ATU Officials and International Student Recruitment Agencies Convene to Enhance International Admissions

The meeting focused on aligning operational strategies between regulatory bodies and recruitment agencies, examining existing administrative challenges, and establishing a coordinated mechanism to expedite and facilitate international admissions.

Hamed Ahmadipour, Head of International Student Recruitment Agencies at the Student Affairs Organisation, emphasized the vital synergy required among the Organisation, universities, and recruitment agencies to ensure high-quality, standardized admissions within existing regulatory frameworks. He noted that licensed agencies, by virtue of their extensive overseas networks, serve as essential operational partners for universities. He urged higher education institutions to provide clear support mechanisms to help reduce market entry risks for these agencies, thereby enhancing greater diversity among incoming international student cohorts.

Ahmadipour also stressed the importance of targeted international promotion, suggesting that Iran’s overseas broadcast channels, such as Al-Kawthar and iFilm, offer valuable platforms for introducing the nation’s academic capabilities to prospective applicants. Underlining the necessity of professional ethics and rigorous oversight, he reaffirmed that official university web portals remain the sole legitimate reference point for international student admissions.

Dr Pouria Askary, Director of International Academic Cooperation at ATU, stated that the initiative aims to establish a transparent, dependable, and efficient framework for collaboration with recruitment agencies, positioning ATU as a premier destination for higher education in the humanities and social sciences. He noted that ATU’s strong national and international standing across key disciplines—including international relations, psychology, social sciences, educational sciences, computer science, mathematics, and physical education—provides substantial capacity to attract elite international applicants.

Dr Askary further announced that, alongside offerings at the ECO College of Insurance, ATU has secured national accreditation to deliver select postgraduate programmes entirely in English, specifically Master’s degrees in International Relations, Cultural Studies, and English Language Teaching. With admissions currently open for the autumn intake, he invited agencies to prioritize recruitment for these specialized programmes. He concluded by calling for continuous feedback from agencies to help refine educational, welfare, and accommodation services for international students.

Dr Morteza Taheri, Vice-President for Academic Affairs at ATU, highlighted cultural diversity as a key hallmark of leading universities and called for a strategic review of recruitment practices to fully unlock the university's international potential. Pointing to newly launched, demand-driven interdisciplinary programmes such as Health Communication, Cultural Heritage Management, and Digital Economy, Dr Taheri underscored their appeal to high-calibre applicants. He also reaffirmed that Persian language proficiency remains a fundamental prerequisite for international admissions, urging enhanced collaboration with the university’s Persian Language Training Centre so that international graduates can serve as accomplished academic ambassadors for Iranian higher education.

The session concluded with university directors in charge of academic and accommodation affairs outlining relevant regulations and campus welfare facilities, followed by an open discussion addressing questions raised by recruitment agency representatives.