Payame Noor University

• Azerbaijan: Baku, Khatai zone, Nobel 14, Walie Asr Educational complex, Embassy of I.R. of Iran, PNU University Building
• Erbil: Fazel miranist, Shoresh
• Italy: Milano mantova strada cisa, N. 99
• Tajikistan: Dushanbe, Nemat Gharbayov 5,21 House
• Turkey: Şenlikköy Mahallesi, Hürriyet Caddesi, Karabay Apt. A Blok, No. 3/2 , Florya, Bakirköy, Istanbul, Turkey
• Oman: Muscat, Al-Arabia zone, 3060 AV. , No 302
• Qatar: Dafnah, cultural consultation of I.R. of Iran
• Kuwait: Salemia, Abuzar ghafari Av. , Unit 12, No 6
• Georgia: 1 a Evgeni Mikeladze str., 0159, Tbilisi, Georgia
• Malasyia: c8-3 dataran palma ampangpoint jalanan ampong selangor
• France: Paris - Numéro 11 Rue PACHE
• Canada: 1120 7905 Bayview Ave Thornhill ont L3T 7n3

By order of the President of the National Federation of University Sports the director general of PNU Physical Education became the head of the country's student powerlifting association.[21] Expanding the exchange of scientific information with universities and reputable international research associations is one of the goals of Payame Noor University. The National Islamic Comprehensive of India, Islamic and International Multimedia of Malaysia, Tishrin, Aftarah and Damascus Syria. The university is also an active member of several prestigious international scientific associations in the world, such as the Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOu),[22] the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE),[23] Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), UNITWIN/UNESCO, Iran National Science Foundation (INSF), and the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW),[24] (Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(ICESCO)). [25]

PNU is the UNESCO Chair Environmental Education. [26] Payame Noor University as the first university in Iran, has proceeded in designing and implementation of an environment training and education course in Master’s degree from 2008 with 500 graduating students and also has designed and implemented an Environmental Education Ph.D. course in 2012 with 40 Ph.D. candidates up to now. In order to accomplish the educational and research goals of this discipline, permission for Environmental Education and Sustainable development scientific-research quarterly journal was obtained from Ministry of Science, Researches, and Technology, which was published since 2012. Environmental Education Group in Payame Noor University, has held some festivals and exhibitions in 2009, 2010, and 2011, and the First National Conference for Environmental Education has held in 2011. Environmental Education association started its activity from 2015 by 540 memberships as all MA and Ph.D. students. Regarding establishment of a UNESCO chair about Environmental Education in Payame Noor University in 2017, it is expected that this program can achieve its desired goals by available potentials and cooperation between academia, civil society, local communities, researchers, and policy-makers, governmental and nongovernmental organizations (NGO).

Payam Noor University is a member of UNITWIN. UNITWIN is the abbreviation for the university twinning and networking scheme. This UNESCO Programme was established in 1992. The UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Program consists of the establishment of UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN Networks in higher education institutions. The UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Program promotes international inter-university cooperation and networking to enhance institutional capacities through knowledge sharing and collaborative work. The Program supports the establishment of UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN Networks in key priority areas related to UNESCO’s fields of competence – i.e. in education, the natural and social sciences, culture and communication. Through this network, higher education and research institutions all over the globe pool their resources, both human and material, to address pressing challenges and contribute to the development of their societies. In many instances, the Networks and Chairs serve as think tanks and as bridge builders between academia, civil society, local communities, researchers and policy-makers. They have proven useful in informing policy decisions, establishing new teaching initiatives, generating innovation through research and contributing to the enrichment of existing university programs while promoting cultural diversity.[27] As of May 2017, about 700 Chairs are established within the program around the globe in 116 countries covering about 70 disciplines. There are presently 24 UNESCO Chairs in the field of environmental education and education for sustainable development. In March 2017 Payame noor University as 14th UNESCO chair in Iran was selected by UNESCO to establish a Chair in the field of Environmental Education specially in the regard of waste management for 4 years. Dr. Seyed Mohammad Shobeiri selected as Chair holder and leads the program. [28]

Some other affiliations listed below:

• Council of Iranian Scientific Associations
• Iranian Sociological Association
• Iranian Higher Education Association
• Iranian Anthropological Association
• Iranian Futurism Association
• Iranian Society for Information Society Studies
• Iranian Association of Ethics in Science and Technology
• Iranian Association for Cultural Studies and Communication
• Iranian Association for Curriculum Planning Studies
• Iranian Educational Research Association
• Iranian Sociological Association of Education
• Iranian Demographic Association
• Philosophy of Education Association

In Iran, admission is highly competitive and only top students may achieve this honor. Undergraduate and graduate prospective students are admitted at the Iranian public university on the basis of their GPA and the National University Entrance Exam result. International students can apply directly to admission office of each university but should take Standard Persian Language Proficiency Test, ‘SAMFA Test’ to show their Persian language proficiency. The SAMFA Persian language test serving by National Organization for Educational Testing (SANJESH Organization) and Centre for International Scientific Cooperation (CISC) of the Iranian Ministry of Science, Research and Technology (MSRT) [31] [32] Since it is not possible for most international students to enroll and take part in the National University Entrance Exam, the International Study Center of PNU provides opportunities for students to continue their studies through degree programs at Bachelor, Master and Ph.D level. The final exams of students of the center are administered with the assistance of the Iranian consulates and embassies around the world. Having acquired necessary scores at the exams of the first semester, and having a high educational background at university or high school levels with high GPA, the encompassing students will become regular students. [33]

