11/21/16 dgo
HAYS, Kan. -- Fort Hays State University President Mirta M. Martin has been elected a deputy board member representing the Americas for the International Association of Universities.

The election of Dr. Martin came at the IAU General Conference Nov. 13-16 in Bangkok, Thailand. The conference was co-organized in partnership with a Consortium of Thai universities, led by Siam University.

"I'm honored to have been elected to this worldwide association," Martin said. "It will afford Fort Hays State University the opportunity to have a very strong presence in the international market place and to explore and create new global partnerships."

IAU, founded in 1950, is the UNESCO-based worldwide association of higher education institutions. It brings together institutions and organizations from about 120 countries for reflection and action on common concerns and collaborates with various international, regional and national bodies active in higher education.

The association aims at strengthening academic solidarity among higher education institutions and promotes cooperation rather than competition. It promotes -- through teaching, research and services -- the principles of freedom and justice, of human dignity and solidarity. It contributes, through international cooperation, to the development of material and moral assistance for the strengthening of higher education in general.

The association has 605 members which are degree-conferring higher education institutions whose main objective is teaching and research.