations;
A key source of expertise in four strategic priorities:


LEADERSHIP	INTERNATIONALIZATION	SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT	DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

>> JOIN IAU

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

EXPAND YOUR REACH

DEVELOP YOUR GLOBAL NETWORK

Make use of IAU extensive network to form new partnerships
Attend IAU global events at a discounted registration fee with a large audience of international experts
Contribute to IAU working groups, seminars and expert meetings

INCREASE YOUR VISIBILITY

Make your institution stand out in WHED
Promote your initiatives on IAU’s website and specialized portals
Host and be a speaker at IAU international conferences, seminars and workshops

BENEFIT FROM TAILOR-MADE SERVICES

GET ADVANCED ACCESS TO IAU KNOWLEDGE HUB

WHED: the reference global database, on systems, credentials and institutions worldwide
Peer-reviewed journal Higher Education Policy (HEP)
IAU Horizons, a bi-annual magazine debating current higher education issues
IAU Global Survey report on Internationalization
Direct access to International Higher Education quarterly publication of the Center for International Higher Education at Boston College (USA).

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ADVISORY SERVICES & TRAINING

ISAS 2.0: Internationalization Strategies Advisory service for institutions, individuals or national governments or organizations

Leadership programme

IAU site visits to higher education institutions implementing innovative technological solutions to improve quality or widen access to higher education

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD

GET INVOLVED IN IAU’S DECISION MAKING

Get actively involved in IAU governance
Use the right to vote at the Quadrennial General Conferences
Stand for election as an Administrative Board Member
Design and implement the IAU Strategy 2030

INFLUENCE GLOBAL DEBATES

Have your interests represented at multilateral organizations, such as Council of Europe, UNESCO, ECOSOC, OECD
Avail of IAU policy statements in your advocacy efforts
Share your views with a global audience at IAU events
Publish articles in IAU Horizons or HEP

>> JOIN IAU

Members

IAU counts four categories of Members: Institutions, Organizations, Affiliates and Associates. Members have specific rights and benefits. Each IAU membership category has a specific set of criteria and application process. IAU gathers almost 600 Members (Institutions, Organisations, Affiliates and Associates) from more than 120 countries.
INSTITUTIONS

Member Institutions are universities or degree-conferring higher education institutions whose main objective is teaching and research, irrespective of whether or not they carry the name of university. Benefiting from IAU’s complete range of services and able to become active participants in all IAU working groups and activities, they also participate in the election of the President and the Administrative Board.

IAU Observer status can be granted to public or private not-for-profit degree-conferring higher education institutions, which do not yet meet the eligibility condition of having graduated three cohorts of students (they should however have graduated at least one cohort of students and meet all other eligibility criteria). The Observer status is valid until the institution has graduated three cohorts of students, at which point it is admitted to full Institutional Membership. In creating this category, IAU wishes to become more inclusive and to contribute to the development of quality higher education globally.

>> IAU New Members - joined in June 2025

>> IAU Members World Map

>> Become a Member
ORGANIZATIONS
Since the General Conference held in Durban in 2000, IAU counts Member Organizations. Member Organizations are higher education organizations active on the national, regional or international level. Just like Member Institutions, they are granted full benefits, voting rights, and are represented on the Administrative Board. IAU counts 31 Member Organizations.

International higher education organizations
National higher education organizations

Bangladesh
Association of Universities of Bangladesh

Canada
Universités Canada
Université du Québec

Germany
Bavarian University Alliance (BUA)

Holy See
Conference of Rectors of Roman Pontifical Universities and Institutions (CRUIPRO)

Hungary
Hungarian Rector’s Conference

India
Association of Indian Universities

Japan
The Japan Association of National Universities

The Netherlands
Universities of The Netherlands

Romania
The National Council of Rectors in Romania

South Africa
Universities South Africa

Spain
Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE)

Sweden
Association of Swedish Higher Education (SUHF)

USA
American Council on Education (ACE)
Netter Center for Community Partnerships, University of Pennsylvania
AFFILIATES
IAU Affiliates are non-governmental organizations or networks, whose primary mandate is related to education and sharing the Association’s goals and values but which are not eligible to join as full members. Benefiting from IAU’s services, they participate in most of the Association’s projects.

Africa
Americas
Europe
Asia and Pacific
- International Education Association of Australia, Australia
- New Zealand Qualifications Authority, New Zealand
ASSOCIATES

IAU Associates are well-known and respected leaders and experts in higher education who share IAU’s goals and values, and wish to enhance their personal collaboration with the Association. Connected to the information dissemination programme, Associates attend conferences and participate in IAU projects.

Agneta Bladh - Former IAU Administrative Board Member and Former Rector of the University of Kalmar,Sweden
Stefan Delplace - Honorary Secretary General, EURASHE, European Association of Institutions in Higher Education (aisbl)
Zoltán Dubéczi - Secretary General, Hungarian Rectors Conference, Hungary
Etsuko Katsu - Former Vice-President, International, Meiji University, Japan
Kevin Kinser, Department Head, Education Policy Studies, Pennsylvania State University, USA
Jason Laker, - Professor, Department of Counselor Education San José State University, San José, CA, USA
Carmen Lamagna - Vice-Chancellor, American International University, Bangladesh
Marta Losada - Dean of Science, NYU Abu Dhabi, UAE
H. Ian Macdonald - President Emeritus (York); Professor Emeritus of Economics and Public Policy
H. Peter Mascher - Professor, William Sinclair Chair in Optoelectronics, McMaster University, Canada
Fatima Marinho - Professor, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Porto (Portugal)
Mirta Martin - Former President, Fairmont State University, USA
Romeela Mohee - Commissioner, Higher Education Commission, Mauritius, Former Vice Chancellor at the University of Mauritius, Higher Education Specialist, Commonwealth of Learning, Canada
Pornchai Mongkhonvanit - President, Siam University, Thailand
Clifford Nii Boi Tagoe - Former IAU Administrative Board Member and Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Ghana
Is-Haq Oloyede - Former IAU Administrative Deputy Board Member and Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Nigeria
Daniel Ruiperez - Former Rector, University of Salamanca, Spain
Ranbir Singh - Former Vice-Chancellor, National Law University, India
Paul Zeleza - North Star distinguished professor and associate provost at Case Western Reserve University, United States

SENIOR FELLOWS

Eva Egron-Polak, Former IAU Secretary General bio contact

Diana-Camelia Iancu, Associate professor, Public Governance and Dean, Faculty of Public Administration, National University of Political Studies and Public Administration, Bucarest, Romania bio contact

Jocelyne Gacel-Ávila, Catedra UNESCO, “Internacionalización de la Educación Superior y Ciudadania Global”
Universidad de Guadalajara, México bio contact

Stephen Sterling, Emeritus Professor of Sustainability Education at the Centre for Sustainable Futures, University of Plymouth, UK bio contact

Hans de Wit, Hans de Wit is Professor Emeritus of the Practice and Distinguished Fellow of the Center for International Higher Education, Boston College, USA bio contact

Marcelo Knobel, Former Rector of the University of Campinas (Unicamp), Brazil bio contact

Hans-Georg van Liempd, Secretary of the University, Tilburg University, The Netherlands bio contact

NEWS FROM MEMBERS

Discover news from IAU Members here.