The education system, like the Iranian higher education system, has two semesters and one summer semester. The beginning of the first semester is from the last week of September to the first week of October (September 15-22) and the end is the end of February (around February 20). The beginning of the second semester is the end of February (February 15-20) and the end of it is the middle of July (July 21). The summer semester is from late July (July 5) to mid-September (September 21) if the university agrees to hold it. The educational calendar in the center of Afghanistan is different according to the regulations of that center. [34]

Graduates of this university receive an official degree from the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology. The diplomas awarded to the students of this university are valid for continuing their studies in higher levels inside and outside the country and employment in all government institutions and organizations.[35]

Bachelor's degree programs

Business

• Accountancy
• Business Administration

Agriculture

• Animal sciences

Social Culture

• Education (Management of Curriculum Planning)
• English Language Translation
• General Psychology
• Geography (Rural Geography)
• Law
• Library Sciences
• Persian Language and Persian Literature
• Social Sciences (Research)
• Statistics
• Theology and Islamic Studies (Jurisprudence and Basics of Islamic Laws)

Engineering

• Aerospace Engineering
• Agricultural Engineering
• Architecture
• Automotive Engineering
• Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Computer Sciences
• Computer Software Engineering
• Computer Engineering and Information Technology
• Electrical Engineering
• Executive Management Engineering
• Industrial Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Medical Engineering
• Metallurgy Engineering
• Polymer Engineering
• Project Management Engineering
• Railway Engineering
• Robotics
• Urban Planning

Art

Master's Degree programs

• Business Administration
• Chemistry (Organic,Inorganic,Physical and Analytical)
• Computer Sciences
• Computer Software Engineering
• Education
• Electrical Engineering
• English Language Teaching
• Ethics
• Executive Management Engineering
• Executive Administration
• General Linguistics
• General Psychology
• General Chemistry
• General Biology Geography (Rural Planning)
• Geography (Urban Planning)
• Industrial Engineering
• Law (International, Private, Penal and Criminology)
• Mathematics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Metallurgy Engineering
• Mathematics (Applied and Pure)
• Nahj-ol-Balagheh Studies (Fundamentals of Religion and Islamic Studies)
• Persian Language and Persian Literature
• Persian Language Teaching
• Public Administration
• Polymer Engineering
• Project Management Engineering
• Railway Engineering
• Robotics
• Social Sciences (Sociology)
• Theology and Islamic Studies (Koranic Sciences and Hadith, Jurisprudence and Basics of Islamic Laws, Philosophy and Islamic Speech)
• Theoretical Physics
• Urban Planning

Ph.D Degree programs

• Electrical Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Mathematics
• Health Psychology
• Accountancy
• Chemistry
• Distance Education Planning
• English Language Teaching (TEFL)
• General Linguistics
• Geography
• Private Law
• International Law
• Persian Language and Literature
• Physical Education (Management) Planning
• Physics
• Information science

International student information

In 1990, the Faculty of Overseas of PNU was established for the study of Persian Language and Literature at Bachelor, Master and Ph.D levels. The aims of these programs is to give foreign students an understanding of Iranian culture and art.

In the new organization of the university, the Faculty of Overseas is replaced by the International Study Center. This implies that the Center is authorized to offer all the degree programs of PNU. These programs are correspondence courses, which heavily rely on textbooks. The language of instruction is Persian. The center has 1182 students admitted through Degree programs in 55 countries.

Teaching in international centers and agencies is in Persian and teaching in other languages is allowed as needed and if there is content in that language. Persian language courses are held in the form of short courses for non-Persian language students with tuition fees and short-term courses are issued by the university.

Language courses for non-Persians

The following Persian basic language courses are launched for non-Iranian nationals worldwide:

PNU in 2025 would be a university with the following features: 1-Developed, active and according to Iran's cultural, geographical and historical requirements and based on the moral principles and Islamic-Iranian values 2-Capable in production, publication and consideration of knowledge and researches which are based on the conventional, semi-conventional, open and distance education and also capable in solving the global challenges 3-Being active in attracting creative powers and scientific-research talents 4-Being comprehensive and all-inclusive in national and global domains and based on the World's Standards 5-Having creative and efficient cooperation with the world scientific centers in science, research and technology fields based on the Islamic Republic of Iran's policies. [38]

Payame Noor University signed memorandum of cooperation in the national plan to strengthen and identify children and adolescents in the field of coding. PNU is also holding the second general assembly of the network of virtual universities in the Islamic world. [39]

Persian Language Learning Center of PNU is teaching Persian to citizens of other countries and non-Persian speakers. [40]

