Head of the Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Department of Architecture Prof. Dr. Rafooneh Mokhtarshahi Sani has been appointed to serve on the 2023-24 NAAB International Committee by Stephen Schreiber, President of the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), one of the most important architectural education accreditation organizations in the world.

The International Committee oversees the accreditation programs and activities of architecture schools outside the United States (US). This committee also supervises programs and activities related to evaluating education references of undergraduate candidates educated abroad, concerning NAAB's architecture accreditation, and liaises with the NAAB Board regarding international partnerships.

Academic Prestige of the Department of Architecture

Outside the US, in our nearby geographical region, only three architecture schools hold NAAB ICert Accreditations: two in the Republic of Turkey and one at EMU. Based on the list of International Committee members, Prof. Dr. Rafooneh Mokthtarshahi Sani is the sole appointee from the region, emphasizing the significance of this appointment as an indicator of the academic prestige of EMU Department of Architecture.

This prestigious appointment highlights the distinction of EMU Department of Architecture from other architectural schools in the region, signaling EMU's influential position on the international arena.