Founded in 1950, under the auspices of UNESCO, the International Association of Universities (IAU) is a membership-driven organisation with the purpose of advancing higher education and its important role in the development of our society. IAU is an independent, non-governmental organisation and official partner of UNESCO (Association Status). It also has consultative status at the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and participatory status with the Council of Europe. As a global leader of universities and other HEIs, IAU convenes and connects over 600 Members from more than 130 countries to identify, reflect and act on common priorities. IAU serves as a global forum for higher education leaders and international stakeholders. Members benefit from a wide range of services, including networking events, research, training and advisory services. We are commited to the advancement of higher education today and in the future. IAU is funded primarily through its membership fees to carry out its wide portfolio of activities encompassing its series of online webinars and thematic debates, events and conferences, publications, projects and other initiatives. IAU has developed several specialised portals: * The World Higher Education Database Portal (WHED): whed.net/home.php * Higher Education and Research for Sustainable Development Global Portal (HESD): iau-hesd.net * International Bibliographic Database on Higher Education (HEDBIB): hedbib.iau-aiu.net * Portal on Innovative Approaches to Doctoral Education in Africa (IDEA): idea-phd.net/index.php/en/