The Research Institute of Open and Distance Education with the convergence of all faculty members, vice chancellors, especially research vice Universities, heads of faculties, heads of provinces and general managers for policy-making, prioritization, ‌ integration of distance education research, planning of special continuing education systems for faculty and staff, as well as project design The national macro-plan is a comprehensive program containing five axes and fifteen steps that will be implemented by the grace of God Almighty and the support and participation of all esteemed faculty members of the university. The institute has several groups such as Training and innovation, Social and psychological studies, E-learning as well as Economics and Management. [41]

The Center for Legal Studies of PNU is a leadership in field and nationwide. Most of law graduates of PNU call to the bar annually. PNU Legal center identifying research and study needs in the field of various legal issues and topics of the nation, as well as carrying out study and research projects in the up to date related topics. [42]

• Department and Faculty of Humanities

• Department and Faculty of Social Sciences

• Department and Faculty of Engineering

• Department and Faculty of Agricultural Sciences

• Department and Faculty of Basic Sciences

• Department and Faculty of Art and Architecture

• Department and Faculty of Theology and Islamic Sciences

• Department and Faculty of Technical Engineering

• Department and Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology

• Department and Faculty of Literature and Foreign Languages

• Department and Faculty of Management, Economics and Accounting

One of the university's facilities for paying tuition fees is the Student Welfare Fund. The fund helps student applicants to pay their tuition. Payame Noor University has concluded with three operating banks in the field of providing facilities to the students by providing students loans. Due to the spread of Coronavirus some donors have accepted the scholarship commitment of a number of students. [43] [44]

Tuition for international students is determined by the university board at the beginning of each year based on local requirements and competitive conditions with other universities. Tuition of international students in the country is a maximum of 1.5 to 2.5 times the tuition of courses in the comprehensive course and tuition of students abroad according to the foreign exchange tuition table approved by the Board of Directors in Euro. [45]

University professors and students can purchase the electronic version of university books by receiving the university book reader software or by downloading the PNU application.[46]

List of Journals publishing by PNU in English:[47]

• 1. Biquarterly Iranian Journal of Analytical Chemistry
• 2. Control and Optimization in Applied Mathematics
• 3. Iranian Journal of Health Psychology
• 4. Nano-Sciences and Biotechnology
• 5. Quarterly Journal of Iranian Chemical Communication
• 6. Quarterly Journal of Tethys
• 7. Quarterly of Iranian Distance Education Journal
• 8. The Knowledge of Commercial Law
• 9. Applied Research in Sport Management
• 10. Biannual Research Journal of Iran Local Histories
• 11. Biannual Scientific Journal SADRĀ’I WISDOM
• 12. Biquarterly Journal of Optoelectronic
• 13. Communication Management in Sport Media
• 14. Crop Biotechnology
• 15. Environmental Education and Sustainable Development
• 16. Environmental Law
• 17. Experimental animal Biology
• 18. Journal of Civil Law Knowledge
• 19. Journal of Governmental Accounting
• 20. Journal of islamic finance research
• 21. Journal of Qur'anic Interpretation and language
• 22. Journal of Sociolinguistics
• 23. Journal of Urban Ecology Researches
• 24. Knowledge of the Islamic Revolution
• 25. Literary and rhetorical research
• 26. Neuropsychology
• 27. New Researches on Accounting
• 28. Physical Sacial Planning
• 29. Quarterly Journal of Economic Growth and Development Research
• 30. Quarterly journal of Industrial Economic Researches
• 31. Quarterly Journal of Public Organzations Management
• 32. Quarterly Knowledge and Information Management Journal
• 33. Research in School and Virtual Learning
• 34. Research Journal of Cultural & Social Development
• 35. Scientific Journal Of Organizational Behavior Management in Sport Studies
• 36. Social Cognition
• 37. QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY

Payame Noor University [Conference] System is in fact an online secretariat that helps Payame Noor University Centers to hold their scientific conferences at the international, national and regional levels without having to worry about conflicts with traditional methods of receiving articles and judging them. . This system easily manages all the stages of holding a conference from launching the website and informing to registering and receiving papers. http://conference.pnu.ac.ir/default.aspx[48]

Publishing of about 2700 books at the editorial office from 1988 to 2018. [49]

Payame Noor University has numerous sports, religious, and cultural centers and extracurricular activities, and tries to direct the potential energy of the youth in the right directions. [50] Payame Noor University has also an analytical news agency which known an UPNA. [51]

Fanoos Art & Cultural Center for PNU of Shiraz

Payame Noor University has more than 21 student scientific associations. [52]

Controversy

Iranian universities faced criticism in early 2007 about their treatment of students who follow the Baháʼí Faith. Although religious identification has been removed from entrance exam papers, the state sanctioned persecution of Baháʼís has led to students reportedly being expelled once their religion is discovered.[53][54]

The controversy specifically focused on Payame Noor when an official university letter[55] confirmed the expulsion as government policy.[56] Over 30 Baháʼí students have been expelled under the policy.[57]

Additionally, in 2008, the university declared that Arabic will be the "second language" of the university, and that all its services will be offered in Arabic, concurrent with Persian.[58] (See Iranian Arabs).