Prof. Mahmoud Nili Ahmadabadi, President of AUAP sends a message to AUAP members

22 April, 2020

Dear AUAP Member

I would like to express my sincere sympathy regarding the recent rise of COVID-19 pandemic in the world. On behalf of AUAP, I reiterate solidarity with you, and with the faculty, staff and students of AUAP member universities and institutions.

Through domestic and international collaboration, the challenges to this and other global issues would be easier overcome and the mutual sympathies and assistance would turn into a momentum for reinforced relations and friendship among our institutions and our countries as well. To ensure continuity in education and training activities, Universities have taken some necessary measures to overcome the obstacles and have offered a wide range of learning materials that are available online in order to keep the continuation of education to students.

Our biggest challenge, however, I believe, is still how to abruptly move from mostly traditional to all e-learning education and how to overcome the problem of practical courses and trainings as we are facing new findings and happenings. While traditional on-campus learning will inevitably return to prominence once the coronavirus abates, universities and higher education centers can use this crisis as an opportunity to learn more about new digital tools and how to best leverage them.

Globally, the higher education community is facing vital challenges to ensure that education, learning, and research would not come to a halt and that the future generations will continue to have the knowledge and the means to make

communities a better place for all humanity. I would like to urge all AUAP members to continue their mutual partnerships in this difficult time and to share resources and initiatives. I am confident that together we will be able to overcome the consequences of this situation and avert the speed of the spread of virus to keep losses to a minimum and wish the outbreak will soon be placed under control.

We have been forced to cancel a number of our events and have to await the outcome of our efforts to curb COVID-19. Our next big event had been scheduled for fall and I hope by then the travel restrictions are over and we would be able to meet. Until then, we will be in touch through electronic means and I wish you, your family members and your staff and community would stay healthy and strong.

Truly yours,

Truly yours,

Mahmoud Nili Ahmadabadi, (Prof.)

President of AUAP and University of Tehran