IAU Global Meetings of Associations (GMA) are held every two years. They are organized exclusively for leaders of national, regional, and international associations or organizations of higher education institutions. These meetings offer a unique opportunity for leaders to meet as a relatively small group of peers to exchange ideas, share practices and network.
GMAs are held in conjunction with IAU International Conferences and both events share the same theme in order to discuss it from the perspectives of Associations and individual institutions.
Host & Partner:
The GMA 2025 will be hosted by and organised in partnership with the University of Rwanda.
Topic:
The topic of the 2025 GMA isthe role of associations in building trust in higher education. The full concept note can be accessed here.
The GMA will begin with a keynote presentation by Prof. Olusola B. Oyewole, Secretary General of the African Association of Universities (AAU) who will present thier work in building trust in higher education in the African regional context, among regional organizations, national government and society at large.
The keynote speech will be followed by a panel composed of representatives from associations from different regions of the world to discuss how building trust in higher education takes different forms in different contexts. The panel will showcase how such building of trust is an integral part of each association’s work and how such work contributes to fostering trust in the higher education sector.
After the panel presentations, participants will have the opportunity to debate and exchange views with the panellists and among themselves. At the end of the day, key outcomes of the discussions will be summarized to conclude the meeting and outline the way forward.
IAU GMA 2019
Programme
Friday 24 October 2025
9:00 - 9:30 - Welcome and introduction
9:30 - 10:30 - Keynote speech
Olusola Oyewole, Secretary General, African Association of Universities (AAU)
11:00 - 12:30 - Panel discussion I: Trust in higher education - Current situation
12:30 - 14:00 - Lunch
14:00 - 15:30 - Panel discussion II: Role of associations in building trust in higher education among policy makers and in society
15:30 - 16:00 - Coffee break
16:00 - 17:00 - Summary of main discussion points, conclusions and identification of joint action
GMA Speakers
PREVIOUS GMAS
IAU provides a special forum for its organizational Members: the Global Meeting of Associations (GMA). It is a meeting exclusively for leaders of national, regional and international higher education associations and organizations. The GMA offers a unique opportunity to meet and network, as well as exchange ideas and best practices among peers for mutual learning. These in-depth interactions boost international cooperation and help develop important joint initiativesfor the higher education sector and society at large.
The GMA is an in-person event and convenes every two years in conjunction with the IAU International Conferences, rotating from one region of the world to the next In addition, the GMA convenes online on a regular basis throughout the year.