Islamic Azad University English Bulletin - No. 21 –05 Sept. 2016 Islamic Azad University and Iran's Environmental Protecon Organizaon have signed a cooperaon MoU on protecng the environment and faciltang access to modern technologies. According to IAU public relaons, Dr. Masoumeh Ebtekar, head of the naonal Environmental Protecon Organizaon, first expressed her appreciaon of the efforts and acons of IAU in protecng the environment and stated that a long-running cooperaon has existed between the two organizaons and has already proven to be instrumental in educang students, founding specialized programs in fields related to the environment, and in taking actual measures to protect the environment. She stated the MoU is a way to focus the collaboraon between the EPO and IAU, to beer define common goals and take larger steps for the environment. “We signed an MoU with the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology and have begun our cooperaon with universies in various fields such as basic environmental training, research and environmental educaon debates, and also presenng praccal courses aiming at modifying environmental behaviors and movang students to parcipate in discussing and finding soluons for environmental issues,” said Ebtekar. The president of IAU, Dr. Mirzadeh, pointed to the capacies of the university, some of which are already operaonal and effecve in environmental affairs. “There are units in the IAU system that are acve in processing pollutants, controlling agricultural emissions and air polluon, and converng wastes into valuable materials.” He made specific menon of 10 IAU-affiliated growth centers and 70 knowledge-based companies that are working on environmental protecon, and suggested that a workgroup be founded to uphold and monitor the acvies under the MoU. IAU & Environmental Protection Organization Ink MoU The head of IAU board of directors and founding board inaugurated the Sarbandan Research Complex in Damavand. According to ISCA, in his visit of the Sarbandan Research Agricultural and Natural Resources Complex affiliated with IAU, Science and Research branch in Damavand, Ayatollah Hashemi emphasized the importance of technology and its domescaon and stated that IAU authories should take the maer of agricultural research seriously. The chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council made parcular menon of the latest technology in greenhouse culvaon from Netherlands and how it may be used in relevant projects in Sarbandan. The IAU president, Dr. Mirzadeh,deputy of IAU Parliamentary Affairs, Hojjat al-Eslam Ali Askari, and the head of S & R IAU, Dr. Abbas-pour, also parcipated in this ceremony. Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani Opens Sarbandan Agricultural Complex The United Naons Educaonal, Scienfic and Cultural Organizaon (UNESCO) and Islamic Azad University, Science and Research branch, have signed a cooperaon Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). According to an ANA report, the MoU was signed in order to develop and expand research and educaonal affairs in various areas, such as environmental affairs, preparing suitable background for effecve communicaon, and promong and carrying out research and educaonal acvies. This cooperaon will be focused on exchanging informaon and experiences in academic areas, specifically in the field of environmental law and also using facilies and capacies of both sides. Its content also covers supporng research projects with on climate change, supplying sustainable development goals, ecotourism and tourism industry, and holding naonal and internaonal educaonal courses, seminars, conferences, and workshops. S & R IAU & UNESCO Sign MoU Student of Karaj IAU Conquers Mount Lenin Peak Sahand Jamshidi, student of Islamic Azad University, Karaj branch,, conquered the summit at the second-highest point of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. According to an ISCA report, head of Karaj IAU sport affairs, Ahmad Mosalman, stated that Jamshidi parcipated in the Asian Youth Climbing Fesval this August and conquered the 7134-meter summit of Mount Lenin in Gorno- Badakhshan on the border of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. “The Kyrgyz Climbing Federaon introduced Iran as the best team of this tournament because of their punctuality, promptude, and effecve technique,” he said. Sahand Jamshidi, member of Iran’s naonal Omid team, was accompanied by Mehdi Bigdeli, Mohammad Javad Allahyar-nejad, and their team was headed by Khosrow Jamshidi. IAU Student Shines in 2016 Jr World Weightlifting A student of Islamic Azad University, Bandar-e Gaz branch has bagged the silver medal in the Junior Weightliſting World Championship, Macon 2016 in France. According to an ISCA report, the tournament was held from August 30 to September 4 in four weight classes in Macon, France and Ahmad Bazri, PE student of Bandar-e Gaz IAU, succeeded in winning the silver medal in the 74 - kilogram weight class. Mohammad Amin Behi, PE head at the branch said that Bazri faced and downed Nikita Suchkov of Russia 8-4 in the second round aſter tying in the first one. Later, Bazri thrashed Alexander Robert Moore from Canada 12-5 and also Moldavia’s Gheorghi Pascalov 16-6, proceeding to the finals. He finally succumbed to his American contestant Mark John Hall and conceded to a silver. Based on the latest reports released from Essenal Science Indicators (ESI), Islamic Azad University tops the ranks in producing academic output in Iran. According to IAU public relaons, Iran ranks 22nd due to its 184 thousand and 605 academic documents and IAU comes in 1st in naonal academic producon ranking with a contribuon of 29 thousand and 400 academic documents. The Islamic Azad University also holds the 187th rank in global academic output. This report also added that aſter Turkey, Iran is considered to be the second largest source of academic output in the Middle East. For more informaon and analycs, see hps:// esi.incites.thomsonreuters.com IAU Ranks 1st in National Science Production Researchers at Islamic Azad University, Rasht branch, have built a device which can produce gas and petroleum out of dried algae in 20 minutes. According to an ISNA report, one of the researchers, Fereshte Qorbani, explained that a special device has been created to produce oil and petroleum from the algae. This involves the producon of first Petroleum and then Kerosene and that “the produced petroleum is exactly the same as the natural oil product and right now, semi-industrial producon of the oil is in the plans." The researcher noted that the device’s funcon is inspired by the same mechanism that creates natural oil in nature under high pressure and temperature and the resulng products have the same with the same ignion, thermal and energy characteriscs. The project is based on an inial design proposal by Dr. Abu-ali Golzari. The president of Islamic Azad University announced the launch of a new office in Oman. According to Mehr report, Dr. Hamid Mirzadeh noted that 8 IAU internaonal branches and offices are acve. IAU is running offices and branches in Russia, Italy, Germany, UAE, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and the UK, all of which are members of the IAU internaonal network. He also noted that 2 new internaonal offices will be added to the network in order for Persian-speaking students to connue their educaon at MA and PhD levels. IAU to Admit a Thousand Expat Students IAU Runs Oman Office / IAU to Run two New Branches in Europe Rasht IAU Researchers Create Rapid Oil Production System The Director General of Internaonal Affairs of Islamic Azad University spoke of adming a thousand foreign naonal students in the coming educaonal year. According to IRNA, Dr. Hossein Ebrahimi stated that expats, who are mostly from Iran's neighboring countries, have taken to IAU IT programs. Dr. Ebrahimi also menoned that Iranian students who are live abroad may use the newly-launched registraon system. He also noted that all the classes will be held online with collaboraon of the IAU virtual elearning unit and IAU internaonal offices are responsible for planning and carrying out final exams.