HOUCHANG NAHAVANDI holds an Academic Merit Award from George Washington University and honorary doctorates from the Universities of Utah, Ankara and Shiraz. A former, Iranian Minister of Development (1964 - 1968) and Minister for Science and Higher Education (September – October 1978) he was Rector of Shiraz University (1968 - 1971) and of Teheran University (1971 - 1977) before becoming President of the Board of Trustees (1977 - 1979). He is also a Laureate of the French Academy (1992) and Associate Member of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences. Author of many publications in French and in Farsi.